It took Aria a while before she could bring herself to stop sobbing. Alastor had patiently let her get it all out of her system, which made Aria feel really embarrassed, but she was also incredibly grateful to him for it. He didn't mock her for her weakness, but offered her his handkerchief once there were only a few sniffles left. She humbly took it from his gloved hands and thanked him as she blew her nose loudly, the handkerchief smelling clean and freshly pressed as she felt rather pathetic right then.
When she was finished blowing her nose, however, a gasp escaped her as she realized her fingers were clawed and blackened, again, making her look down at herself to find her purple dress had reappeared, along with the rest of her disguise. Her heart sank as she realized her angelic powers were so depleted that she couldn't even keep up her real form. She was back to looking like a demon for everyone as she sighed dejectedly, reminding herself to be thankful, at least, that her choker didn't rely on her faith alone.
"Feeling better?" Alastor commented with a good-natured grin, making Aria stare up at him, marveling at how much his face softened with a much kinder smile before she nodded as she tried to smile back, but it came out as more of a grimace.
"'A little bit. Thank you," Aria answered quietly, feeling calmer, at least, but so very empty as she began to move to stand, but was surprised once again by Alastor's good graces as she saw him offer his hand to her, which she meekly took as he helped her to stand. "Again...thank you."
"Why, you're very welcome, my dear!" Alastor said graciously as he put a hand on the small of her back, leading her back to the couch, while a snap of his fingers made the pile of paper disappear. "You've had quite the night, haven't you? I say, it must be absolutely terrifying to find yourself in Hell without much in the way to protect yourself! I can't blame you for getting a little teary-eyed about it, especially given you were probably holding onto that one scrap of hope! What honestly surprised me was how quickly you let that hope inside of you just die! Really, it was very entertaining to watch your angelic form disappear, along with that ridiculous force field of yours!"
Well, that little streak of grace didn't last very long, Aria thought bitterly to herself, but then she let out a tired sigh as she just let it go as she sat down on the couch, feeling utterly drained as she watched Alastor's shadow leer at her over Alastor's shoulder before turning back into a normal shadow.
"Well, you got what you wanted," Aria said quietly, her body feeling almost numb as she tried to summon any spark or light in her right hand, but nothing came to her as she held Alastor's handkerchief in her other hand. "Until I can have a serious talk with the Lord, read something more uplifting, and forgive myself for letting this shocking turn of events rob me of so much faith, I'm powerless. Congratulations! You won't have to worry about my force field for a while. In fact, you won't have to worry about anything from me for a while."
"Really, my dear?" Alastor asked with an intrigued smile on his face as he summoned his staff in his left hand as he stood in front of her with his back to the fireplace, which made the red glow of his toothy smile, eyes, and staff become much more prominent for a moment. "And how is it that I'm so fortunate to have the privilege of having such an advantage?"
"I...was foolish enough to give into despair," Aria answered with some hesitation, but she was now too tired to stop distrusting Alastor, anymore, as she thought deeply about his incredible act of mercy. "With how easily you recognized my powers draining away with the loss of my true form, you can probably guess how terrible the loss of the power Christ's name was for me. You have no idea how powerless I felt when you told me His name holds no sway in Hell, anymore, but that hopelessness dangerously turned into despair. Without faith, without hope in Christ and his power to save, I lost the power to maintain my Intention Force Field, along with most of my powers as an angel. The moment it fell was the moment I fell into your hands. What you chose to do next, however, I...I'm still trying to process it! Honestly, even if you spared me any grief just because of the deal we made tonight, it's a powerful testament to your integrity! For that...all I can hope to say is thank you. I'm deeply grateful for what you did...and I'm ashamed that I didn't believe you would honor your word as a demon."
"Why, thank you, my dear! What a rare treat it is to hear such humility, even if you had to lose absolutely everything before you could see that I was telling the truth!" Alastor gloated, his smile wide with satisfaction, while Aria felt a pang of guilt at his words, unable to look him in the eye as he continued with a more understanding tone. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, however, and allow you to make it up to me, of course! After all, I can hardly blame you for distrusting me, given the nature of most demons!"
"Thank you for understanding," Aria said with a small smile, the effort to do so much harder than it looked on the surface as Aria fought against the temptation to beat herself up over her dangerous moment of weakness. "I'm sure you understand I won't do anything untoward to anyone, if you ask a favor of me, but after seeing what you did, today, I can at least be comforted that you won't take advantage of my weakness. That's an amazing quality to have, Alastor, especially with how long you've lived here in Hell! I never thought there'd ever be a demon with a sense of chivalry, here, let alone one that would act on it."
"Ah, now you're just trying to sweeten the deal, my dear!" Alastor said with a modest grin as he twirled his staff and caught it in his right hand, a much milder aura coming from him as he walked back to the fireplace, while the sound of a calm, old-timey tune filled the air around them. "Now, I don't want to end such an entertaining evening, but given your deeply emotional state, which will most likely hinder any further discussions for the night, I would say it would be best for both of us to go and catch some much needed shuteye before we continue with our business!"
"But...what about the angel you mentioned?" Aria brought up hesitantly, suddenly not wanting to be left to her own thoughts as all that had happened to her that day filled her with a deep sense of loss and regret.
"Sigh...and here I thought you'd finally listen to reason," Alastor commented with mock wistfulness, the music abruptly ending as his smile looked rather stiff, making Aria realize Alastor might be rather annoyed with her as he looked at her sideways from the fireplace. "I thought I made myself quite clear that it would be best to not dwell on him, my dear!"
"I'm sorry, but this is very important to me," Aria apologized meekly, not wanting Alastor's ire, but she couldn't let this go as she ran a hand through her auburn hair nervously before looking at Alastor. "I know it's late and that you really don't like the subject matter, but I can't let this rest until I know, Alastor! I won't be able to sleep, otherwise, and I'd rather settle out our differences before we turn in for the evening. That was the condition for talking more about him, anyway, given we haven't decided on an arrangement."
"I'd rather you'd just forget I ever mentioned him, but I did say that, didn't I?" Alastor commented with a tired-sounding sigh like he mildly regretted his statement, but he just shrugged it off as he turned to her with a cheerless smile as though accepting the inevitable, unpleasant conversation. "Very well, my dear! Have you finally agreed to my terms, then, since you have no way of proving your own integrity for the moment?"
"...Yes," Aria admitted with a sigh of resignation, her tone soft and fragile as her gaze moved away from Alastor, while she felt the weakness inside her deepen with her admission as she hugged herself. "I don't really have a choice, anymore. Even if I gain all my powers back by tomorrow, I hardly have anything in the way of stopping you from getting your way, that's for sure. After tonight, though...I also feel I need to allow you a chance to prove yourself. I feel I've misjudged you, and so I think it's best to see what following your lead may bring."
"Excellent!" Alastor commended her with a cheerful smile as he strolled over to her, choosing to lean on the arm of the couch to her left, his left leg crossed over the other one as he leaned on his staff with both arms, looking at her expectantly as a small round of applause could be heard in the background for a moment. "Then, I suppose you want me to divulge my part of the bargain, then? Once you know, there's no turning back from it and Hell knows you're going to regret it!"
"Alastor, he's the only angel you've mentioned that's still alive after the redemption program was destroyed a hundred years ago," Aria insisted earnestly, but her tone was still quiet as she said a small prayer in her heart, begging the Lord to forgive her for her weakness as she also asked for guidance on this next vital step with Alastor. "Unless you know of any other angels in a better position to help me, I can't see a better way of gaining vital information. I mean, I could try and find someone to hack the internet to try and find some information, or go to a local library and find old newspaper articles on what was happening a hundred years ago. Those sources, however, also raise the possibility that someone's going to notice I'm poking my nose in subjects I'm probably not supposed to be interested in. I really don't want to run into the three V's, Alastor, and if there's a safer way of gaining information, then I'm going to try it, first."
"So you want to go straight to the horse's mouth and ask him what he knew before, pardon the expression, all hell broke loose?" Alastor asked promptly with a mildly amused, closed-mouthed smile, the sound of a gunshot and a scream startling Aria before she realized it was just Alastor's radio background, making her let out a rush of air in relief.
"Exactly," Aria said with a nod, a small smile of hope starting to form on her face, but her eyes looked worried as she continued. "If I can see him long enough to gain the information I need, and do it without being noticed by the three V's, not to mention Lucifer, then I'll be that much closer to bringing Hell back from the brink! I know it isn't fool proof, and I know things can always go wrong at any given time, but I believe this is our best option in gaining information without raising unneeded suspicion. Before I forget, though, what's this angel's name? It's starting to really bother me that we're talking about someone and I don't even know what their name is!"
"As much as I admire your manners, Miss Aria, the thought that I must once again let his name befowl my tongue is truly offensive to me!" Alastor complained, his smile somehow looking like he'd just tasted something foul as his staff disappeared while he adjusted his coat and dusted off his sleeves before making his staff reappear. "However, given that I can't merely let you go looking for him without a way to identify him, I guess I must place my bruised ego aside for the moment. I still think this idea of yours is incredibly unwise, but with what I've grasped of your personality and character thus far, I perceive that it will be in my best interest to humor you for the moment, or I might find myself dealing with the repercussions of your dangerous need to feed that insatiable curiosity of yours! So, to answer your question, his name is Nicholas. Nicholas Chapman, if I remember correctly. A merchant by trade during his life on Earth and apparently a rather fair one, or so he claimed! Personally, I think he's slimier than a snake-oil salesman, but he did like taking risks, which was why he'd had the nerve to accept a deal from me eighty years ago."
"Nicholas, huh?" Aria muttered to herself as she felt a little guilty for the curiosity she felt, but she just couldn't help herself as she leaned closer to Alastor a little. "Did he say what he'd found out and what the cause of the corruption might be?"
"My dear, you misunderstand me if you think he told me anything. He wasn't just a low-grade merchant. He was also a businessman, which means he kept the "help" as far away from the real problems as much as possible!" Alastor said with contempt in his voice, his smile more of a sneer as he leaned in close to Aria for emphasis before promptly standing up and pacing in front of the fireplace, the sound of radio static growing around him. "Unfortunately for you, I have no information to give you on anything he might've found specifically. He looked into matters himself as much as possible, read and studied subjects without discussing any of it with me, and to make matters worse, he even started making deals with other demons! That's when things really started unraveling around him and to this day, I'm convinced I lost him to another demon because that insufferable fool couldn't keep his deals straight!"
"Wait! He willingly made a deal with more than one demon!?" Aria asked, perplexed and horrified at the thought as Aria thought of her own deal and shivered involuntarily. "No, thank you! One was more than enough for me, but to go and sell that much of yourself and thinking you can escape it all unscathed!? It's insane!"
"I told him the same thing, but he brushed it off, thinking he could outwit all the demons he'd agreed to sell a part of himself to!" Alastor said with a smile and a shrug as his staff suddenly disappeared as he sat down closely to Aria, putting an arm around her conversationally, but Aria was still not used to it as she flushed at the closeness! "You see, unlike you, that good-for-nothing angel had a real problem with his arrogance and pride! He really thought he could fix the problems of Hell by playing the same games we sinners play, but we both know that's not how this game works. Angels, by your own creed and definition, must rise above the debased and vile actions of demons or they themselves begin to be corrupted, losing their angelic abilities the more they stray from that narrow path of righteousness! I'm sure you can tell where I'm going with this, but the angel you may very well seek information from or even laughably want to save may not even be an angel, anymore, my dear! Being I'm a deal-maker, myself, I can tell you with utmost certainty that he's had to pay dearly for trying to manipulate the deals of so many!"
"...I think I'm beginning to understand why you aren't so keen on telling me where he is," Aria answered softly as she brushed a strand of auburn hair back into place before she looked at Alastor, whose face was too close, making her feel rather self-conscious as the flush on her cheeks grew worse as she just tried to concentrate on the conversation. "I may find an enemy instead of a friend with Nicholas Chapman, then, when I see him. I think I understand why you don't trust me, now. I'm so sorry you were treated so badly. I can only imagine how frustrating it was to work with someone who wouldn't even give you a chance! I can't really blame him, though, given I'm guilty of the same thing. You being a demon just shut down any chance of me wanting to get to know you or let you get close and I feel that's where Nicholas must've failed in his mission."
"You, however, have already surpassed that two-faced charlatan when it comes to giving me the benefit of the doubt, my dear, so really, can't we just go from here and leave him to his well deserved fate?" Alastor suggested with a hopeful smile, which brought an eye roll from Aria, making her shake her head as a smile of amusement appeared on her face.
"You really don't like him, do you?" Aria said, her smile genuine as she found Alastor's distaste in Nicholas rather relatable as she thought of her own bullies in life as she unfolded her arms and turned to Alastor expectantly. "I can't make any promises for now, but...well, if perhaps I didn't go and see the last angel you helped out right away, then what would you suggest I do, instead?"
"Well, for starters, we both should probably get some rest, followed by an early start, maybe a nice walk around Hell to give you a sense of what you're up against, not to mention it may give you the time you need to recharge your powers, given your current state, my dear!" Alastor suggested animatedly, the change of subject making a big difference as his smile broadened as he suddenly stood, pulled Aria up along with him as he then twirled her for a moment as an old-timey, upbeat dance number played in the background. "After that, we'll need to see how things are doing here at the Hazbin Hotel, given I doubt anyone, save Niffty, knows how to cook anything decent around here! Really, I often wonder how this place is even standing, let alone allowed to function as a place of residence!"
"Alastor, please! I don't have the energy for this!" Aria complained breathlessly, her face feeling rather hot as Alastor suddenly stopped his small dance routine with her, an arm still resting on the small of her back as she had to lean on him heavily until the room stopped spinning! "I'm happy to see you happy, but please don't expect me to be able to do a dance number after all I've been through, tonight!"
"What a shame! And I thought you might be up for a song before we turn in for the evening!" Alastor said with an exaggerated sigh of disappointment, his smile comfortably amused as Aria gently pulled away from him once she no longer felt dizzy. "So, I'll see you bright and early tomorrow? How does seven o' clock in the morning sound?"
"Too early, but I think I can manage," Aria said tiredly as a huge yawn suddenly escaped her, making her realize she might not want to know what time it was. "I still want to know what happened with Nicholas, but for now, I'm going to keep my promise and let you take the lead for tomorrow. I'll take my leave, then, and find my way back to the ground floor, if that's alright. I hope you rest well, Alastor, and...thank you, again, for your hospitality."
"The pleasure was all mine, my dear!" Alastor said with a happy grin as he walked with her to the elevator, his staff reappearing in his left hand as he promptly pushed the button for her as they both waited for the elevator to arrive. "If one evening like this is what I can expect from you, then I have a great deal of entertainment to look forward to!"
"I think I'll take that as a compliment," Aria said with a tired smile, another yawn escaping her as she blinked tiredly at Alastor before she suddenly froze on the spot as she saw Alastor's shadow merge with her own. "Um...Alastor? Why does it look like your shadow is going to come with me?"
"Because it is, my dear!" Alastor stated primly, completely at ease as Aria's skin crawled at the prospect of having that creepy shadow of Alastor's watching her every move! "You're hardly in a position to defend yourself, so I took the liberty of assigning my shadow to you as a precaution and a fail safe! After all, I highly doubt you have the angelic power to set up a safe zone, being that was the normal routine I ran into with angels while they slept! This way, if you're in trouble, need to send a message, or you're in need of an ally, all you need is to call upon my shadow! He is the reason I can teleport around so quickly, I might add, so I'm never too far away as long as he's with you!"
Aria stared at her shadow, the eyes and smile of Alastor's shadow glowing white in its perpetual darkness before seamlessly blending into her shadow, again, making Aria shiver! She'd completely forgotten that she couldn't set up normal protection protocols, making her realize Alastor had a point, which she was grateful for, but his shadow seemed far more sinister than Alastor himself. She really needed to forgive herself quickly, reconnect with her Savior, and get her powers back as soon as possible or Aria might never get rid of her very intimidating, shadowy chaperone while here in Hell!
"He...he won't eat me in my sleep, will he?" Aria asked nervously, making Alastor suddenly laugh out loud at her statement, making Aria blush with sudden embarrassment!
"Oh, my dear! He's my shadow!" Alastor explained patiently, a chuckle escaping him as he shook his head at her and patted the top of her head reassuringly before he put an arm around her shoulders and brought her in for a side hug, his body so close that she could feel his chin touch her now rosey cheek. "He's bound by the deal we made this evening, so please rest assured that he'll do no harm to you! If you're also afraid of him compromising your delicate moments that are associated with bedrooms, I can assure you he will be a proper gentleman! You have nothing to fear from him with the exception that he likes to jump out and scare people on occasion, so good luck with that!"
"Great! Sigh...I have a feeling I might not need an alarm, then," Aria commented half-heartedly as another yawn escaped her despite how incredibly uneasy she felt about Alastor's shadow tagging along as she felt Alastor gently let her go. "Fine! I don't have a good enough reason to say no, so I don't really have a choice, but just so you know, I'm not okay with the idea of having eyes on me all the time!"
"Fair enough!" Alastor said matter-of-factly with an amused grin on his face as he summoned his staff in his right hand, while the familiar ding of the elevator ran through the dark library as the light of the elevator washed over Aria. "Remember, my dear, that I expect you ready to leave the hotel by seven o' clock sharp tomorrow morning, so please do be ready by then!"
"Duly noted. Good night," Aria answered politely as she yawned, again, her hand almost covering her mouth as she struggled to keep her eyes open as she walked into the elevator and pushed the button for the lobby. "I'll still set up that alarm, don't worry."
"Good night, my dear! Pleasant nightmares!" Alastor said with a wicked grin, making Aria's heart sink with dread while he waved a gloved hand at her as the elevator doors closed, blocking him from view.