As Aria became aware of the old, dusty office around her once more, she stood still as a statue for a moment to process what she'd just witnessed. Another awareness, the old man in the vision, had opened a door in her mind. He swept through it with a broom, opened the library of vast possibilities within her and then left her a note before moving into other doors inside her mind deeper within.
It simply read in her mind, "Kiss Andrew on the center of his forehead."
"What? Why are you l-looking at me that w-way?" Andrew asked nervously as he kept his eyes on the feathered serpent, completely oblivious to the moment Aria had witnessed in the twinkling of an eye from Coatl's gaze.
"You...don't see anything?" Aria asked with a disappointed look on her face she couldn't help expressing as she walked over to him as he looked at her quizzically.
"No, why?" Andrew asked in confusion, but then he saw a smile on her face that was both sad and happy at the same time as she took his hand gently in hers, making him hesitate, but he didn't pull away. "What? W-what's up?"
"May I...may I kiss you on the forehead?" Aria asked sheepishly, feeling happy all of a sudden as she started to realize slowly who he was as the old man continued to tidy her mind up.
"Um...okay," Andrew conceded, not really understanding what was going on, but seeing no harm in it, Andrew closed his eyes and bent down so she could kiss him.
Changing into her human form, she kissed him on the forehead gently. She sensed that the old man shifted from her mind to Andrew's and as the transfer completed, Aria felt the loss of it. Coatl flew to comfort her, slithering around her neck and nuzzling her, making her smile as she realized with joy that the flying serpent was warmer to the touch. Her blood had made it rise as a warm blooded serpent.
"Um...thanks," Andrew said, a purple blush forming over his features until he stopped and froze. "W-What? Who...what is this!?"
"It's just Brother Flynn, Andrew...but really, that isn't the name I should be calling you, is it?" Aria said with a knowing grin as she stroked the head of her feathered serpent, who was growing down feathers by the minute all over its scaley body.
Andrew stood stock still, stunned as a white light shone over him and then a red glow formed over his chest. The two lights met and spun and Aria, in that moment, saw the red turn black and the symbol that they made was the yin and yang symbol, the symbol of perfect balance. As the symbol solidified and hung in the air in front of Andrew, the light from it became engulfed in green fire the color of jade as Andrew cried out in surprise as he was consumed in it!
Aria watched, completely unfazed as the fire faded to reveal a very familiar figure. He wore a tuxedo, the perfect blend of black and white with black hair instead of red, yet his little prong horns remained in white this time. His eyes were stark white with the monocle now a simple black with a white chain, with a black bowtie to bring the ensemble altogether. His staff was black with the radio topper now a stark white, matching the black and white spats he wore as the music in the background played "Try to Remember" by the Four Brothers.
"...It's been a long time, Lauren," Alastor said with a bemused look on his face as he reached out and touched her face.
Aria's human form melted away, revealing a different, mortal face entirely. Her long, brown hair became a short, blonde, curly bob number, her brown eyes turning the color of blue bordering on silver, with her blessed robes turning into a black and white long sleeved tunic with a black and white bow with silver and umber arrows slung on her back. Her leggings were black save near the ankles, where white met white shoes that looked like they'd never tarnish. Black fur lined the tops of her short boots, matching the fur on her very small, white cape barely large enough to drape over her shoulders to her shoulder blades.
They looked at eachother for a moment in awe and wonder before they dared speak again.
"...I'm finally home, Alastor," Aria finally managed to say as tears welled up in her eyes as she clung to him fiercely, her chest hurting as all the eons of waiting culminated into this moment. "I feel like a crushing weight has been on my soul like I've been used as an olive press. The weight was almost suffocating!"
"...I know the feeling all too well, my dear," Alastor spoke softly and gently as held her a memt more before stepping back a little as he lifted her chin, making her look at him as she realized that his smile was different.
"Aw...they made you take away your sharp teeth," Aria griped a little, pouting as a chuckle escaped Alastor as he fondly caressed her head.
"And you cut off that waterfall of curls, I see," Alastor mused, but he bent down to whisper eagerly in her ear. "I like it...it reminds me of the hairstyle I gave Charlie when I did my song and dance number for her when I joined the staff of Hazbin Hotel."
"You mean when you became the "owner" of it," Aria said with amusement, making him chuckle as she checked his smile again and giggled. "You kept the eye teeth nice and sharp at least. Hoping to out do Vlad Tapesh?"
"I needed to keep something in my smile dangerous, yet alluring, if only to seduce you further," Alastor whispered thickly as his eyes grew red and devilish, making her gasp and moan eagerly as he moved to bite her neck, but not hard enough to draw blood just yet. "I want to so badly!"
"Patience...he's stirring," Aria whispered low with the heady promise of want as the sound of Angel Dust groaning filled the small office space. "Brother Flynn, you know what to do."
"Ugh! Wow, what a hangover...wait, what!?" Angel suddenly shouted as he sat up like a spring board and then shuddered as he held his head.
"Don't fight it, my pink friend, or the headache afterwards will be far greater, I can assure you!" Alastor warned with an evil grin, but Angel just shook his head as he stumbled to his feet as his fur and suit drained of color, leaving him mostly black and white, with his eyes the only thing remaining the same. "Ah, that's better! Now we're all here!"
"Not yet," Aria said with an impatient expression as she picked Coatl up and kissed her on the nose.
As a whirlwind of blue and white feathers engulfed the snake as it whirled in the center of the room, it grew to the height of Angel before disappearing to reveal the figure of a very pale woman. She was dressed completely in black that had a blue sheen to it, with red eyes with black and white pupils, and a very tall staff of black that had a sheen of green on it with a black stone that glistened red and green when it caught Aria's angelic light. She was an imposing figure with massive, black horns that curved straight up, their composition looking like the dark shine of volcanic glass, although Aria knew better than to assume they were just as fragile.
"You are all late," the imposing woman said in a scoffing, haughty air, but it was not an unkind voice as a sigh escaped her, matching the rye smile playing at the corners of her black lips. "Are we finally all in attendance?"
"Finally," Aria said as everyone affirmed in agreement, although Angel looked like he was still stunned. "Something wrong, Angel?"
"...Did I make love to you for free once when you were just as you are?" Angel asked Aria with a look of wonder, his voice far away like he was dreaming.
"Yes, but it was a long time ago, Angel," Aria said with a sad, but understanding smile. "Do you regret it?"
"I...actually...no...not at all...not even after all these years," Angel muttered thoughtfully as a very cute blush crossed his face as he looked at her, then looked away as he shifted on his feet awkwardly, not knowing what to do with all his arms.
"I'm glad," Aria said with relief as she looked at all her friends. "How is everyone? I've been out of the loop for quite a few cycles."
"You're always out of the loop, my dear, but to answer your question, all is ready!" Alastor chimed in gayly as he grabbed her in his arms and sighed happily as he entangled her in his embrace. "Soon we will be married and you will be mine forever...finally."
"Hold, you love-sick fool," the tall woman scoffed and huffed as she gently put her staff between them and pried Alastor off of Aria. "Ariathe June's story must be completed first. Lauren Kleinschmidt's story will have to come afterwards."
"I'm still in her story, right? Lauren's, I mean," Angel asked awkwardly, his confidence and brash attitude replaced with one of humility and with the weight of experience that spoke of pain and longing for stability. "She...took me in when no one else would."
"Of course you're still in my story, Angel," Aria said softly with love and kindness as she walked over to him and entertwined her fingers into one of his hands as she kissed it affectionately. "I love you and that will never change."
"Good...good," Angel said as he took a deep breath and tried to smirk, although it was half-assed. "So, then, we're all on the same page, then? Do we get to remember ourselves this time around?"
"Of course, you silly, pink spider," the tall woman insisted with a wave of her hand. "It is the final round. All must come to an end, and this accursed cycle has affected all of every known being in every known universe to the point that all are positively sick of it! It MUST end this round!"
"Then, the meeting is adjourned?" Aria asked hopefully, but the tall woman looked down her nose at her in disapproval, making Aria make a pained, disappointed, put out face. "I still have a trial after all of this? Really!? This circle of Hell has been hard on everyone. Surely some mercy can be applied this final cycle! I was owed that much because of how incredibly hard the last cycle was!"
"Your boon is in effect, I can assure you," the tall woman said with a disappointed sigh. "It makes for such a lack luster ending, but then, you've bested your worst foes eons ago. There is no great fight left for you, save the ones you've chosen as Ariathe June. I concede, this will be a fitting end to such a gentle soul as yours. After all, you loved me when there was utterly no reason to."
"She is an absolute wonder, and she's completely mortal to boot!" Alastor cried out gayly, his exuberance absolutely glowing as he poofed in a puff of white smoke to caress her arms from behind her as he hugged her to him fiercely. "Imagine how much more she'll be when she finally joins us in the eternities!"
"Careful! You're fangs are showing," Aria said with a gasp in her throat as Alastor scraped his teeth against her throat again, the moan of want from him eager and insistent.
"Surely I can have her now! Surely!" Alastor groaned, the grip he had on her fierce, yet gentle as she felt the sadness of him and how long he'd suffered to get to this point.
"Be at peace, my love," Aria said sadly as she gently pried him off of her so she could turn and look at him steadfastly. "We agreed that this story would bind us forever. Spare a few moments longer."
"Yes...yes, of course," Alastor agreed sadly, but firmly as his old, devilish grin reappeared. "There is still so much to look forward to!"
"Even me!" Angel Dust said with a laugh, the first real laugh Aria had heard from him in ages. "To be this young, again! I mean, we really shouldn't be complaining, right?"
"Then do we have an accord?" The tall woman asked The Radio Demon, making him sigh, but then he smiled his most congenial smile as he snapped his fingers, activating his devilish, green light, and then grabbed her extended hand.
"It's a deal!" Alastor said with his most devilish grin as the woman blazed in red fire, the red and green swirling as ethereal dragons rose from the flames, dancing in the fire before they plummeted onto all in the room, extinguishing all the light save the eerie, white glow of Aria's angelic orb still hanging over them.