"I wonder what they're talking about out there?" Nifty asked as she and the others waited for Charlie to return.

It'd only been a few minutes since their blonde-headed leader left to speak with her father. And already, the group's minds were busy coming up with the endless possibilities of what they were discussing.

"Gee, Nifty. If I had to guess, I'd be willing to bet it has something to do with this year's Extermination going tits-side up." Husk sarcastically answered.

"I'm going to let that slide because I took your booze away," Nifty said, not wanting to fight with him again. "But seriously, what do we think Lucifer's saying? What do you think he found out when he went to Heaven?" She asked again, being clearer this time.

"Personally, nothing," Alastor answered before raising one of his hands to prevent anyone from saying anything. "And, before you ask why, I'll tell you. The likelihood that everything's been resolved, or that Lucifer managed to figure out what's going on after a single visit to Heaven, is astronomical. I believe he came back with more than he had before, but I'll still be amazed if Charlie has something substantial to share with us." He explained.

"I gotta agree with smiles on that one." Angel Dust chimed in, now sitting sideways in his chair. "Crazy shit like this doesn't just happen and then get resolved. Life's never that convenient." He said.

Suddenly, from outside, a high-pitched squeal was heard.

"The Hell was that?" Angel Dust asked with widened eyes while looking at the front doors.

"It had to be Charlie. Trust me. I've heard her make that noise before." Vagatha answered while crossing her arms. "But that sounded like her happy squeal. Which doesn't make sense." She noted.

But before the group could ponder that unexpected occurrence, the doors were flung open. Revealing...

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!?" Husk shouted in alarm as his body threw itself away from the front desk, now pressing against the wall behind it.

Entering the hotel through the now open entrance was Charlie. Being pulled behind her was the source of Husk's shock and everyone else's. However, they didn't express it as loudly as he did. Instead, they were more focused on the details of this mysterious new entity and the whys and hows of it being in Charlie's company.

A pitch-black serpent-like body covered in violet-colored eyes. The largest resting in the middle of the creature's head, which also resembled that of a snake. And, as if this wasn't strange enough, the entity appeared to be smiling. Indicated by the mouthful of fangs that formed a grin that shared the same color as its eyes.

As a final note, it was intimidatingly big. The same size you might expect to see in a horror movie about a giant snake eating people in the amazon.

"Guys! I have someone I want you to meet~" Charlie said once she and the creature reached her friends. The "meet" at the end of her sentence was spoken in a sing-song way. "This is one of my dad's MANY siblings and MY favorite aunt. Azrael, the Angel of Death." She introduced.

If Charlie's friends were cartoon characters, their jaws would've gone through the floor. Even Vagatha, who'd been with Charlie the longest, had no idea THIS is what her aunt looked like. Of course, Charlie wasn't shy about her incredibly large family. She happily and excitedly talked about them whenever her girlfriend asked about them.

And yet, somehow, she managed to leave out the part that despite being known as "The Angel of Death," Azrael looked NOTHING like an angel. Then again, neither did the spider demon in their group, who had the same word as his first name.

"Hello, everyone." Azrael greeted. Her grin had become a surprisingly warm smile. Matching her tone of voice. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. And I'd like to express how grateful I am to each of you for being there for my niece when her father should've been." She told them, managing to sneak in a jab at her brother.

The first to regain their senses and respond to Azrael was Alastor. Something that would be an immediate red flag to the others but went unnoticed as they were still stunned by the reveal of her identity.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Death." Alastor greeted her with a bow. "I must admit, I never thought I'd have to honor to be in the presence of someone of your position." He confessed, accompanied by a surprisingly tame smile.

"Oh, my, a charmer," Azrael said, flattered by his words. "Please, straighten yourself, good sir. I do not want to be treated as if I am your better. As difficult as it may be, I want you to speak and interact with me no differently than you would anyone else." She requested.

"Hm, you're quite humble," Alastor said while fulfilling her request. His smile turned into his usual grin as he did.

"Let me guess; Lucifer is a different story?" Azrael inquired.

"Oh, yes. Despite us being associated with his beloved daughter and having spent the last year with her, he can't be bothered to stop by for a nice chat over lunch. Quite rude, I say." Alastor replied, making her laugh.

"That sounds like him, alright. It's also quite fitting for another of my siblings, Gabriel. Have you heard of him?" Azrael asked.

"The Archangel of Justice, correct?" Alastor guessed, receiving a nod.

"Both he and Lucifer are so frustrating. Each in a special way. Lucifer's hot-headed and constantly does stupid things. Gabriel's the embodiment and then some of a boy scout and is denser than any material you could hope to find or create. I still love them, but they are EXHAUSTING." Azrael responded, now making the radio demon laugh.

"Well, I can safely conclude you're nothing like them. For starters, you're not stiffer than a board." Alastor joked while simultaneously complimenting her.

"Oh, ho. I was right about you. Your tongue has more silver than Heaven's capital." Azrael complimented him in return.

"Aww, this is so great!" Charlie exclaimed with a smile, unable to contain her joy. "I'm so happy you two are getting along! But you know, the rest of you can join any time. Don't be shy!" She said to the others, wanting all her friends to speak with her aunt.

"I know! Why doesn't our dear Vagatha have the next conversation?" Alastor suggested while gesturing to the grey-skinned Latina. "After all, she IS your girlfriend, Charlie." He added, causing the Angel of Death to gasp.

"Is that true?!" Azrael asked before hurrying over to Vagatha. "Are you, Vaggie? If you are, Charlie's told me SO much about you! I've wanted to meet you for quite a while now!" She revealed.

"...You...have?" Vagatha questioned, finding it hard to believe that someone like Azrael would care about someone like her.

"Mhm! You have made Charlie happier than I've ever seen! Even during her birthday parties when she was little, she wasn't as ecstatic. And, while there is still plenty I need to learn about you, I can safely say you're better than that Eldritch boy she dated." Azrael told her.

"Auntie, come on, you don't need to bring that up..." Charlie whined, now embarrassed.

"What? You needn't feel any shame, Charlie. That boy didn't know how good he had it when you were with him. And from what you've shared of Vagatha, she is FAR more deserving of you." Azrael said.

"You can call me Vaggie if you want." Vagatha offered. A noticeable blush was present on her cheeks due to the abundance of flattery. "I mean, if we're going to learn more about each other, and you don't want me to worry about the whole Angel of Death thing..." She added, just in case she overstepped.

"I would like that, Vaggie." Azrael accepted with a smile. Admittedly, she was delighted to be getting along so well with her niece's significant other.

SNAP

That sound came from Angel Dust's fingers, accompanied by a look of realization.

"I just remembered who you look like!" Angel Dust exclaimed as he pointed at Azrael. "Pentious! An old snake dude that fights with my pal Cherri a lot over turf. He's also got a bunch of eyes on his body, like you. Although, his are pink." He said.

"Angel. You can NOT be SERIOUSLY comparing the Angel of Death to Sir Pentious of ALL people." Vagatha responded in disbelief.

"It's alright, Vaggie. It's not as if I'm offended." Azrael assured, not wanting there to be discourse. "Besides, no form is forever unique. Eventually, one will appear that is similar or scarily exact as another. If it would be easier for all of you, I can alter myself." She proposed.

At first, Vagatha and Angel Dust thought to question that. The reason was that while everyone here had a "true" demonic form, it was still limited. Only the most powerful of Hell's residents could change themselves into myriad appearances. But then they remembered that Azrael, ignoring that she was the embodiment of death, was one of God's children.

And who the fuck was going to be more powerful than that?

"I don't think that will be necessary, Azrael," Alastor spoke again, rejoining the conversation. "Angel Dust was merely pointing out a resemblance. You have no actual issues with how she looks, right?" He asked, now addressing the spider demon.

"Pfft, duh." Angel Dust answered. "She pulls off the snake with multiple eyes look, whereas Pentious is trying SO hard to be scary it's sadder than it is hysterical. But Cherri and I still laugh at him." He said.

"Aw, that's very sweet of you to say. Thank you." Azrael replied, a bit surprised by the number of compliments she was receiving in such a short time.

"Just being truthful." Angel Dust assured, not thinking it was a big deal.

CLAP

Another sudden noise. This time, it came from Charlie, whose hands had been brought together to get everyone's attention.

"Alright!" Charlie exclaimed, a smile still on her face. "I don't want to interrupt all this bonding, but we have a lot to do and even more to talk about, such as giving my aunt a tour of the hotel and finding her the perfect room." She stated. "Which, just saying, would probably be next to mine and Vaggie's." She added, shamelessly wanting to be close to her aunt during her stay.

"Oo! Oo! Can I help with that?" Nifty asked while raising her hand. She'd gotten over the shock of Azrael's identity not long after Alastor. But she remained silent so she could watch how those two would interact, which was followed up by Vagatha and Angel Dust. "I've cleaned this place from top to bottom for a year! No one knows it better than me!" She put forward with a thumb pointed at her chest.

"Sure, Nifty! That'll allow you to talk to each other since you haven't yet." Charlie agreed, seeing that as a perfect way for the bonding to continue.

"Sweet!" Nifty cheered before hopping down from the desk. "Follow me, Azrael!" She excitedly beckoned before hastily moving towards the ground floor hallway.

"Right behind you!" Azrael called after her before following.

Charlie, Vagatha, Alastor, and even Angel Dust would join the pair. Mostly to continue talking with Azrael when they could, but also to learn why she was even here and what Lucifer had said to Charlie. Yet as everyone trailed behind Nifty through the hotel, they completely forgot someone. Which, to their credit, wasn't hard to do since he was still in a state of shock that left him immobile.

Meanwhile...

This...was unexpected. Samuel, who sat in his office, was experiencing a different outcome of a familiar scenario. It'd been nearly half an hour since Angel Dust's departure. And in that time, a series of predicted events played out.

He finished treating the female Sinner that Doomguy had brought with him from Hell earlier. Ten minutes after that, she awoke, and what followed was a nearly identical recreation of Angel Dust's awakening. Samuel spoke to her, did his best to convince her of her safety, and instructed her to go to the elevator so they could converse in person. Which they did for twenty minutes straight, thus bringing them to now.

But that is where the similarities ceased. Unlike Angel Dust, this woman wasn't surprised by anything. Or, if she was, she hid it so perfectly that not even Samuel could see it. Even now, after explaining everything, the Sinner sat across from him with an unblinking focus.

And Samuel didn't know what to say or do next in response to that. Was she waiting for him to say more? To ask the first question? Maybe this was a test to see if Samuel was trying to trick her.

"...Where is he?" The Sinner asked, once again subverting his expectations.

"I assume you're referring to my associate," Samuel replied, receiving a nod. "He's on mars; I know that much. As for his exact location, I cannot say. Our partnership is based on mutual respect and boundaries. I do not keep track of his whereabouts unless we are working together. And he allows my drones and me to do what we need to get everything operational again." He informed.

"Will I be able to thank him? For what he did for me?" The Sinner inquired.

"Of course. Although you know far more than you did before, there's still so much you need to learn. He will assist me in further explanations." Samuel responded, making her smile. But only briefly.

"That's good. I'd feel terrible if I didn't express my gratitude. He did more for me than anyone else ever has." The Sinner admitted, only to realize she had made a slight error. "Oh, and you, too." She added, remembering that this mechanical man was the one who'd been caring for her.

"Your thanks are appreciated. But please, do not feel as though you're indebted. If there is one thing my associate and I agree on, it is our morals. Despite your demonic appearance and whatever sins you committed in your former life, you were still a person in need. Neither he nor I would ever turn a blind eye to such a situation." Samuel promised.

"I...find that a little hard to believe." The Sinner said. "I saw how he killed the Exterminators; there was no mercy. Although they wore masks, no one would misinterpret who and what they were. Now, I apologize if what I'm about to say offends you. As you've already established, I still know so little. But how can you expect me to accept that, despite the differences in our realities, he'd not only be willing to help a demon but also end the lives of Divine beings?" She asked.

Hmm, intriguing. This was a similar argument Angel Dust had used, but with a key difference. Samuel hadn't told the Sinner about Doom yet. He informed her of their operation and mentioned the tragedy before they discovered her Hell, but nothing more.

So, she was suspicious of her Savior's kindness as it clashed with the brutality shown towards the Exterminators. Revealing that this woman was quite perceptive.

"Everything I've said about him and myself is true. I must clarify that so you don't think I've lied in some way." Samuel began. "However, with that said, I cannot deny I didn't play a hand in his mercy towards you. Before my associate ever set foot in your Hell, I sent scouting drones. And what I saw was unprecedented. Demons that behaved like humans. Granted, they were still unruly and quite merciless towards one another. But still, there was an actual society and culture. I did not gaze upon savages ruled by an overpowering force or guided by primal instincts. So, I requested that my associate not immediately bring forth his weapons and proceed to kill you all. Needless to say, as you might gather from what you witnessed, that was not easy." He told her.

"What helped to sway him? Something had to." The Sinner pressed, confident that there was more.

"Heh, I've already given you that answer," Samuel replied. "His hatred for the demonic did not replace his sense of justice. Regardless of the details, he can recognize a situation that doesn't seem right, even without the context. Although, I once again confess that I made an argument for the residents of your realm. That because they differed so drastically from the demons we're familiar with, instigating violence or treating them the same would be foolish of us. And after performing a few surveys by himself, I believe my partner has begun to accept that. If only by a little for now." He explained.

Silence filled the room for a second time. Yet still, like before, Samuel couldn't get a read on what the Sinner was thinking. This would allow her to surprise him with a sudden change in her expression.

"Then, I should thank you again." The Sinner spoke, another smile, bigger than the last, appearing on her face. "Not to paint the man who saved my life in a negative light, nor to take away from his goodwill. But it's clear now that you're the one who's the most open-minded to people such as myself. Which, I would like to say, means so much to me. More so than I could ever hope to put into words." She stated.

"That is very kind of you to say," Samuel replied. "Now, unless you have more questions you want to voice before we continue. I'd like to know your name so it'll be easier to speak to each other." He requested.

"Hm? Oh! Right. I haven't introduced myself. I'm so sorry." The Sinner apologized, embarrassed that she hadn't done it sooner. "My name is Olivia. Just Olivia. I haven't decided if I want to go back to my maiden name or only have my first name from now on. I've been focused on other things even before I nearly died. AGAIN." She informed, unintentionally rambling for a moment there.

However, Samuel didn't respond, nor did he move. His entire body came to a complete stop while his optic remained on her.

"..."

"..."

"...Samuel?"