If one was close enough, one could hear a low growl emitted from the tightly sealed lips of Penance. An annoyed look bordering on seething captured her face as she walked through one of Rhode Island's many halls. Every step cracking on the vinyl tiles like snapping bones. Operators who heard her coming, knew to stay well enough away. There were enough… interesting Lupos already at Rhode Island who had that same look in their eyes when something happened that they did not… like.

When Deszcz saw her, she was glad their room had one of those automatic doors. If they had a hinged one, the poor thing would've probably been ripped off its hinges. Deszcz herself had returned earlier, after being given her continued workout regiment from Zofia and being introduced to Dobermann for further training, she had been given the rest of the day off. Already sore, sweaty, and just a little bit smelly from working out, she returned to her room to shower and rest. Her body too tired to do anything other than lay down as she felt her bones and muscles have a chance to breathe.

She'd taken a nap for a little more than a hour before waking up to the Doctor knocking on her door. Their hands waving through the viewport of the door before she had to, painfully, crawl out of her bed and open the door. She found the Doctor rocking on their balls of their feet, which meant it wasn't good news they were delivering.

"Hey Deszcz how are-Oh you do not look good."

"I'll sue you for harassment you know." Deszcz joked as the Doctor raised their hands up in surrender. "Something the matter?"

"No. Yes? Kinda?" They seemed to be at a lost at what to say. Deszcz leveled the Doctor a confused look before they eventually continued. "Well, let's just say there was a small incident involving your roommate and another Lupo." That got Deszcz's attention.

"Is Penance okay?"

"Don't worry! Nothing health related, but, uh, the situation might be a little volatile. It shouldn't be common knowledge about Penance's… complicated past in Siracusa. Has she told you much about it?" She shook her head and the Doctor rubbed their neck nervously. A look of guilt written on their face.

"She's told me enough about it that I can form my own opinion." Deszcz tried to recall that initial talk they had. Penance at the time didn't seem ashamed of her past, but more so tired than anything. "My own law career didn't have relation towards criminal law or doing with anything other than whitecollar crime, and most judges I've met in my time at the Longrein Law Firm more or less rule in favor of whichever corporations have them in their pocket or the necks in a noose. But I know that Siracusa's a whole different beast when it comes to law." The Doctor nodded, a somewhat relieved look forming on their obscured features. "You don't make a lot of friends as a lawyer; I imagine less so as a judge."

"One of those not friends might've met her today, and he's… had a complicated past with Siracusan mafioso families before. In hindsight, I should've been a bit better in placements. Should've checked to see if they were around, maybe rescheduled practices, better if…" The Doctor trailed off now. Descz hasn't been on Rhode Island long compared to other operators, but she's had enough conversations with the Doctor while setting up Rhodes Island's legal department to see how they sometimes begin to ramble when a lot of things are on their mind.

"Doctor, anything I can do to help?" The Doctor's attention snapped back to her as Deszcz looked ready to help. Even if her legs were quite shaky as she stood.

"Nothing really overt." The Doctor started, hands wringing. "Just… Be there for her. I haven't talked to Penance much, maybe a few times after her onboarding meeting when I'm talking to you two about your progress on forming the department, but I can get much of the same thing you're trying to do. Right wrongs." Dezcz grew quiet, knowing that Doctor seemed like a goof… Okay, seemed like a really big goof, but they were incredibly perceptive and knew when to or when not to talk. And right now he didn't need to say more than that.

"You're probably one of the people who can relate to her, not even as a lawyer, but I wouldn't be so far off to call you friends?" Dezcz smiled, which made the Doctor smile.

"Are you making assumptions Doctor? You know those can kinds of things can make an out of you?" The Doctor laughed now before wishing her well and wishing her luck with Dobermann. Which was becoming less of a growing excitement the more she heard about her.

There's no way she can breathe fire, chew through barbed wire, AND rip a man's throat out. She thought before Penance came stomping into their room.

"Hey Penance, was training alright?" The Lupo woman turned her head sharply and Dezcz had to resist the urge to scream at the bloody murder which seemed to shoot out from Penance's eyes. Swallowing through that piercing gaze she continued. "H-How's the Defender team? I hear they're usually quite nice?" Eventually the intense look in Penance's eyes died down to a rather subdued look and maybe… shame?

"They were very nice. Do you know who Mudrock is?" Penance asked.

"Sarkaz woman? Really pretty, wears a bulky suit and wields a very scary hammer?"

"Yes. She's my… mentor? Her arts have similar capabilities as mine, but her method of activating and using it are quite unorthodox." Descz smiled before throwing a soft stress ball at Penance.

"Well no duh, this entire company is unorthodox! How many pharmaceutical companies hire ex-Sarkaz mercenaries, former police officers, and has a running bar in their headquarters?"

"I'm pretty sure most companies would dream to have their own private bar attached to their center of business." Good, Penance seemed to be destressing, Deszcz thought with a smile. Even though there was that distant almost restrained look on her face, it was something Deszcz had gotten somewhat used to seeing on her roommate's face. It was like she always seemed to be holding something back or didn't quite want to open up fully.

"But how many can say that we get a whole international food course!" Lavinia laughed at that point now and Deszcz judged that their defense can rest in regards to objective of destressing her roommate. "Good news today is that it seemed your brother had a hand in making tonight's menu. Looks like today's gonna be "authentic" Siracusan cuisine, which I'm excited about trying!"

"Huh? Leontuzzo is here? Wait, that little bastardo didn't even send me a message that he'd be back?" There was edge once more to Penance's voice. Deszcz gulped as she saw that her roommate had stopped changing out of her sweats and into her casual clothes.

Oh... Oh fuck. Oh no. That look of anger had returned again and Deszcz realized she had made a grave error. She tried to move to stand, but it was too late. Penance had already finished changing and was on the warpath once more.

"When I find that little pup I'm going to wring his neck so help me god. Doesn't even call me, message me..." She had already gotten out of the room before Deszcz, in a vain attempt, could stop her.

"Ack! No, my legs! Penance!" She tried. She really tried, but her legs refused to move, and she almost fell on her face had a quick hand not stopped her fall.

"Are you alright Miss Deszcz?"

"Oh! You two are back! When did you return?"

"An hour ago, we just finished giving the Doctor our report, and just in time for dinner too!"

"Welcome back you two! Oh, actually can you help me with one-Actually two things?"

"Of course, I will help as best I can."

"Good. The first is that I can't seem to move my legs and I REALLY want to try this "authentic" Siracusan food at the mess hall, so I wouldn't mind being helped there. Two, uh, I think I might've pissed your Uncle off recently…"