Scene II - The Enforcer.

Takes place in: Month I - Day 3.

Rosie could understand and respect professionalism in those working under her. Most Cannibals? Didn't have that. They could go from utterly fucking ravenous with madness induced strength to perfectly civil and respectful citizens with a finger snap. It was like flipping a fucking dime sometimes. But the vast majority of her people knew to be nice and play just like that, be it Sinner or Hellborn that took to living in her little town.

But then again, not all of them were well behaved, or obedient. There was always troublemakers, idiots and pedantic assholes. Like the woman that was going to be part of today's dinner.

"That was a good shot."

Rosie got a nod in confirmation. Then again, it was all for Leonor's own sake that she was that quick with her revolver. The woman that attacked 'them' wasn't aiming at Rosie. No one was THAT stupid, even the feral Cannibals that gave in to their urges and lost all mind. No, as the pair had been enjoying a stroll the feral Cannibal came out to lunge at Leonor's neck.

But the shark woman hadn't been one of her now ex boss' top women for no reason. More so considering the bastard was a misogynistic pig. She had reached that position through ruthless aggression and effective gunplay that could put many to shame. Leonor had taken less than a second to whip out her gun, blast a hole between the charging woman's eyes and then put the gun back in place.

Had it been a regular old Cannibal demon, a single shot wouldn't have been enough. Ferals, luckily, were glass cannons in almost a literal sense. Sharper claws, teeth and instincts, but suicidal, with brittle bones and paper thin skin. More animals, or pests, than anything else.

"I aim to please." Leonor said with a hint of a grin. "And usually between my target's eyes. Few things survive that."

The Overlord could only nod. "Efficiency is always welcome." And as she said this, she demonstrated by motioning for two of her Cannibals to move the feral away. Some may like spoiled meat, but she preferred things fresh. "Now. I hope I will be seeing more of this in the near future?"

"Of course." There was pride in the loan shark's voice. Rosie expected and wanted no less. Pride, for someone like Leonor, was warranted. "Whatever job you want of me will be done. Carlos works for you, and so will I."

Mhmm, Rosie expected nothing less as they resumed their walk. Yesterday had been interesting after all. 'Legally' speaking she only owned one soul, but there were far more that rallied behind her nonetheless. Leonor was the kind of woman that would work for the worst kind of boss for either loyalty or personal gain, so Rosie hadn't expected the shark demon to be opposed to her rule.

That on itself wasn't the problem. "Speaking of him." Rosie took a turn to see a few Cannibal children playing with knives and bones. Ah, youth. "My dear Evelinde seems smitten with his heroics. How about you, dear?"

An easy question, it was not. A day was the furthest thing from the perfect time frame to land on your feet when thrown off like this. And to get the right read on feelings? Worse than that. Granted, many had fallen in or out of love in shorter time spans for many reasons; deadly situations survived, horrific encounters escaped, heinous secrets revealed… Rosie had been there to see many.

So the Overlord knew why faces such as the conflicted one on Leonor's face would ever show up. Doubt was quite the killer, sometimes literally too.

"I am unsure." Leonor admitted. "It has just been a day."

"Sure, I know. It is not like you knew the man for years or anything." Rosie tittered as the kids from before passed them, the bones they were playing with were broken and every knife was covered in blood now. "But what is your read on the young lad? He was raw, emotionally speaking. I am sure he let things slip if you asked him. And I have seen you paying attention to him. There is something that you want in there."

Leonor didn't answer right away. She spent very little time with Carlos and the rest of his family the last twenty four hours, but she had found many little details. But Rosie was right. There was *something*, even if Leonor didn't fully know what.

"He is far too honest." She began. In a way it was refreshing, in another it made her sick. Honest people did not last long. "He is upfront about many things. And if he doesn't want to tell you something? He doesn't. I am sure he'd lie to someone he hated, or to help someone he cared about, but honesty seems to be at the forefront of everything. Lying is probably one of the few ways to get him to hate you, or at least resent you, and only if you had the most important reason possible to go behind his back.."

The Overlord nodded. That much she knew. It probably would mean Carlos would make a lot of enemies in Hell, but that wasn't exactly a bad thing. "But he is also stalwart, isn't he?" Rosie hummed, gauging the other woman's reaction.

"He seems to be. Most of his family too. They give off that impression at least. I know you need not be told this, but it is easy to find out when someone is playing a character during conversations once you have some experience." Leonor admitted with a nod.

"Oh I don't doubt you could sniff a liar with ease, dear. And yes, they are far too nice, too green, for Hell. Even if some of his family members are either not fit to remain here, or should be here in a much different manner."

Rosie wouldn't admit her displeasure with some of Carlos' relatives, but the woman didn't need to. In a day far too many rumors had been running around the Cannibal Colony. Her people had far too much time to gossip.

And while Gonzalo was one of the more talked about people, as his mouth was going to get him into trouble soon enough, he wasn't the only figure in the gossip mill. The more disrespectful, for different reasons, and more hateful or annoying had been made known far faster and in much worse light. Gonzalo could be tolerated, he was even endearing to some of the locals. Others? Not so much.

"And yet you haven't answered my question." Rosie opted to ignore a pair of whispering Cannibals that watched Leonor with far too much interest. Newcomers, more so those not addressing their code of dress and conduct, were always eyed warily. "For a first impression, what do you think?"

"I'd prefer if he lost weight first." Leonor admitted without an ounce of shame. Not like Rosie didn't agree. Few people truly enjoyed 'girty' individuals, at least when they weren't part of the spread at a feast. "But while I would like more time to know him, if I am to stay, I can say he has been… much more pleasant than any other man I have had my eyes on." Then the woman frowned. "Now, if I do stay? I know one thing we will be butting heads on, and I found out in record time at that."

"Rosie arched an eyebrow. Now this could help. "What may that be?"

"..." Leonor seemed to remain quiet for a second, but Rosie quickly got to hear a small rumble coming from within her. Then that rumble grew, and a blush showed. The woman was letting out a slow, low growl, more akin to an animal than anything else. "... I doubt he'll let me protect him."

That admission made Rosie's smirk widen. "Oh my dear. It sounds like you are a mama bear in the making. You have a nice protecting side to you, am I right?"

"PLEASE!" Leonor's blush could only grow. Whatever professionalism she had been displaying was now gone as she turned to face the woman. "Don't say a thing. Right now it is just an obligation, okay? He saved my life, I will try to pay him back. That is all there is to it as far as he is concerned."

Rosie nodded, their little tour around her piece of Hell stopped. "My lips are sealed, darling. But do tell… Has he behaved like any man you ever met?"

"... Not really. There is a reason I said he has been pleasant, to say the least. Awkward, but pleasant." The shark demoness admitted. "He IS genuinely nice. His family seem welcoming, if still wary. It is… a more comfortable feeling than I ever had with any fling. To have someone wanting to talk with me to know me, to just hear me out, instead of wanting to know the details of a job or if I am up for another round in bed."

"Unsurprising, more so in Greed. Quick gratification and more gain." Rosie was sincere there. Greed was not universally 'shitty' in all regards, but Mammon's despoiling of his people made most positive emotions to be 'secondary. But Leonor's words brought other things to mind, things Rosie quickly dismissed, this time. "So, my dear. Do you think it is possible for you to truly fall for the man?"

Leonor took a second, then answered. And she did with a quick slip of the tongue to boot. "If he loses weight? S-perhaps."

The Overlord grinned. Of course Leonor would. Hell or not, most women did want a decent man, it is just that most had to settle for less. And Rosie had learned a lot by taking ownership of Carlos' soul. He had enough 'good' with a few 'rotten' attributes, perfect if correctly nurtured.

She just needed to make sure to keep an eye out. This wasn't going to be one of those times she could steer others fully. But the older woman knew how to give a few nudges.