Scene X - Flesh Tithe.

Takes place in: Month I - Day 12.

"So… this is the Cannibal Colony's abattoir?"

"The place reeks of death. It is metal as fuck."

"Gonzalo. Shut the fuck up."

Rosie was somewhat unamused, hopeful and fearful all at once. She let none show, but she knew this was going to be a mess.

However!

However, this was important. This time there were people that wouldn't try to double cross here. This time there was far too much for her to oversee by her lonesome. This time, she needed trust in at least a few key elements that would not stab her in the back.

Rosie needed people that could watch over certain things that required her being there. Either out of necessity or because the activity in question was an extension of her will. Thus, the Tithe always needed her, or a representative.

Evelinde had been the only one to be extended the privilege of having her full trust thanks to her grandmother and how utterly loyal and devoted she had been. And Rosie had to be honest. She had been far too cold to the young woman. The Overlord had been willing to do away with her far more readily than she had with people that truly deserved it.

The young woman was not one of those she could just discard. Rosie knew Anastasia wouldn't fault her if she ever did, though it would truly hurt their friendship, but both knew Rosie had had enough failures and backstabs for her to trust anyone anymore.

She hoped this was a way to start mending that. Perhaps Evelinde saw no fault on Rosie's actions, but the Overlord clearly thought this was a long time coming.

It was time to start solving her past mistakes. Or, at the very damn least, stop making more.

Though this probably shouldn't have been the first step. But the Tithe didn't exactly wait for anybody. It happened when it could happen, and it was once a month like clockwork. It also helped, in a way. Rosie could try and change things in private, but she needed to show the same hand in public. Despite their talk, this was very much true: Rosie had to maintain her outside persona. Not only because the Cannibals trusted THAT version of Rosie, but because many other Overlords would take advantage of any perceived weakness. Rosie would not allow that. It would hurt everyone and that was NOT something Rosie would allow again, not if she could help it.

So, with a deep breath, Rosie turned to look at the group. Carlos, Evelinde and Leonor were here, Zana had skipped it. The Imp woman had no interest in this kind of butchery; it was no animal work and it was no battle. She just didn't care. Enrique and Gonzalo, as requested, had also come with. They were some of the closest to Carlos, and Rosie found it only fitting that they would share the load as time went on.

"I expect the sight is fittingly gruesome." Rosie acted nonchalant, though the sight of the humans' expressions made her determination shake. This was far too early, she knew, but it had to be done. "This is an event that requires nothing less, my dearies."

Now, before we go any further. Do understand the abattoir was clean. It didn't look like it, but that was merely an enchantment. The place was properly cleaned and maintained, more so than many other places in the Colony. It NEEDS to be. Poorly preserved meat was one of the reasons a Cannibal could go feral as they ate rotten or spoiled things. They basically became ghouls in the worst case. Disgusting creatures.

Thus there was no real blood on the hooks or walls, nor on the floor. The smell and sounds of flies were for the Cannibals working here to become frenzied just enough to quickly kill and clean the dead Sinners. And once the Tithe was done, the spell would deactivate so the place could be cleaned without the illusion in place. But while the Tithe was active? The gore should remain, and Rosie's Cannibals would enter a state of berserker desire for death that made this job a pleasant excursion for all of them.

Well… not the humans, probably not Leonor either.

"The smell is an acquired taste." No, Leonor wasn't that into it. Rosie didn't fault her. The shark woman had made it clear that she hated blood in her mouth, unlike many of her kind. This place likely made her uncomfortable.

"I mean, it is no different than those times me and the family were carving up fish." Gonzalo was the most nonplussed of all 'strangers' here. Most of the Cannibals waiting around for the 'meat' seemed to give the man a nod. "Not exactly my cup of tea, but hey. Still metal."

Enrique groaned. "You are a fucking psychopath."

"Possibly!"

Rosie found the interaction funny. Carlos? Not so much. His deadpan stare was kilometric and Evelinde couldn't help herself making it worse by chuckling at Gonzalo's clear uncaring nature when it came to his most likely unwell mind.

"No surprises there." Leonor was the only one mildly unimpressed. "But this may still be disgusting for you."

Everyone else was about to add their two cents, even Rosie cared little about the Cannibals working for her when she opened her mouth to try and reassure those present. It would be a bit of a hit to her, she knew, but she had little care on that front.

The only thing that stopped everyone was the influx of Sinners as they began entering the room with varying looks of resignation. The most worrying of them seemed even eager. Rosie cared not how they got their rocks off, though she wished some of the souls under her command hadn't grown to like this… experience.

Probably the most unnerving of them, at least considering the woman's likeness, was a Sinner resembling a voluptuous, anthropomorphic and very shapely turkey. A Sinner with particular fetishes and disgusting behavior that nonetheless had a very strong soul and *LOVED* coming over every time she could.

And it got her hot and bothered to be murdered or abused in so many ways. Rosie wished for *THIS* particular soul to be able to travel and go to Lust and far away from her presence. But power is power, and the woman provided a lot of meat. No, she wasn't fat or anything, in fact she was lean, but very… uh… sexually charged. Thing is this particular Sinner regenerated VERY fast, so she literally volunteered VERY often if not ALWAYS.

Rosie had second thoughts about the woman almost every time she came to the Tithe.

"We have guests today?" It didn't help that that particular Sinner was already nude, had a husky voice and, as mentioned, was anything but small in the correct areas. Everyone was looking her way for one reason or another. And you know what? That was the wrong thing to do. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"Shut up, Jessica. This hurts a metric ton." Another Sinner groaned. "Only you get fucking horny coming here."

Jessica giggled as she waved a finger at the man. "You know that is not trueeeee." The woman all but sang as she got to her usual spot.

This didn't make the moment much better, but it did show the three young men here a sight more than common outside the Colony. This was somewhat light in comparison.

The butchering? No, that wasn't light, but it was also a common thing to find. Only difference is how it was conducted.

Row by row, scream by scream, dozens of Sinners were killed and slaughtered wholesale right there. Innards separated from the carcass. Brains and eyes carefully preserved and canned or prepared for transport, skin peeled and bodies hung. It was a fast, meticulous and extremely grizzly thing as even the blood was caught and kept preserved for those that wanted to add to drinks, sauces or just take it straight from the tap. Even in a frenzy the Cannibals working here were experts at their craft. They knew that perfection was expected, or their employment would not last.

Rosie was thankful that Carlos managed to contain his vile in until every Sinner was dead, until they reformed at least. But the Cannibals present would talk, no matter what Rosie did. Someone like him shouldn't be puking his guts out, or so the Cannibals would think.

"Well, that was brutal as fuck." Gonzalo was, of the three cousins, the only one standing and completely fine.

"You should see my old boss getting trophies." Leonor had this look of distaste in her face, but she seemed just as unphased as Evelinde and Gonzalo. "Acid bat, while alive. At least with my kind he uses that method. Makes sure the teeth remain intact so he can add them to his collection. With others he may go for a scalping, flaying alive, the works. Depends on the species and the message he wants to send."

Rosie saw Gonzalo grimace. That got to him? No. The idea of being submerged in acid did. Gonzalo clearly didn't seem affected otherwise. Although he did look worriedly at Carlos, still emptying his stomach, while Enrique patted his back and Evelinde fretted over the young man.

"If you want something disgusting, you should see the Heaven Embassy." Leonor let out the most unladylike snort Rosie had heard from her yet. "Lording how long we have until they come back to mess with us? That is cruelty."

Gonzalo turned to face the woman. His face barely hid a sea of anger. "There is a fucking embassy FROM HEAVEN in Hell?"

Well, that was a topic for later. Perhaps Rosie would let Leonor handle that one. The Overlord herself would need a day or two to ensure today's incident didn't spread.