Side Story I - Similar, not the same (V).

"You know, it is hard to do your work when you have to also take care of someone else's."

Carlos and Evelinde had been taking a walk today. A simple thing, not going too far from the core area of the Cannibal Colony. The man didn't feel ready yet and Evelinde was happy to spend some more time with him after the other night. Those plans were interrupted when a little Cannibal child came with a message from Rosie.

Half an hour late, with Evelinde nowhere to be seen, Carlos was in a private room within Rosie's Emporium. A bit more cozy than her office upstairs, more casual. Had Carlos asked he would've been told this was Franklin's 'office'. Although compared to Rosie it more looked like a place to laze about with some good old jazz music on the gramophone while resting on the faint couch. For all Rosie had grown to resent her, Franklin did speedy and incredible work. When she decided to work, that is.

Now Rosie was taking advantage of said couch, sitting in front of Carlos. The young man, having not been offered a seat, didn't seem to mind just standing to attention. He didn't know it, but it bothered Rosie. Then again, she was his boss. She could do whatever, he was more than glad to go along.

It made things hard for Rosie, but she wouldn't bring it up. Carlos, having still little experience with the woman, did not pick up on it.

"I am sadly aware of that." Carlos let out a bit of a nervous chuckle. "But… Is there something I could help you with, lady-."

"No lady. No titles. Not now, please." Rosie didn't command, but asked. It still came a bit harder than intended. Her words had weight she didn't want to use. "We will need to keep things formal in public, but not here. I am not the boss, you aren't my employee. If we are alone just call me Rosie, please."

Carlos took a second to nod. Though Rosie could see him relax and offer a small smile. "Of course, Rosie. But again. Can I help you?"

Rosie took a moment to look the young man over. She let out a sigh not long after. "I have been thinking about our Deal, Carlos."

The young man tensed.

"You gave me far more liberty than you think. You are aware of that, right?" Rosie got up. The height difference hadn't been more prominent until now. Carlos was average. Rosie was almost a giant in comparison. "And you reaffirmed your trust in me when I offered an out. Have you any second thoughts?"

"No."

The answer was… fast. Carlos didn't even have to think about it. He knew it was probably a mistake to an extent, but he trusted Rosie.

The woman didn't show it, but she was surprised. "Are you sure? We spoke of those I may want you to kill, my dear. But we didn't place any limits on what I may ask outside of that. It was, as many Deals are, fairly open ended." She bent over enough to look Carlos in the eye. "Aren't you afraid I may abuse this power?"

"No."

Again, fast and without doubt. This time Rosie allowed surprise to show on her face, it was almost as if she was struck.

"I sold my soul to you, Rosie. You know that, had I had a choice, I wouldn't have done it." Though those words she did expect. "Not to insult you, Rosie. After all, I haven't been under your wing long enough to know you, and most of my time is spent with Evelinde more than anything and anyone else. But I have noticed something."

Rosie composed herself. "Oh?" Curiosity was piqued. "And what is that?"

"You aren't a bad person, not in my eyes." Carlos admitted. That is what he thought, truly. "You could have ignored my request for time and sent me to do something already. It was part of the Deal, yes, but we did not specify. What is 'some time'? A year? A month? A day? An hour?" The young man shrugged. "You could have interpreted it however you wanted. Instead, you have given me time for myself, to short things through. You have been around, watching over us, ensuring nothing happened in the Tower and keeping things going as 'normal' as can be. You have taken the Deal as seriously as anyone could hope." Carlos looked at the clearly shocked woman with a faint smile. "You have done right by us, Rosie. Whatever you want to ask, I'll do my best, for you."

Carlos knew he grew close, even dependent, far too fast. A lifetime of getting fucked over did that to you. You latched to anyone that was nice. Within his family? That was expected. With friends and outsiders? He was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Now that the curse was gone and Carlos was in this situation? A literal demon, OWNING HIS SOUL, had been more considerate than most humans.

He knew it could be a mistake, but he trusted Rosie more than he had done almost any human back home.

"Carlos." Rosie's tone darkened. She went from the nice and friendly lady and into a cold, dark mistress in a moment. "You are an idiot."

The young man felt his neck tighten. The dripping sound of blood echoed in his mind alongside the rusty echo of a chain. Red, wet links of would be metal formed, the tail end gripped by Rosie as a collar clasped itself on the other, ensnaring Carlos' neck with a vice grip.

The smell of blood and foreboding fear came attached to the wet metal around his neck.

"You gave me your soul, young man." Rosie towered over Carlos as she yanked, forcing him to his knees. "You still think I am a lovely lady? I am an Overlord, Carlos. I take what I want, so do all others. I am a demon, something you seem to forget, both about me and those close to you. You act as if this is no big deal. You try to ignore the distaste your blood feels for us. You act as if you don't want to kill every single last person in my little town." Rosie's smile was long gone. A stern frown and cold eyes looking at the man at her feet. "I cannot believe you'd be so naive."

Rosie sat down again, still lording over him without even trying. There she crossed her legs and shoved her hanging heel an inch away from Carlos. "I could order you to worship the ground I walk on, Carlos. I could push you to do almost anything but hurt your family or hunt the 'innocent', as you put it. You gave me so many ins that any other Overlord would've taken advantage of it all by now."

Carlos found this the perfect time to ask. "Then why haven't you?"

And, as he expected, as he hoped, Rosie's persona crumbled. She was doing this for a reason. Perhaps a test? The face of confusion showed she had expected something other than his trust. "What?"

"Why haven't you?" Carlos asked again, lifting his eyes from Rosie's heel to the face that was going from cold and commanding to confused. "Why haven't you done all of that? Why?"

Rosie took a second, then two, then finally released the chain that held Carlos' neck as the third struck. The metal dissipated into a pool of blood that went away moments after.

"Because that is not what I want."

Carlos didn't get up, not yet.

"Why tell me this, then? Why the charade?"

"Because this is how it always ends. With me needing to remind others of the status quo. With people dead one way or another. With me being Rosie, the Overlord. Nothing more, nothing less." Rosie admitted, any sign of strength gone for a moment, just a moment. It was enough. "This is how it is."

Carlos thought for a moment, then got up, but not to stand. He sat at Rosie's side.

"You said other Overlords would've abused our Deal."

Yet this Overlord shook her head. "I lied, partially." And there Carlos tensed in a way that made Rosie flinch. "But not like that. Not all abuse the Deals they make, not cruelly at least. Most? Yes." She couldn't look his way. "Most demons, most Sinners. We seek ALL we can get, Carlos."

"But you aren't most." Carlos didn't know why he did. Rosie could've lashed out, but he placed a hand on top of Rosie's own. The woman twitched, but said nothing. "You are you, Rosie. And you said one truth during that show of force: You are a person. Demons are people. None of you are human, not anymore in the Sinners' case. But you helped show Hell is not all fire and brimstone. There are good and bad people in Hell. There are those that help and those that abuse. What are you? WHO are you?"

"I am a monster, Carlos." Rosie turned her face just enough for Carlos to see the sharp fangs clear as day every time she spoke. "I have killed thousands. Perhaps tens, if not hundreds of thousands, if you count those under me and their actions. I have done horrible things to keep my place in Hell safe."

"Everyone can be a monster, Rosie. And many need a monster on their side." And Carlos knew very well Rosie was one. But she wasn't a monster to HIM, or to his family. "But do YOU want to be a monster to me? To my family?"

Rosie shook her head no. "I just… It is complicated, Carlos."

"Rosie, look at me." It took Carlos moving his hand from Rosie's own to her chin for the Overlord to turn his way. He thought he was going too far, but Rosie allowed it. Carlos knew without a shadow of a doubt that, if Rosie didn't want something, she wouldn't let him do a single thing. "Do you want to order me to do something?"

Rosie took a second to answer. "No. I don't want to order you to do this. I want to ask. I'd love for you to say yes, but only if you want."

Carlos nodded. "Do you want me or my family to fear you?"

"No, I… would prefer to grow what we have. It is a breath of fresh air." And that's the truth. She liked what she had seen. She wanted more. "I want more of that. I want it to last."

"Would we have lasted a single hour without you?"

That last question came from nowhere, but Rosie still answered with sincerity. "My Cannibals would've likely killed you shortly after learning of your presence if we didn't talk. And after that, if you had refused my offer? You wouldn't have lasted that long outside the Colony."

"Rosie." Carlos rested his hand on Rosie's shoulder. "You offered a trade. I agreed. Most of us respect that. If you want something, anything. You can ask us, or at least me." He could feel the uncomfortable gaze of the woman in front of him. "But if you think you need to order me, if you think it is too much. Why not wait? Wait and let time tell. Choose to ask when you think it is right. I owe you so much Rosie, more than enough to respect whatever you may want to ask of me."

"This is not about 'owing', Carlos." Rosie muttered, barely audible, as she looked away again.

"You are my Overlord, Rosie." This snapped Rosie back to him. "But I would like more than that. You have been friendly, not bossy, with us. You have given us kindness, even if it came at the end of a Deal. So let's see what is there beyond what we both got out of my soul. Let's be more than master and servant. Let's spend more time together. Let's build trust and friendship outside of what you did for us." Carlos offered Rosie a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. "I swear to you, Rosie. You need not flaunt your strength and control. I won't try to play you. If you want us to be sincere with each other, like this. Then just, you know, try. Let me get to know you and I'll do the same in return."

Rosie's chest tightened and her voice strained. "It is… tempting, Carlos. But even if we do that, this is all on a timer. If you survive, if you fulfill your end of the Deal. Then what? You have all of Hell to explore. You have your own little world. I could return it to you and your family if you ever ask me for it. You'll owe me nothing."

Carlos had already thought that over. It had been such a short time, but he knew one thing for sure: He would never leave. Hell would become his home. His family would reside here. There was no going back to Earth, not forever.

So, he had one gift for the woman that made sure he would have a chance.

"Sounds nice, but no. I don't think I could do that." Carlos shook his head. "Rosie, if all ends well for me. If I succeed, I will give you my soul to keep."

Rosie had expected anything but that. The thought was just… "What?"

"I made my choice. You gave me a chance." Carlos offered a sincere smile. "I would be dead by now otherwise. I may be dead in a year. But if I survive? If I live through Heaven's attacks and succeed in taking revenge? If you remain steadfast with us? My soul will still be yours." For some reason Rosie began to tremble. Had he done something wrong? Perhaps. But he wasn't done. This is how he felt. Perhaps it was a mistake. Perhaps it would cost him. But he was not going to tell a lie to Rosie of all people. "I made the sacrifice, and I know the price. And if I have to pay it in full? Why would I go away? Why would I turn my back on you? Unless you ever betray me, Rosie, my loyalty will remain with you, as will I, as will my soul. You deserve nothing less."

Carlos was stumped the moment Rosie lunged. She didn't try to lash at him, hurt him or anything else. For a second Carlos thought he made a mistake. But no. Rosie just hugged him. Why was she doing that? Why had she gone from one end of the spectrum to another? Had… he made a mistake somehow? No, it couldn't be that. He had been nice and told her what he thought, how he felt. He offered sincerity and she did the same.

He didn't know how to react at first, but there were some words he still wanted out of his chest.

"Rosie, I know I haven't had a long life on Earth, twenty some years is nothing. That chapter of my life is at its end, an end chosen by someone else. But if it has been decided, if that is done and gone,if my final episode is here. Then I know *how* I want it to be. Because you deserve it." Carlos held Rosie tight, returning the embrace, as the woman braced for whatever he had to say. "Rosie, I will be here. I'll stay for all eternity with you in Hell."

The young man wouldn't know what came over Rosie for the longest time, but he knew how to keep a secret. No one would learn of Rosie breaking down for any reason. He himself didn't know why it was happening. Was it… was it so hard for her to believe that anyone could be loyal this way?

Had he really messed up? Carlos found himself unable to ask. Unwilling. He was sure he'd make this worse somehow.

All he knew was this: Until Rosie stopped crying he would remain. He would console his Overlord however she needed him to. She had done too much for him to ever think of doing otherwise. And once done, when she asked politely to be left alone, he would honor her plea.

And, as he left, he was sure that he heard another door click within the room, a room with no other doors. He didn't question it, just like he didn't question Rosie's words he was sure he wasn't meant to hear.

"It wasn't supposed to go this way."