Takes place in: Month I - Day 15.
"See sweeties? That wasn't so hard, was it?" Rosie chuckled. "I'd love to say 'kiss and make up', but I am sure that would get more than one here all hot and bothered."
Yesterday had been rough. Today was going great. Rosie hoped for more days like this. Two weeks in and finally she didn't have to bear everything on her shoulders. Franklin was back. In her FUCKING HOME. But she at least took the paperwork with her. That was SOMETHING.
At least Rosie was back to her usual and now she had both young Cannibal girls present for a nice talk.
It was all going so nicely that-.
RING!
Something had to give in. Only one person would be calling now.
"A moment my dearies." Rosie had an easier time putting up a fake smile today as she picked up her old phone's receiver. That didn't mean she wasn't itching to carve someone up the next time she spoke. "Yes, Franklin? Is something missing?"
"WHO IS THAT MAN!?"
An angry, perhaps borderline desperate, yell was not what Rosie had expected.
"Man?" Rosie's smile waned a bit as everyone in the Emporium turned her way. Franklin was lucky Rosie had to deal with worse people than her, but just barely. "What man?"
"That human! We have a human in the Colony!"
That didn't narrow things down. Rosie armed herself with as much patience as she was willing to give. "Franklin. There is a very large family of humans with us. Be more specific."
"Why is there a whole family of mortals in this town!?"
Said patience was thinning. "Franklin, my dear… Don't… Don't you keep up with the news? Didn't you see the ONE building that clearly doesn't fit in with everything else? It is a damn floating tower made of five different landscapes for crying out loud."
"Y-... What?"
This time Rosie hid none of her disdain as she sighed in defeat. A quick recount of the events was enough time for her to hear the door to her Emporium once again. That is how rapt everyone around her was at this interaction.
"I… I see. Uh… I missed a lot." Franklin at least had the decency to sound ashamed.
"Yes, yes you did." Rosie had tossed every single fuck she had to give out the fucking window and instead uncorked a wine bottle she had next to her usual spot. It was there for when she needed it. She *needed* it NOW. How she wished she could drink straight from it instead of the fine wine glass in front of her. "But going back to your, eh, problem. What happened? Who was it?"
It was then that Rosie saw Hector strolling towards her. He had a careless and wide smirk as he eyed every woman, and no few of the more slender men, that had crowded around Rosie. He was polite enough to offer a hello or a nod to anyone that looked his way at least.
"He wasn't that tall. Blonde locks. Soft looking, too soft to be here, that is for sure. I saw him come my way with that infuriating smirk of his." Franklin didn't see it, she couldn't, or she could if she had been here, doing her damn job, but Rosie was grinning so wide and so sincerely that Hector took it as his go ahead to come closer. "He started flirting with me in front of everyone, Rosie! Even slapped my butt on his way out! I don't know why I didn't rip his throat out and have him for lunch!"
Every eye was now on Hector. The man had clearly heard Franklin and, as expected by those that came to know him, at all, his own grin could easily rival many of the Cannibals.
It only grew wider when he spoke up.
"Perhaps because you liked it?"
The cry of outrage and shame that followed made Rosie's whole day even better. Gone was her ire at Franklin's interruption, instead what she felt was a load of mirth that she had truly needed.
"You! Wh-why is he there!?"
"Because, my dear, technically speaking he works for me." The sputtering on the other side of the line was all Rosie needed to finish this bother sooner than Franklin would want. "No, darling, try to forget this. You wouldn't want to grow angry and see what happens, do you? We have an arrangement, so I shall do nothing. But I am sure Alastor would find it displeasing if you were to meddle in his vested entertainment. Why, Lucifer himself may decide to do something if you were to harm any of them since he has a contract with one of our new locals! Being angry just because you got your little buttocks appreciated, is inane enough for him to get up and remind everyone not to mess with his interests."
"B-b-but-!"
"Ta-ta, darling. Do remember to bring everything tomorrow. And do try to keep it up to date with anything else you may have missed."
Fuck appearances, Rosie was gleaming when she hung up and drained that glass of all the wine it still held.
"Satisfaction." She also didn't mince words. For a second she thought this feeling was better than sex and any drug she partook in during her early years as an Overlord.
Ah, those were the days. Though she grew out of that phase decades ago.
It was a surprise when a few of those around her began clapping. It was a mix of appreciation for Rosie and Hector. You could call the disdain many saw Franklin with was an open secret. The woman wasn't the biggest bitch out there, but her sense of superiority was too big even for Pride.
After a few seconds of clapping, everyone went back to their conversations. The pair of girls in front of Rosie thanked her, shared a quick kiss in front of everyone and walked away. Clearly Hector had something to tell Rosie.
"Well Hector, you made my day." The Overlord's smile was radiant by now. Something bad was going to happen, she knew, but right now she was happy. "But I am sure you came here for a reason. Can I help you?"
"Nah, not really, but thank you." The man didn't even sit down. "I am here just to pass a message. See, I was looking for anything to play music with, and a few vinyls since you guys do have that. Damn fine tunes on them. But then the music stopped and I found Alastor behind me."
Rosie perked up. She had expected Hector to ramble for a bit, the man liked to tell a tale. So bringing up the reason right away meant it was likely important. "Did he want something, or…?"
"He was coming over to meet you, apparently." Hector shrugged. Apparently the sudden appearance of the Radio Demon hadn't fazed him much. "Asked me if I could pass a message instead, since he had far more errands to run than he liked. He said some of the other Overlords wanted a meeting in a few days? He didn't tell me when, so I suppose it is in the air right now."
That made the Overlord pause. "Anything else? Are any of you meant to come with me to this meeting? Did he give names perhaps?"
"Didn't mention any of us or anything, so I don't think we should be involved?" Hector tried to reassure, but his own smile faltered a bit. "He only mentioned a 'Carmilla', but that was just in passing, as if it should be obvious for some reason."
Rosie let out a breath. That checked. Carmilla probably wanted Rosie's attention after she made some time to clear the air around this mess.
"Thank you, Hector. I'll make preparations. Do take whatever you like, if you fancy something, as a little thanks from me. Have a good day." The man nodded and turned around, but not before Rosie threw him a half grin. "And don't start hitting on those two girls now. I saw how you looked at them."
Hector's full smirk returned. "No promises there." He wiggled his eyebrows. "But hey, if something happens? I'll be careful."
Rosie could only shake her head and chuckle. Sure he would, sure… A few days here and she had quite a few of her Cannibals already infatuated with the man.