Rosie led her guests towards a more private place. "I don't look it." She glanced over her shoulder. "But I'm one too. The cannibals, they put a lot of trust into me, to keep them safe, and to keep things around here the way they like it."

Katie let out a long whistle. "You're an overlord? Wow, didn't see that coming. I mean, you're not exactly intimidating, you know? Kinda cute, really." She wriggled her fingers, keeping a few steps behind.

"It's okay. I'll take compliments where I can get them." Rosie smiled over at Katie, then back to Joshua. "As it turns out, neither is he." She reached out, grabbing Joshua by the head, fingers rubbing his ears. "I think he has me beat for looking harmless."

Joshua quickly freed himself. "Uh, Rosie?" He brushed himself off. "Are we really going somewhere else? I guess there's some things I don't want overheard."

Rosie huffed gently at that. "Right over here." She pushed her way into a building. Lights flicked on, revealing what was basically a large open space. "Consider it sort of a training area. Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows down here, and sometimes we need some space to practice getting rough."

Joshua blinked a few times, looking over the mats and training dummies that filled the place. "Is this what you were talking about with getting tougher?"

Rosy raised a hand, spiritual energy flaring brightly over it like a flame. "This is. Show me what you already know, you little fuzzball. No point going over that again."

Joshua took a deep breath, stretching his arms out in front of him before dashing forward. It was a simple, rough attack, but he still managed to strike Rosie's arm before he moved back away from her.

She parried it, of course. He only got her arm because she used it to block with. "I didn't feel any real force behind that. You're not showing me much."

Josh's whiskers fell. "But I'm not angry at you, and you're not hurting anyone. I don't want to hurt you."

"You are too sweet." Rosie poked Josh at the end of his snout. "But just pretend. I promise not to be angry. I'm an angel, come to hurt your best friend. What do you do?"

Joshua swallowed thickly at that, slowly lifting his arms into a stance as he readied himself. He went forward, getting into the fray with Rosie. He lashed out with some strikes, each of them barely getting through Rosie's guard, but she only seemed more amused by the fight. As soft as he could be, the way she so casually knocked his attacks to the side was getting slowly through to him, annoying him as he lashed at her. He brought up the training he'd had with one firm jab, the soul of Winny appearing just briefly at the moment of impact, swirled with a dozen other vague faces of other sinners he'd already made agreements with.

That sent Rosie sliding backwards a full foot. "Now we're talking. You do know something about what I want to teach you. But let's see if you've got anything more than that." Rosie lunged forward with some strikes of her own. They were faster, and fiercer, but not painful. If anything, they were just quick taps at Josh's head. Like Joshua, she seemed to call on spiritual power with each blow, but didn't use that power to land harder strikes, instead just faster, to make it seem impossible to avoid her onslaught.

Katie squealed at the sight. "Damn. Look at you go!"

Rosie turned her head to Katie as she pushed Joshua back, finally landing a strike in the middle of his chest. That one flashed at the point of impact, sending Josh flying away. He landed on his back with a groan of pain at the impact. "There's so much more, little one, to do with the power you've already been collecting rather than use it all like a sledgehammer."

Joshua coughed as he sat up. "Okay, I get that, but how can I fight angels when they don't hold back?"

Rosie helped him up. "I'm not expecting the people you fight to hold back, but you do need to know other uses for what you have. Alright, your turn. Hit me." She pointed at her chin. "Freebie. Right here. Best you have."

Joshua could feel the power welling inside of him, burning to get out. He put all of his training behind a single punch aimed right at Rosie's face.

Rosie took the punch without flinching, merely bending at the waist and letting Joshua's fist fly over her shoulder. She smacked her lips with a giggle. "Did that make you feel better?"

Joshua grumbled gently as he pulled his fist back.

"Did you see it?" Rosie placed her hands together. "The instant you reached me. I used my souls to protect me. This is why fights between two badly matched Overlords can look quite laughable, for the weaker one."

Katie snickered. "That's you. You're the weaker one."

"Thanks." Josh rolled his eyes. "I get the idea. How do I do that?"

Rosie let out a dramatic gasp. "Well, aren't you eager? Katie, help him out." She went to a box and came back with two pair of what appeared to be training swords. She casually tossed one to Katie. "Here's your chance to show him how you really feel."

"Ain't really into this kinda play." Katie made a face at the sword, but did hold it as she turned to Josh. "Still, whatever. Hope you're ready. Cause I'm gonna fucking kill you!" She brought the sword down on Josh's head.

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Joshua brought up his own to block her. The impact flashed between them. "Katie, don't overdo it."

Rosie grinned. "It's just a sword. It'll hurt, but it can't kill you. So yes, overdo it. Go on. Joshua, you focus on those spirits inside you. They're yours. They do what you say. Want them to defend you? Make them."

Josh nodded slowly as he stood back up. He didn't have time to argue with Katie's aggressiveness. It was hardly fair. She knew how to use a sword, and he barely had any idea how to even swing one. He tried his best to parry and dodge, but he was being battered. He cringed at the idea of it being a real sword, and how much worse each blow would have been.

Katie swiped towards his leg, easily getting under Josh's guard to hit him in the thigh.

He gasped, jumping back with a whine. "Fuck!" He felt his leg tense up at the point of impact. "Souls, spirits." He tried to focus on that feeling he'd gotten when striking those good hits on things, just, um, backwards? He needed them to come out when a good hit was coming at him. The first few strikes after that were not easier, but Josh started to get a feel for the motions of a sword fight. Katie might have known how to fight, but he was starting to understand her movements better.

He was getting practice at sword fighting, but he wasn't there for that. "Come on!" he shouted out, half at himself as Katie thrust sharply. He tried to parry, but it was coming in too fast. "Ow! Damn it!" He backed away with a few hops, still not feeling like he had any control over the spirits inside him. "Rosie!"

"Relax." Rosie set a hand on Josh's shoulder. "You said some of them are your personal friends. They don't want to see you being bashed up. Let them step in."

Joshua braced himself as Katie came charging in again. He could feel the spirits welling up inside of him, filling his being, but he still wasn't sure how to direct them. It was a reflex, not a force of will. He closed his eyes, letting out a cry as the blow came. He tensed up, gasping a little. It hurt, but it didn't hurt quite as much that time. He dared a little smile. "I think I—"

Katie wasn't waiting, bopping Josh across the snout with the next one. "Don't space out!"

Rosie tutted. "That's cheating." She smacked Katie's head. "Do you want to win or do you want him to learn?"

"He needs a good knock to get it into his skull." Katie stopped just short of poking Rosie with the point of her sword.

Rosie gave a wicked smirk. "You're welcome to try, but I will make you pay for the privilege."

Katie jumped back a few steps. "Never mind!" She turned the sword back on the far less ominous Joshua. "Where were we?"

Joshua readied himself, really unsure what he was doing, but determined to get through it.

It was easier this time, somehow. He could feel the souls inside him, like a ball of lightning trapped in his chest, rolling about and begging to be released. When the next blow came, it was like a thousand little hands pushing back against the blade, and it only stung a little bit. Barely a pinch! Josh let out an almost delirious laugh. "I think I've got it!"

Katie drew her sword back, rushing forward with another blow, just as hard as the last one.

Joshua sucked in a deep breath as the next blow struck. But it didn't hurt. Not even a little.

Rosie clapped in a light applause. "There you are. I knew there was a quick learner under that harmless exterior of yours. Remember that feeling, as you'll be needing it, if you want to battle angels and not get cut in half. Speaking of that, angelic steel." She brought her hands together without a sound. "Nasty stuff. Don't hope your souls can protect you from it. If they're swinging that, silvery, light, and awful, you need to be out of the way."

Katie jabbed at Josh again, just because she could. "Don't really care what it's made of, I can still beat your ass."

Josh dodged to the side, keeping himself out of Katie's reach. "I just learned all that just to learn it won't work?"

Rosie shook a finger. "Angels will hit you with anything they have around. Sometimes that will be angelic steel, but other times, they'll just punch you, or throw you against a wall. They're not picky. So, avoid the blade. It is also rather sharp, but the real issue is what's inside it. Angelic steel is forged in Heaven's fires, and imbued with its holy light. Very dangerous stuff."

Josh nodded slowly. "Okay. Don't get hit with anything that looks like a silver sword, dagger, or whatever else that's silver and sharp."

"Exactly." Rosie casually plucked Katie's practice sword away. "That's enough beating him up, as much fun as you seem to be having with it." She slipped the weapons away. "But I think you understand the basics now."

Katie clicked her tongue with a huff. "Too bad."

Rosie swatted Katie's backside with a chuckle. "You two are cute. Now, I do have things to do. This place doesn't run itself. And as a cannibal, my business will always come before yours. But you're welcome back any time. Not too many people offer my kind training, and I don't turn down a friend."

Joshua bowed low to her. "Thank you. Really. Is this what overlords do with their souls? Attack and defend?"

"Hardly the start." She ruffled the top of Joshua's head. "A lot of it is far more personal. You have to develop your own 'thing' and let your collection help you along with it." She gave a feral grin, sharp teeth on display. "If I want to bite into something, I will. And heaven itself would have to get in the way for it to have much of a chance."

Josh swallowed thickly at that. "Right. Uh, got it." He put his paws together nervously. "Anything else we should know about being an overlord then? Anything else?"

"As an Overlord, you do tend to attract people who want to be part of your territory." She cocked a brow. "Who better not be my cannibals. Still, watch out. You'll draw all kinds of sinners for all kinds of reasons. Make sure they align with yours. Even if you have their soul, they can be a real pain in the old back end if you let them run wild."

Joshua blushed gently at that. "Is that it then?"

Rosie moved closer to Joshua, bending down to bring her lips near his ear. "The next time you visit, I'd like to have a meal together. We'll relax. Call me, we'll set a date. Not today." She turned Joshua towards the exit. "Off with you now. Ta ta."

Katie skipped after Josh, leaning into him as she strolled. "So, wanna go fuck somewhere? Looks like you need it."

Joshua shied away from her. "No thank you." He considered a moment. "You sure do offer that a lot. Um. Do you just like that kinda thing?"

Katie put a finger under Josh's snout. "I like this kinda thing." She tickled him gently. "And I'd like to get to know you better." She leaned in closer. "Biblically speaking."

Josh pulled back with a nervous laugh. "Maybe. Someday. I just. It's not a priority right now."

Katie pressed into him. "Fair enough. Still, what's next for you? For us?"