D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

--- Kat ---

In the end, Kat did leave. Nobody was entirely happy with how the conversation ended, and Kat was a bit disappointed in herself for how she was treating the group… but it was hard. The push and pull of trying to treat them like the adults they looked like and the kids they acted like.

The questions with answers that should be obvious and yet nobody seemed to get… the fact that Kat had worked out these were the troublemakers that had been causing issues for everyone else. The fact Kamiko was spending time with Lily and not in a great place.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

It made sticking around hard. It made knowing what to do hard. Kat really didn't want to force the four to pick one way or the other. This was a big moment and scary them into submission or trying to throw them into the unknown with just a pat on the back was wrong. It wasn't what they needed. Just… Kat didn't know what they DID need.

Kat knew she'd been a bit scary. What she told them was scary… but that's because life was.

Kat had no idea how to deal with the disconnect. They were safe here… for the time being. The world outside was not… for most people but it was safe for Kat. Kat knew she didn't want to take that safety for granted but she was equally certain she did. Her powers made killing her a nightmare and D.E.M.O.N.S was a wonderful safety net. It reduced the pressure of… well everything really.

It was a hard thing to recognise. As much as Kat liked to think she still had a 'human mindset' about a lot of things, an understanding of others born from not being a member of the strongest, or at least second strongest species in the multiverse… Kat was realising that growing up in a mostly safe world, one where war was a distant thing was another luxury.

One that was hard to shake when you were, basically immortal.

Another lesson. Kids and teenagers loved to see themselves as invincible even when they weren't… well Kat had apparently worked out that she WAS invincible at some point and that understanding never quite left. Sure she had a healthy fear of beings like Thyme, and wasn't completely unkillable but damn it was close.

So how was she to understand? How could she understand the best way to explain to someone what they should do in the future. What danger was and was not worth it? Kat knew that a 'casual spar' featuring herself could remain casual even if she had an arm or two chopped off. They'd probably regrow, but if they didn't simply picking the arm back up meant a few seconds later Kat could be fine.

That sort of thing could never be casual for anyone else. Well, almost anyone else. As Kat's feet carried her to the cafeteria she thought back to Marigold. The crazy elven princess and massive masochist. Her sense of 'safe and reasonable' had been completely distorted across all areas of her life. Kat didn't exactly enjoy pain… not like Marigold.

Never like Marigold… but it was occurring to her now that perhaps she'd let her perspective shift much further then expected.

Kat let out a long breath and pictured Lily. Immediately cheering herself up. Kat could see the mess hall doors and didn't want to show up sad when she saw Kamiko. That would definitely make things worse. Instead, Kat filled her mind with thoughts of Lily. Thoughts of the last few days.

Hanging out and snuggling in the cabin blankets. Watching Lily practice her spells. The hugs and kisses they'd shared.

Kat thought of Kamiko, her friend that had been forced along this trip. She thought of Sue. She thought of Marigold, and Nixeli and Green. Kat thought of Major and Minor and let her smile shine through. If she wanted to make Kamiko feel comfortable being sad herself was not the answer. Even as she felt Lily's worry for Kamiko start to leak in… Kat thought of Gramps.

Of Vivian and Callisto, and of course Sylvie.

Kat strode into the cafeteria with a grin on her face and didn't bother with anyone else. She made a beeline for Kamiko and plucked her from the chair she'd claim. Kat made good use of both her arms and her tail to sit Kamiko up on her shoulder and then moved out of the room. Kamiko seemed surprised but eventually started to laugh.

The door was a bit of an effort, requiring Kat to perform a deep lunge to ensure Kamiko didn't hit her head on the frame but once they were back out in the corridor there was more than enough clearance. Perhaps for the robots? Didn't matter right now. "So Kamiko where are we going?" asked Kat.

Kamiko balked, "Wait… what? Kat you're literally carrying me! Why are you asking me?!"

"Well that's a silly question, I have no idea where everything is here so obviously I'm asking you! I'm just wondering blindly at this point so you'll need to guide me!" smiled Kat.

"Urgh um…" Kamiko looked around and tried to get her bearing before spotting a nearby door. "Head in there? I think it's the aquarium? It doesn't have any fish but with Pip busy it should be empty. From what I gathered she's the only person who uses the place,"

"Is it really still an aquarium if it doesn't have any fish?" asked Kat.

"I don't know," admitted Kamiko as they stepped inside. It was the aquarium and Kat had to admit it was quite pretty even without the fish. The soft lighting, the pure clean water, the various plants that did survive. "Do the plants make it an aquarium?"

Kat shrugged as she lowered Kamiko down onto the chair. "Not sure, I'm going to say… yes? It still feels like one even without the fish. So… how have you been Kamiko?"

Kamiko smiled and said, "Oh… um… well, Church and Brook have been nice to talk to after the incident. They seem to be interested in going outside mostly for the food and partially for the adventure. I think… all the reading and gaming has given them a distinct taste for adventure.

They still want the comforts of home but aren't willing to give up the chance… so they're working out what they can take…"

Kamiko this is not at all what I was asking and you know it.

[Just let her go. She's not as nervous anymore and if she wants to avoid the elephant in the room for a bit I say we let her. Hopefully she relaxes a bit before we get to the more personal issues.]

Oblivious to her friends' thoughts Kamiko continued. "… which I think they're working on with the workout group? They also might be working on getting in shape with those three… or for? Um… that's the twins Shen and Chen which I haven't been able to tell apart, their friend Malt, and Pip as well. They're the workout group.

Though Pip isn't quite as close as the other three she's still spending most of her time with them these days. Though she has checked on me a bit. Pip's nice.

"Fonze, Sephy and Strek are… not really making up there minds? Fonze and Sephy have strong opinions on what to do… and maybe Strek does as well but his opinion is basically 'keep the group together' which makes him more moderate then the others I suppose. I don't know how to help with that group…

"Oh and finally Ben's group. Or maybe not finally? There's still Brella and Corela but they've just been super busy nonstop so it's hard to really gauge what they're thinking other than 'tired' and 'panic' I guess. But… yeah I don't know what Ben's group is doing and I don't think they do either.

They were… the um people who grabbed you if you didn't know," Kamiko trailed off at this point, mood clearly dipping.

So Kat tried to correct that. "Yeah I worked out most of their names but I was never properly introduced. A bit annoying but it didn't cause any issues. They are… antagonistic in a passive sort of way and they just don't think properly. I had to keep trying and trying to get the message into their heads and it just wasn't working.

In the end I just had a very frank discussion outlining what I saw as their major issues and intimidating them a bit into actually thinking things through a bit more,"

"That's… good I think?" said Kamiko.

Trying to keep things casual Kat gave the other girl a quick hug. "Eh it's certainly not bad. I just hope I haven't swayed their opinion too much. I mean, I want them to THINK about the correct answer but I'd feel fairly guilty if I pushed them one way or the other and then have it not be what they wanted in the end.

Made worse by the fact we're probably all leaving before we can find out if it was the right decision or not. Still, it is what it is I suppose. If they have more questions for me later… well hopefully they'll be better questions,"