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

--- Kat ---

Kat and Lily obviously had quite a few questions for Blue after the story ended, but most of the conversation was just an excuse to spend more time with the fairy. Sure they were somewhat interested… and a touch worried that Skye was likely back in the competition, but that was fine. Even if Skye trained her ass off Kat was still confident they could win in the end…

Which most assuredly Skye HAD. It was clear that the human had really stepped up after her defeat in the first round, and Kat just had a feeling that it would be enough to make it to the finals. Estelle's team… she was less certain of. As big an issue as that curse seemed… only one of their teammates was truly annoyed with the process. Could they really push themselves far enough to get to the end?

Kat thought it much less likely.

Still, it was a nice chance to talk to Blue. Especially as Kat recognised it would probably be the last chance they had to really spend time together. Sure they had a few more days of vacation… but to put it bluntly? Kat and Lily had more important things to do, be that training or just spending time with each other.

Blue at least mention that with Thyme setting up these inns there was a mail service you could use. It was expensive… but Blue did go out of her way to mention it was there and give Kat and Lily an angle for the future if the stars aligned.

Of course, Blue wasn't the only person they took the chance to have a proper conversation with before everyone left… she was just the first.

--- Burnice --- (Kat, Lily and Burnice all at the training grounds they've been using)

"So… I've been poked at by D.E.M.O.N.S and more or less told to head off soon. I was given the chance to pay up and stay longer… but we've been here a while now and I should be getting home to at least say hello to everyone, especially me little sister. Not sure if this is goodbye just yet… but I thought we could stop early and have a bit of a chat.

These spars have been fun you know?" said Kat with a smile.

Burnice, in comparison gave the fresh looking demon a glare. Oh sure Kat had a bit of dirt on her clothes and her hair was a bit messed up… but Burnice found herself sweating profusely, several bruises across multiple parts of her body. Dirt over everything except her face… and even then the only reason it wasn't on her face was because she had a mask up to collect it instead.

The annoying part, at least in Burnice's mind? You couldn't even be rightly mad at Kat for it. Not like you could Marigold sometimes. Kat was just… nice in a way that Marigold wasn't always. Kat was never actively malicious and she only teased Lily. Which was another thing.

Kat and Lily were ADORABLE together. So wishing any sort of misfortune on them felt a lot like kicking a puppy. Lily's strange horned cat form didn't make that mental image any better.

Still, it wasn't like Kat was wrong. This had been fun. "Well I'm sure you can hit up the castle if you want to get into contact with Marigold, and I'll probably still be sticking around the crazy princess for some time. Decades presumably, maybe centuries. I'm sure we can meet up again one day if we really want,"

Left unsaid was that Burnice was a much smaller player in the grand scheme of things. Oh sure she was a powerful fighter on her team, one with a tragic backstory and a drive for greatness… but the thing about being an adventurer? You saw a lot of people, a lot of other adventurers with similarly tragic backstories with a drive to prove themselves. Heck, crazy as Marigold was?

She was just one over many elven princesses. Granted, there was only one Marigold, and thank all known and unknown gods for that. But…

Burnice was aware of the fact that, statistically speaking if Kat waited a century to come around and say hello? Burnice herself might be retired either from being unable to keep up with the team, or just getting tired of the lifestyle. Sure she wanted to beat the odds, and she'd give it a damn good try… but it wasn't exactly likely.

Burnice wasn't sure she was memorable enough for Kat to contact again. Of course, she didn't know about how good Kat's memory was either.

Oblivious to Burnice's thoughts, Kat just smiled and said, "Yeah that sounds nice. I've got more than a few friends from across dimensions now. Not like… a tonne but I'll have to try and visit at some point. I'm not sure when, but some point certainly. I'm just not sure how I get like… travel permits or stuff and I doubt I'd be allowed until the tournament is over. Though maybe not?

Not sure on the rules of showing up before being summoned when you know it's likely you will be summoned,"

"I can't say I understood most of that. Still, you and Lily are welcome to contact me if you can," said Burnice with a smile.

"Well apparently Thyme is setting up a sort of mail thing with these inns. A bit pricy, or so I've been told so I can perhaps use that if I don't have the chance to hit up the palace?" offered Kat.

And Burnice? Burnice smiled. Perhaps her worries of insignificance were just that, pointless worries. It seems Thyme was already providing opportunities for everyone to reach out. So perhaps… it was worth keeping in mind. After all, setting up some future spars with March seemed like a good idea.

--- Asteodia --- (Outcropping on the edge of the island, Kat, Lily and Asteodia)

"I see you're here alone?" Asteodia whipped around to see Kat standing there with Lily in her arms. "No problems with Nixilei I hope?"

Asteodia let out a shaky laughter. "No, no it's been a wonderful time with her… but I wonder if I'm ready for what it means…"

"Oh?" asked Kat. Asteodia could see Kat was giving her the chance to open up or just shut it all down… and Asteodia found that she DID want to talk about it, even if it wasn't something she really wanted to address. Perhaps that's why she'd chosen this spot. A hope that she'd be found. Either by Kat or someone else.

"Yes…" said Asteodia drawing out the words. Even if this was something she wanted to do it was still distinctly uncomfortable. "Nixilei has offered to help me confront my family… and it has become apparent that I do indeed NEED to confront my family… but I'm not sure that I'm entirely ready for it and I'm not sure if I want Nixilei there for it.

"Don't get me wrong, while I don't know if I'd be ready to say 'I love you' I'm very content with her company. She makes me want to be better, and she's been helping me with that… but of course the big step? Facing my family. Giving me a chance to step out of their shadow… and I'm not sure if I want Nixilei there to see it.

"I'm not sure if I'm trying to protect her from the blowback… or because I'm ashamed of what she'd think of me. Even if I'm coming around to the idea I shouldn't feel shame for this… it's more of a thing I understand logically then emotion ally right now. Plus… I am now unaware of my chosen paramours profession… and if that were to come up? Well it would make a number of things much harder.

"That's not even getting into the potential political fallout or what might happen if Nixilei decides my parents treatment of me crosses a line. If she retaliates if could be even worse… no matter how much I'd love to see her come down on my parents like a dark goddess of vengeance… it would just cause more problems,"

Asteodia had a moment to register what she'd said, and paled as she saw the matching smirks on Kat and Lily. How a cat could match smirks so well with a demon, Asteodia didn't know and she didn't want to. "Dammit not like that!" retorted Asteodia. Of course. It was EXACTLY like that.

"I'm sure you'll get through this Asteodia. I can't really speak to what you might be feeling… but Lily can. At least a bit. Her parents hated me. Well mostly her mother, and mostly for reasons that never really applied to me… but the fact of the matter is she DID dislike me strongly so… perhaps you might like to hear about it?" offered Kat gently.

"I… suppose it couldn't hurt," mumbled Asteodia.

"Right, well… Lily? You're up!" said Kat as she let her girlfriend down onto the ground. Gently of course.