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

--- Kat ---

"So… what got you so set on Hunter anyway?" asked Kat as casually as possible.

"Purity. In a single word, Purity is a good answers," said Meg.

Kat frowned and was tempted not to push further after the one word answer but some mental encouragement from Lily implying this was basically just the hook to ask more had Kat speak up despite her gut feeling. "That's… not exactly much of an answer, and can be interpreted in a whole bunch of ways,"

"Indeed, you happen to be correct in that," said Meg with a slight pat on Kat's head as if she was praising a five-year old. "It makes it no less true, and an interesting starting point. Now, I'm going to ramble but do feel free to interrupt me if you feel it necessary," Kat could hear the test in those words. "Now. Demons?

We're strong, even as mortals we are a cut above… nothing compared to a proper Rank 1 demon but we have a lot going for us.

"Depending on the kind of demon, we usually have… increased resistance to disease, greater strength, greater recover. Bones that withstand a lot more punishment then normal and that's all without getting into the fact we might be a post scarcity society.

I'm not totally sure if we are or not, and plenty of resource shuffling is done to obfuscate that fact and at least try to imply we don't have everything. Continue your journey on empire

"Which means that demon kids? Are generally little shits. You've got an amazing group around you Kat. I'm not sure you realise just how strange you all are. You lack the context and even with what I'm about to tell you I doubt it'll really sink in… but it's part of my explanation about purity so I'm giving it out anyway.

"Demon kids? They tend to be little shits. The sad truth is that our system doesn't care all that much if they get better or not. Sure some parents put in the work, and some of us just turn out spectacular essentially on our own… but a lot of demons end up as somewhat blunt instruments, or simply useless all together.

"It's part of why we try to funnel people towards guilds that resonate with them. You find the particular use then have, and just let them… go for it. Eventually they gain a bit of common sense and ambition enough to get there act together. Takes a while though, sometimes too long.

"Which is another thing. While we don't know what causes someone to rank up… we do know it doesn't happen to the truly lazy and underserving. Most of those cap out at 2 if they're really lucky and you need to be something MORE to keep climbing. You might thing this precludes sloth demons? Hahahaha. Those crazy bastards, the ones that get powerful?

Those are some of the scariest motherfuckers you'll ever meet.

"They can sleep for a hundred years at a time but hells forbid you get in their way while they're working because they will annihilate you. A sloth demon is a demon with a one track mind, and normally that one track is 'how can I go back to blissful rest'. The best of them pick up skills quickly and then abuse them to the maximum.

"But I'm getting sidetracked. The kids. You see, demon kids are little shits. They change their mind constantly and have horrendous attention spans. Not my little sis though. When she was young?

She already had that core of adamantine. I can hardly explain it to you properly…

"Back when she was little? Before Sis got that 'ignore me' aura? She had something close to fear projection even back then. Everyone thought she'd get a monstrous fear aura when she finally awakened her fire… but that didn't happen. She got something to make her a better hunter, which just… is so on brand for her.

"Now, something ELSE you need to know? Is that lamia? Puberty doesn't just hit them like a runaway carriage or a car. Puberty for a lamia is like getting slammed at lightspeed by a spaceship. Hunter may be on the small side for a lamia now, but she was practically miniscule when she was a little. All lamia are really.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"I don't know how it works, but their growth has never been consistent. All lamia look a year or two younger then they should and start off as adorable little baby snakes. Then? When they hit like thirteen or so? They just explode in size. Going from looking like they belong back in elementary school to being large enough to crush cars in just a few months.

"Now Sis never got that big in the end, but she just… started so small. I just… I need you to imagine this smol girl, no larger then knee height walk into a classroom full of teenaged demons. Prime bullying target right? NOT. She has this drive about her. This calm savagery that just screams that she can and will kill you if necessary.

"It was hilarious and adorable and I still remember those days fondly. Sis… sis has always had one purpose and that is to hunt things. At some point… she decided to mix that with 'supporting the clan' and I hate that. It feels like it tainted the person she was when she was younger. When she didn't understand the political implications properly, when she was just in it for the hunter.

"Yet even still… if that's what drew me to her? What kept me interested is that it never really went away. Oh sure she's much better at hiding it all now. Packing that bloodlust up into a neat little box for later use… but it hasn't corrupted her purity of purpose at all!" Meg's eyes gleamed as she waited for a moment.

The crystal had almost caught up and Meg leaned back just enough for it to snap together, only to shatter it a split second later.

Meg continued, "See, she didn't box all that bloodlust and… and PRESENCE because she was ashamed, or because she was growing up, or that she no longer felt it… but because it was getting in the way. I doubt Sis talks about but for a while her bloodlust was so strong that she couldn't hunt anything, even in the designated hunting grounds. The animals could all feel a great predator seeking them out.

They all knew if they remained they would die… so they ran.

"Oh Sis was pouting for WEEKS when she learnt it was her own fault. Once she did some more research though? Found the source of the problem? She CRUSHED it. No hesitation, no concern for how it might affect her going forward. Sis ANHILATED what she saw as weakness, hunting down the problems in her own mind just as unerringly as she did in real life.

"I can hardly explain in words that sheer majesty of what I witnessed the day after she managed that. It was like… no I simply cannot describe it at all. Some fools thought Sis had broken or that she'd given up… but I could tell. I could tell that she had only improved upon her path. Her skill. She was a better hunter now then she ever had been before and it was wonderous to notice.

So many failed to, even some of the teachers at first. But I SAW.

"That. That right there is the sort of purity I talk about. You cannot possibly understand how hard it must have been to change such a major part of herself… but it was NOT her core. Her core was the hunt, and Sis was willing to do whatever it took to ensure she reached the peak of that discipline.

"Now, Sis has calmed down a bunch since then. She trains constantly, but she can also now recognise the diminishing returns that eventually come and how important ranking up is. Oh she was a right terror on the training fields during her first few decades of contracts.

"So… yes I suppose that answers your question, on why I'm set on Sis and where my interest comes from. Purity," finished Meg with a firm nod.

*Ok… that… well I feel as though I didn't get much out of that conversation. I mean… it sounds sort of cool on the surface? Maybe? Honestly I feel lost. Like I'm just not getting it. Which… probably doesn't surprise Meg?

I don't know? Do I ask for clarification?*

[Maybe? I think I get it a bit more. It's… it would be a bit like deciding to give up on research to pursue you as my romantic partner or the other way around. I'm not sure I have such a… a 'core identity' like Meg speaks about. Perhaps that's even part of it. Hunter has, allegedly, known what she was going to be forever and hardly, if ever strayed from that path.

Though… I'm wondering how Meg witnessed so much of this? Isn't Hunter the older of the two? Based on their 'names' I'd assume so… but maybe lamia age a bit differently?]

*Hmmmmm. Interesting point. Do we pick on that?*