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

--- Kat ---

*Lily? Any preferences?*

[I'm sure I could learn a lot from all the other stuff... but just get me the notes. I don't care enough about anything else and I certainly don't want to risk what might be in them. Heck, if this guy was crazy enough to mess with the corpse worms who knows what else they were into. There could be diseases or something else horrible in one of the cupboards. So just get the notes and burn the rest.]

"Well, Lily is on board with 'Get the notes and burn the rest' how does that sound to you?" suggested Kat.

"I would recommend opening all the cupboards quickly and without breathing, then grabbing what we want before backing up and allowing me to burn the rest of the room out," said Hunter.

"Right. Best to be safe. Um... should I just do that then? My regeneration can probably stand up to whatever gets thrown at me," suggested Kat.

"No," stated Hunter firmly. "As a demon I am also likely to immune to many of the potential issues. What we really do not want is for something that happens to be inside to spread into the surroundings. We might be fine but the wildlife around? An unlucky member of the town? Not so much.

I suggest opening the cupboards swiftly, grabbing what you want, and then burning the rest. I will likely cover us with my fire as I do so... in fact I will summon up some to cover the doorway before we start just to be safe. I'll do the lower cupboards and you do the top set?"

"Yeah that sounds good," agreed Kat as she hopped up onto the bench, ignoring the broken glass and stains. Hunter glared at Kat's back for a second but didn't actually say anything in response.

Instead she slithered over to the bottom cupboards and summoned up her fire, 'blocking' the doorway. "Give me the signal to start when you are ready," said Hunter.

Kat didn't waste any time. "GO!" and then the cupboard doors were flung open. Kat was happy enough to take them two at a time, using both hands to keep things going. The first set of cupboards had food and water inside and Kat slammed the doors back shut a moment after recognising this. She then pulled open the next two just as easily.

"It is not a certainty, I would need more time or information to determine its explosive yield... but I would give it a greater then fifty percent chance of explosive results," stated Hunter matter-of-factly.

"Right... but WHY?" asked Kat.

"That I do not know. It is likely something to do with the way the ants form the crystals in the first place. Not all crystalised mana explodes, and technically speaking that crystal isn't even that. It's... strange in many ways. One of the reasons my clan wants to study it. Those organically grown crystals hide some fascinating details, or so I am told.

I do not understand any of the specifics myself. I just remember an acquaintance's mother, one of those 'knowledge hunters' I know, finding out I have one and then just... grabbing it and running away,"

"Ok... I feel like I have more questions, but let's start heading back while you talk about... that," said Kat. "Oh, though before you start... is it safe to put the crystal in the storage ring?"

"Oh, yes, completely," said Hunter seriously. Kat really wanted to be sceptical about that answer, especially after hearing about how explosive it might be... but decided it was better for it to explode inside the ring then outside anyway and watched as it vanished from her hand.

"So... I guess my two big questions are, why call them an acquaintance and is that sort of... I hesitate to say 'theft' but it IS technically. Um... yeah is that sort of thing normal?" asked Kat.

"The second question is easier to answer. No it is not normal, and her wife came in and offered me payment for the crystal as soon as she found out. As for why I call them an acquaintance? Their name is Hunter 24ZB272 and I had a number of classes with them growing up.

They were one of the few clan members the same age as myself... but I quickly eclipsed them in my learnings and they are rather jealous of my success.

"I still keep up with them, her parents are lovely people and much more involved in 24ZB272's life then is standard for our clan... but yes 24ZB272 is a rather jealous individual.

It makes it hard for me to spend significant time with her, and perhaps at a few points in time I wouldn't have even called her an acquaintance... but we've known each other for almost as long as we've both been alive and I suppose it's just... nice to know someone my age that understands me somewhat more than average.

Sadly she disagrees with me on many things including how the clan operates, but nothing too egregious so we can still talk without issues," explained Hunter.

"Huh... so I didn't want to ask before, because it might've been a touchy question but you've given me an opening so... what about your own parents?" asked Kat.