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

--- Kamiko ---

Corela rubbed her temples as she sat back in the chair. During the conversation Kamiko had pulled out seating for everyone, or rather a bunch of seating and everyone chose a favourite. Most people ended up in beanbags. Hunter for obvious reasons, Meg because Hunter was using one, Kamiko because she didn't want to stand out after Corela flopped into one… and Bower took a normal chair.

Kamiko did ensure there was enough beanbags for everyone but Bower just complained about it being bad for his back.

Corela clearly had no such concerns, perhaps it was the dragon ancestry? They liked to curl up on things. Regardless, Corela didn't seem to be having a good time. Kamiko realised she maybe should've tested for healing laser beams before now… and her bubbles wouldn't do anything for a headache. Probably? Kamiko didn't know if she could quite manage one large enough to be on the safe side.

"I think I want to retract my earlier statement. Getting woken up to deal with random inane shit because the collective IQ in this place dropped like a stone after just the one generation was much less painful then this. What I'm basically hearing is… this gets put off? We're probably fucked. If we leave?

We're probably fucked… but if I don't let you do anything about the crystal that teleported in recently we're definitely fucked, and swiftly,"

"Swift might be a bit…" Bower started only for Corela to hold up hand.

"No. If everyone finds out the world is going to end, and that we're responsible? Inside or outside our little slice of the world? We're fucked even before the damned thing ends. So yes, fucked swiftly," Corela laid out. Once she was done she snapped her glare to Meg.

"You could seem at least somewhat sorry you know?"

Meg shrugged, "We're here because my team decided that just taking it and leaving was wrong… but we ARE contracted to prevent the end of the world so… we'll be doing that. How involved you are in that mission is irrelevant to me"

"Yeah, still can't get over that. Demons actually saving the world instead of ending it," Corela shot back.

"It's not as if we were responsible for it the first time. And I do mean that us to be collective. It was the two competing governments that destroyed everything in the end so I feel no need to take responsibility for it," stated Meg. Cleanly leaving out the fact that this second end of the world scenario was at least partially there fault.

"Oh? And why does it seem like nobody outside of us know of the full issue?" asked Corela. "Plenty of organisations have spies but you seem quite certain it's all dealt with,"

Meg shrugged, "I said I was under contract to save the world. I pointedly did NOT say that the world is the ones who reached out to us for that,"

"Taking initiative? Hard to imagine you'd do that out of the goodness of your own hearts," said Corela.

"And I can't help but notice you're deflecting from the original issue," countered Meg.

"Well I'm a forgetful old lady you know? Have to properly let that information go into long term storage before I really think about it in case I'm remembering something wrong," said Corela.

"That… is not how that works at all," pointed out Meg.

"Yeah but I can lie about it unlike you lot so I can get away with it. So? Are you going to answer my questions or do you want to sit in silence? Because I can DO silence little missy," said Corela with no real fear, something Kamiko thought was a bit insane.

*Then again… she probably isn't sane anymore? Or maybe she never was? Always a possibility and quite hard to tell. Psychology was never my strong suit… but Meg should know? Which is a scary thought. I still don't know why we're letting Meg drive the conversation… but it seems fine?

Not sure if Corela has noticed anything weird with her yet… though there was that look she gave Bower so maybe they recognise each other as a… I don't want to say compatible type of insanity because that's not the vibe… hmm…*

Meg shrugged, "I'm sure you can but I suppose it would be much less entertaining then continuing the conversation so I guess you have me convinced. But yeah, we got a contract to deal with the monster that created those crystals but specifically the team was hired to prevent the end of the world,"

"And? Why? I'm looking for the juicy details here," asked Corela.

"I'm not entirely sure if I'm allowed to tell you or not. We aren't too limited in what we can say about demon policy behind the scenes but we aren't allowed to say too much to any one person, or let slip much on any single world unless it's with family members. So while the reason is sort of common knowledge, it's also technically high level policy.

So while I could answer it means I might not be able to tell you too much else if I do," said Meg.

Kamiko thought there was something a touch odd in that sentence but she wasn't certain… and Corela was already replying "Eh I'm a bit too curious about that particular issue for some reason,"

Meg shrugged, "Part of the agreements we signed with the angels after we lost the war,"

"The divine messengers? Why war with them?" asked Corela.

Meg groaned, "They aren't divine messengers. Or well, maybe some of them are… but they aren't gods. Then again they're more powerful then a lot of gods, which are actually more limited then you'd think… and sometimes have angels. But capital A Angels are different and the signatories on the paper,"

"And can you tell me about them?" asked Corela.

Meg chewed on her lip a bit. "Hmm… on the one hand they did kinda screw us over for a staggering amount of time and haven't really stopped doing that… I don't have any personal beef with them and I do understand why they're necessary to keep around. They aren't even assholes about it which would be so much easier.

I mean, the war really was our fault so getting slapped around a bit is just how it is… but eh still don't like them,"

"That told me exactly fuck all," grumbled Corela.

"Look, I'm really not clear what I'm meant to tell you," said Meg with a sad looking smile.

"And you're enjoying using that to dangle information in front of me before using as an excuse to withhold it as well?" asked Corela.

"Now, do I really look like someone who'd do that?" asked Meg innocently.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Yes, yes you do," stated Corela with the same conviction one declares the sky blue or the grass green.

"She's not wrong," offered Bower.

"Bah, you just think she's attractive," added Meg.

Bower shrugged, "It's… an exotic look to be sure. Her attitude is what mostly gets me but looks? Yeah not sure about that part just yet. All the… exposed flesh makes me feel like she's seriously injured and flinch a bit when I look. I'm sort of used to it from you lot though,"

Kamiko shivered a bit as Corela fired back, "Well you look like someone with OSD, Overactive Scale Disease. People who picked it up back in my time tended to die young, their bodies trapped in place by interlocking scales. Horrible way to die, and not all that interesting to examine either,"

Meg smiled a bit at the topic diversion which seemed to trigger some instinct in Corela who quickly turned back and asked "So the angels, sorry, Angels?"

"Eh either works once you know what we're talking about. Angels… so it's not super common knowledge but there are only so many Angels. They aren't born. They don't die, or they do… sort of. If they die they come back though, just as strong as before but usually no stronger. Which sounds great except they are all Peak Rank 9 existences so being the same strength is really not a problem.

"They tend to have themes… like, they might be the Angel of Bells, or Angel of Compassion. It tends to be things that are… at least framed as good but not all of them. I know of the Angel of Destruction, and the Angel of the End just to name a few. They are… really heavy hitters,"

"And these are the kind of beings we want around?" asked Corela.

"Eh… I don't know the specifics but they keep the multiverse in order… somehow. From what I understand it isn't a perfectly infinite system. Theoretically infinite if managed properly, but not technically endless.

I certainly don't understand the mechanics but most universes use energy to get created, burn some energy to sustain themselves… but ultimately produce more when they explode at the end, allowing for the cycle to repeat," explained Meg.

"Hmm…" mumbled Corela.