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

--- Kat ---

The sun had long since set when Kat and Meg touched down at the temporary base. It wasn't hard to spot even with all of the mist. Lily had managed to set up a bunch of lights around the place and as she felt Kat getting closer had used her shadow to raise up a single large lantern up and out of the fog to make landing even easier.

As soon as Meg hopped out of Kat's arms Lily flew into them, giving Kat a big hug.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Meg sat to the side and rolled her eyes at the display of affection while waiting for the drake pieces to catch up. Now they weren't moving it wouldn't take long. "You've been in constant contact since at least the time Kat picked me up. Is this not a little silly?"

"Wouldn't you do the same with Hunter if she let you?" retorted Kat.

"Probably," admitted Meg without any shame. "No kissing, but the hugs would be better,"

Lily definitely didn't agree with that, and neither did Kat… though it also wasn't something they particularly wanted to debate Meg over. So instead they just shrugged and didn't say anything. Meg pouted a bit at neither of them taking the bait but didn't linger on it long. Instead she got to work, ready to get back to the rest of the group.

Meg found the rock and pulled it around into the darkness slightly. Then the noises started. Kat was ninety percent sure Meg was fucking with them… but as Meg had slipped behind the cabin as she got further away it was hard to be certain. A cavalcade of strange noises were emanating from behind the cabin.

It had started normally, the sound of grinding and cracking… then there was the sound of a slide whistle and a cartoon spring bouncing back, specifically a cartoon one not a normal one. After that came the falling cymbals followed by a screaming duck and the sound of a leaf-blower at full blast.

Silence rang out for a few seconds before moaning started up, a mixture of sexual and horrific that did neither side any favours.

An explosion of fire lit up the area for a few seconds stopping the sounds again… so the pair waited… and waited… and waited a bit longer for something to happen. For Meg to either walk back out and declare the crystal dealt with… not dealt with, or for the noises to start back up again. Five minutes they waited in absolute silence. "We're not going to go check that out right?" asked Kat.

"Agreed. Whatever nonsense Meg is up to I want nothing to do with it," nodded Lily.

Kat and Lily did start on packing up the lanterns on their side of the cabin though. Sure they weren't in a big hurry to leave but just sitting around was pointless. Soon all of the lights they could 'safely' reach were gone.

With that done the pair moved carefully into the cabin, with Kat focusing on the stuff from the ring that needed to be returned while Lily picked out a few interesting carvings Kat had made.

Every time they got close to one of the back few back windows they deliberately looked away, ensuring that nothing could be seen. The temptation was strong, and only getting stronger as they moved around and time passed. Just as Kat was putting away the sheets a grinding sound started up, sounding like it was coming from just outside the window she was standing next to.

So Kat did the only reasonable thing she could. Close her eyes and carefully get back to work packing things up. It wasn't as though there was a lot spread around.

Once the room was empty of anything for the ring, Lily moved in, using her Memphis form to check the rest properly without looking out of the window and finding a cup that had rolled under the bed as well as a lantern that had been forgotten. Lily debated over the wooden cabinets for a moment before grabbing them as well.

Maybe they wouldn't make it back out of the ring when it got returned, maybe it would. For now it was easier to just bring them along.

Once that was all done the pair made their wake back outside. The grinding sound hadn't stopped but it had been joined by a host of other sounds. If one were paying attention they might notice it was a bunch of 'instruments' for a jug band doing… something presumably. There was a washboard rattling, the sound of an endless stream of water falling from a jug.

A broom that could only occasionally be made out between the slight breaks in the grinding and the sound of a pvc pipe organ. Once again, Lily and Kat chose to just ignore it.

So… while I agree that we shouldn't actually check on whatever that nonsense is… what are the chances Meg is doing this to mess with us compared to it being things she needs to do?

[Well I'm fairly sure that the grinder is a bait. It's the only thing that makes sense and the fact that it's still going? I'm betting that it isn't part of the process at all. I think it's being used to cover up some other sounds, perhaps just Meg crushing the crystal with her hands. Because we do know that's something she's quite capable of.]

Very good point. Kamiko and Meg both mentioned this requires some precession on Meg's part so just dumping it all into a grinder wouldn't be worth it. Plus, if you could grind down the rock out the outside Meg would've suggested as much before, allowing for more time to be spent hanging around here while it got worn down so she could spend it with Hunter.

[True true. The water might be important, having it carry away a bit of the crystal at a reasonable pace. I do wonder if she's got like, a fancy setup for it or she just made a basic trench and a hole.]

I suppose it depends on what exactly she needs from it. If Meg needs it to be more consistent then I could see her setting up a small water run or something. If she needs it to be choppy for some reason then a trench would work fine if she times it at all correctly, something I'm guessing Meg believes she can do.

Kat and Lily didn't even react when they heard the sound of someone screaming, and choking only slowly die off. The grinder hadn't stopped after all and the scream sounded nothing like Meg. Hence it wasn't worth investigating. No, instead of dealing with that nonsense Kat brought out a chair they'd packed away and Lily hopped into Kat's lap. In human form this time.

[What are the chances she's done already but wants to see how long it takes for us to ask or sneak a peek?]

Pretty low. I don't see Meg wasting time messing with us when she could be getting back to Hunter…

[Right but counterpoint? Hunter's probably sleeping at the moment so perhaps Meg thinks it's acceptable to waste time at the moment? Sure she might enjoy being around Hunter while she's asleep… and I don't much like how it sounds but it's probably true. Anyway, while that's surely… amusing to Meg I imagine getting back just as Hunter wakes up would be almost as good.

Perhaps with enough time to cook breakfast? Not set on that last detail.]

I suppose it depends on how creepy we imagine Meg to be. Well that or if she can even cook? I mean… she eats rocks! Not all the time but she still does. Would that make her better or worse at cooking then someone with no sense of taste?

[But didn't Meg also say she DIDN'T like the taste? She does has a craving and need for the minerals inside of the rocks anyway?]

*Yes… but now I'm wondering if it's a texture thing? Did Meg every specifically say that she CAN taste? Maybe part of the whole eating rocks thing is that she can't taste?*

There was another boom from behind the cabin as grin smoke in the shape of a skull wafted up into the sky accompanied by the sound of cackling. Kat and Lily shrugged. It wasn't the same colour as the crystal so that probably meant it was fine. Plus, there were no dragon sounds mixed in from what the pair could tell.

[Yes yes… that is a good point. Though I imagine that demon school, or maybe just demon cooking school has a course for that?]

Didn't Kamiko say that medical classes first focused on your own body type though?

[Hmm… yeah ok that was mentioned… and I don't see Meg taking cooking classes.]

Unless they were part of the whole 'learning to hunt' thing right? Perhaps part of the skinning unit they also had to cook their monster meat to ensure they knew how to prep the animal.

[Huh… yeah no that definitely happened… and because they work in teams regularly I imagine everyone in the clan is taught how to cook for a wide range of pallets…]