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

”And if I say yes?” asked Kat curious as to what she’d be agreeing to at what would be acquired.

Lillian nodded with the words a small smile touching her lips. ”Well, if you said yes a few things would happen. The primary thing would be that other Factions wouldn’t approach you for membership when you reach Rank 3. Technically there is nothing legally binding here, but we respect claims made this way and to disrupt that would be… very bad… let’s just say. So, if you are worried about being bothered by recruiters that’s the biggest bonus.

”The second thing that would happen is that for the period of a year and a day you’d be able to get an employee discount on the services here. You’d be treated as a Faction member, a low level one, but a Faction member none the less. Now, that’s mostly positive, but it does also mean that if you cause any problems with the rest of the Faction things are more serious than just being an unruly customer.

”It would depend on the problem of course, but there would be repercussions. I can go into them if you really want? But I don’t think it’s necessary. You’d have no additional rules that a customer wouldn’t and anything else is very common sense you know? Don’t yell at staff, don’t harass staff, don’t deface property that sort of thing..”

”Ah, that’s fine I think. I don’t believe I’m likely to cause any problems… I don’t really drink or… do drugs or… indulge I guess… in many ways so I should be fine” said Kat

”We’ll come back to that” chirped Lillian with a grin, her young voice overshadowing the other two for some reason, forcing them back. ”Back to the bonuses though. The limit of a year and a day would be something you can extend. We aren’t trying to rush you to Rank 3. You’d be able to make another verbal agreement at the end of it to renew things so don’t worry about that.

”Moving on for real, you’d also be able to contact us through D.E.M.O.N.S. If something major comes up, perhaps you need therapy for yourself or someone else, maybe you just need to relax for a while, heck, maybe you’re need to escape from your home world because the criminal underworld is coming from you. You can call us, and we can help, or we can summon you here so you can get help.

”Depending on the circumstances you may need to pay for the assistance, but it’d be at employee prices once again, and the transportation at least would be free. We also have loan schemes separate from D.E.M.O.N.S itself if needed but that’s another thing I don’t feel we need to go into right now.”

*Hmm. Those… it isn’t exactly many benefits but at the same time… those three things are all pretty significant in and of themselves. Is it worth it though? I mean… it sounds like a decent option.* ”What would I have to agree to?” asked Kat

Lillian grinned, this time with human teeth, and said, ”You would be required to state something along the lines of: I, Kat, accept this offer from Lillian in good faith, with the intention to join the Lust Faction upon reaching Rank 3. I have no desire to abuse this offer, and do not wish to join any other Factions now, or, to my knowledge, in the future.

”That’s about what I’d need you to say. It’s not binding of course, but because you, like all demons, must speak the truth it’s essentially asking you to confirm your desire to join us of your own free will and don’t want to cause trouble for my faction. Things can change of course, and depending on what they are, I might be a little annoyed, but that’s sometimes just how things are. You would face no repercussions from going back except for a lack of trust, assuming there are no big changes.”

”Is there a reason to expect big changes?” asked Kat ”I mean… this really does seem to be the best Faction for me at the moment. Even if that’s because I don’t feel attraction towards a specific one, this seems the best of what’s on offer, for… hopefully obvious reasons”

”Humour me, if you don’t mind Kat. Please tell me what issues you have with the others” asked Lillian softly with a smile, now with silver teeth.

Kat bit her lip and considered things for a few moments. *I… hmm… I don’t have to say anything… and I might be giving away information… but Lillian’s right. This is a conversation and she’s given me a lot of information so far and despite her strange voice, she’s very pleasant to listen to. It’s easy on the ears.* 

”Well, let’s start with Pride. They didn’t even let me into their compound for punishment duty. Even if they were to invite me later when I reach Rank 3… I feel like… it just isn’t polite you know? I’m quite sure I wouldn’t fit in there… and… I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want to.

”Envy is similar. They tried to use the punishment as a way to extract information from me and Kamiko. I… I just don’t understand why they’d bother? It was very weird to experience and the whole setup just seemed… off? Wrong? I don’t really know but I wouldn’t call it a pleasant experience. So, I’d rather not join up with them.

”Next is Wrath. I just don’t enjoy combat. I don’t hate it of course, and when it needs to be done on Contracts I can enjoy it… but it’s not my life. I don’t live for the fight. I don’t want to be a renowned fighter. I’m happy to get some lessons and improve myself but… for Wrath it’s basically a way of life and I’m not quite that into it.

”For Gluttony… that was actually a major workout when I went there. It’s interesting certainly, but I have no real cooking experience and I don’t exactly want any. I also just… I don’t enjoy food the way they do. I eat when I’m hungry and that seems to be less and less these days. I’ve gone days without food and suffered no ill effects and that… just doesn’t bother me.

”Greed… oh Greed… I’ve grown up with… minimal possessions and I never resented that fact. I don’t feel the need to collect things or try and make a bunch of money… but they do have interesting artifacts. It’s nowhere near as interesting as your offer but had Lust been… more what I was afraid it was Greed might have actually been where I ended up.

”Finally, Sloth was… weird? I fought a bunch of rats in a mineshaft and I’m not really sure that’s standard affair for the Faction. I don’t know I can judge them properly… but… I think I’d get bored, if I had to guess.”

Kat sucked in a deep breath as she finished speaking only to realise she’d forgotten something. ”Oh, and Medical. Um… I don’t have any healing abilities?” said more a question.

Lillian gave a little clap when Kat finished speaking before she gave a reply of her own. ”I’m very glad to hear that. I’ve taken great pains to ensure my Faction is looked upon fondly by many demons both for signing up and for potential partnerships. Just focusing on sex would be boring and such old hat.

”The other Factions have branched out a little more than it might have seemed to you, I’ll admit as much, but I’m the real progressive of the lot. Not sure why, I’m currently the oldest Faction leader in this Hub, so it can’t be age. Still, I guess for the other’s if it ain’t broken don’t fix it.”

Lillian flicked away another notification on one of her monitors before pulling her chair in closer and placing her hands on the desk. ”Now, you also mentioned big changes…” said Lillian three voices branching out sounding more different then ever ”… the main one that would be expected would be a healing skill and a subsequent desire to join Medical. We don’t really keep many on staff, because we have an agreement with them. A lot of Medical employees, especially the healers, are essentially part of our Faction as well, just not on paper”

*That makes way too much sense. I wonder if Nira is part of Lust like that? Her attitude makes me thing that yes, she is, but as a Rank 5… she might be more beholden to her Faction.* Ignorant of Kat’s thoughts Lillian continued, ”Other potential options are gaining an ability that requires you to have a unique diet. If it’s particularly powerful but costly Gluttony might be the only option. 

”Those are the main ones that come to mind. It’s also possible of course, that your personality starts to shift in the coming years. There’s no certainty that you’ll be Rank 3 any time soon, even if I do expect it within the year. Maybe you’ll start to enjoy battle more? Acquire the taste for it… or perhaps… see something traumatic, as much as I wish that it will not happen, it’s a possibility. You might break and find the monotony of Sloth a suitable option.”