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

”Would you like to visit Kamiko before the day is over? It’s getting late.” said Lillian.

Kat let out a long breath of air as she looked out at the water filled with people laughing and having fun. She’d only been in this room for around ten minutes, and it wasn’t exactly enough time to really relax… but she had spent quite a bit of time in the flying room and visited many others.

*I suppose I should.* ”Will this be the end? The last day of Punishment?” asked Kat

Lillian nodded, ”Yes. I can make an easy argument to convert your punishment into a recruitment pitch, but if I am to give you such an enjoyable day, I had to keep it to just one day. It’s somewhat part of the unofficial rules, and somewhat part of the Punishment rules themselves”

Kat groaned and wrapped her arms around Lillian as she threw her legs over the edge and stood up. ”Why is that?” asked Kat as she headed for the exit.

”It’s because it is a non-standard punishment. Of course, it clearly isn’t a punishment at all, but that’s sort of the point. If we aren’t getting you to do labour we can only keep you for a day. It’s why you only spent one day with Wrath. Fighting is fun for them so even if it was a spar you had to join and you might not like it, they do. So it isn’t considered a normal punishment” explained Lillian.

*That’s interesting to note.* ”How come Pride could skip punishing us?” asked Kat

”They reached an agreement with the rest of us. It’s a bit complicated, but they don’t take any Punishments unless the individual if from their Faction. Some others argued against the plan, but because whoever is being punished is normally used as free labour eventually Pride was able to get out of it with a few concessions. I think we got the better end of the deal, but not everyone agrees with me…” explained Lillian.

*I wonder what they managed to get. Lillian would have mentioned it if she wanted me to know… and I really have no scale for reference to try and work out what could have been offered. For Lillian to say it was worth it… either she really doesn’t care if Pride helps with Punishments or not… or alternatively she got a decent bonus out of it.* 

Kat pondered what Lillian might have gained as they made their way to Kamiko but couldn’t really think of anything, without a frame of reference. For someone of Lillian’s age and strength the things on offer were still far beyond what Kat could properly consider.

When Kat stepped out of the elevator, she was surprised to find herself already in a room not just a corridor. Sure it had some doors that obviously lead to other areas but it wasn’t so large, and Kamiko was currently in the centre of it.

The walls were painted a soft blue with the colour darkening as it came closer to the ground. It contrasted well with the soft star like lights that dotted the ceiling. It was somewhat hard for Kat to tell just how well illuminated the room was because of that, as she could see fine regardless of the light but it felt like the room had to be on the slightly dim side.

In the corner there was a small pool of water that was just deep enough for someone to sit in and submerge their legs, with the wall having a back rest allowing for someone to use it as a lawn chair and spread out against it. The opposite corner had a small water feature comprised of three cascading mini waterfalls that filled the air with the natural sound of a flowing river. The next corner had a large number of blankets all stacked together of various thicknesses, and the last corner had a cupboard, though it wasn’t clear what was contained within.

Kamiko was currently laid out on what looked like a massage bed but she wasn’t being massaged at all. Instead, what seemed to be a large steel press was pushing her into the table. It looked a bit strange, and Kat really had no idea why someone would choose something like that… but surely Kamiko would complain if it was an issue?

*And I can’t see her face… but her body looks relaxed enough from what I can see. The question is why?* Kat bit her lip as she continued to take in the room. It had a noticeable chill to it, which was surely something Kamiko would enjoy. Still, it didn’t provide any idea as to what the metal press did. ”Ok… why the press?” whispered Kat.

”Kat?” asked Kamiko, not quite hearing the question properly. Lillian, seeing that Kamiko was awake enough to participate in the conversation smiled and kept silent.

”Um… yes it’s me” said Kat louder this time, ”What’s with the metal press? I… I don’t quite understand the point…”

”Ah… yes well… I didn’t understand it originally either but it’s quite remarkable actually” said Kamiko ”See, what it does, compress my muscles a bit. It’s not painful, and it feels… not quite like a hug… not quite like blankets… it’s… it’s something else but quite enjoyable besides. I just finished having a massage and apparently this is the last part of it. You missed the assistant I had all day”

Now that Kat was paying attention, she could hear that Kamiko did sound very relaxed. There was a slightly breathy quality to her voice and she just sounded rather soothed. Of course, Kamiko, wanting to speak properly pushed herself up. There wasn’t any strain. Once it was clear that she desired to move into a sitting position the press simply rose up into the ceiling and disappeared. Kamiko summoned her clothes once again and sat facing Kat before freezing in place.

Kamiko stared at the small form of Lillian who was currently doing her best impression of a doll. She’d shifted her features to be just a little bit less real. Slightly shinier and had completely frozen her movement in Kat’s arms just to add to the illusion.

On the other hand, Kat was surprised out how different Kamiko looked. Something had been added to her skin to make her glow slightly putting of a light just a slightly different shade then her skin, with her hair reflecting it in multiple spots and shining a brighter pink then normal. Her hair was now down, which revealed her horns that had been polished to a reflective sheen.

”What’s with the…” Kamiko tried to ask but trailed off. She didn’t know what ’it’ was but something told her whatever the answer was, it certainly wasn’t ’doll’. Narrowing her eyes, she watched for any sign of movement from what she didn’t yet know was Lillian but found none. For Lillian holding her breath was simple, and not moving was even easier. She had multiple ways of doing it as well.

”What’s what Kamiko?” asked Kat after waiting twenty seconds without a reply. Kat glanced around and didn’t see anything noteworthy having already accepted Lillian’s appearance as normal. Plus, from Kat’s line of sight, she was unable to see the changes Lillian had made to her face.

  Kamiko pursed her lips and tried not to glare at whatever it was Kat held in her hands. All her senses were telling her it was unremarkable. A normal object, if a high quality one… but her gut was telling her otherwise. She hadn’t heard of Lillian, yet but if she had she’d have picked out the gag in an instant. As it was… she just couldn’t commit to a proper answer, and certainly didn’t want to call a powerful enough demon to pull the trick off an ’it’ if she was wrong.

Settling for potential embarrassment over potential offence, Kamiko finally asked. ”Who are you carrying around and… um… why?”

Kat glanced down. ”Oh this is Lillian” said Kat without a trace of just WHO it actually was. ”She’s been showing me around. She wanted to shapeshift to look like me for a bit of a laugh”

”Yeah, it’s been great fun!” said Lilian cheerfully in her childish voice, not the one mimicking Kat. Still, without the tri-tone to it, the voice was practically impossible to place, and Kamiko had never heard the original anyway.

”I see…” said Kamiko noncommittally. ”Well, I had a great time here all day. I’ll have to thank that secretary or… maybe her boss? Whoever authorised my spa day I guess because it was amazing”

”Oh, that was Lillian here, so I guess she’s the one you’ll want to thank!” said Kat innocently.

Kamiko froze once again.. Eyes going wide as she realised the implications of Kat’s statement and then tried and failed to process the fact that Kat was casually carrying around the Rank 6 leader of the Lust faction IN HER ARMS.