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

Green gave a look to Tophat with a raised eyebrow. Tophat saw this and nodded before making a shoeing motion. With confirmation it was the right idea, Green carefully stepped backwards and away making sure to do so with slow smooth movements that wouldn’t properly register in the corner of a person’s eye. This way Gloves could keep up their tough guy act while Buff humours the poor sod.

*This was exactly what we were worried about when waking up too many people. Fighting is really just a way to waste time when we don’t know how long we have. I can’t believe the SECOND… or well third sort of, person we picked is already causing problems. At least it they’re somewhat distracted and I can wake up the last person we want… but truth be told… I’m not sure it’s worth it. Let’s hope they have something to bring to the table.* 

Green carefully followed the target from a slight distance. She was about to wake them up straight away but she could still easily hear the argument going on behind her and decided to wait till Gray Thyme was inside a building so that she could explain things before introducing Gloves. Green would also swear at that moment she was tempted to use up her mana to throw the idiot over the wall of flames and sort it out without their help.

Green slipped in behind Gray as they left the door open as per usual and waited to see if they did anything interesting now they were inside a house. Gray just seemed to look around for a few moments before walking into the kitchen and drinking a glass of water. What? Once that was done Green watched with undisguised confusion as they calmly walked back to the door. That jolted Green enough to get back into action.

Green tapped Gray on the shoulder carefully. A swift breeze looked like it could do in this Thyme and she made sure that while the touch was noticeable it would cause no problems. Thankfully, it seemed to be enough to wake Gray, who stumbled slightly trying to take a step, pitching forward. Green reached out to grab them under the elbow and helped support their rather light weight before carefully putting them down. ”Sorry,” mumbled Green.

”No no, it’s alright deary… what… what seems to have happened? My head feels like its full of potion fumes,” moaned Gray.

”You were under a spell Gray,” said Green assigning this Thyme an easily remembered name, ”everyone is running around panicking and there is a fire surrounding the town and we, that is myself, Tophat and two others that… well they’re mostly for muscle and while one is cooperating with us, the other, Gloves isn’t really interested in helping they just want to be in charge.”

Gray let ’her’ fingers strum across the top of the walking stick in ’her’ hands. ”Hmm… yes I can certainly see the mystical interference there. You know, I was actually a rather powerful mage back in my day before I was cursed and had my mana eaten out from inside me… I may not have the strength to cast spells anymore… but I might be able to sense where the mana powering everything is coming from, especially from the middle of it.”

Green smiled and clapped her hands together a big smile on her face. Proper mana sense was a rather rare skill after all. Most mages had to cheat with a spell or enchanted equipment. *Granted this is very much in Thyme’s capabilities, but I’m very glad they let this ’random civilian’ have the power as well.* ”That’s perfect. Let’s go introduce you to the others,” said Green as she exited the house.

What she found outside was… less then ideal. Gloves was no listing achievements and reasons they should be in charge, many of which Green knew had to be made up unless… *Hmm… some of these things Thyme could certainly do. Stopping time on an island, finding an ancient artifact that’s over ten thousand years old, clearing up a curse that had been plaguing the Nirash tribe for hundreds of years. All perfectly reasonable for Thyme… but…* ”Grey, does Gloves actually have all that much mana?” whispered Green.

Gray let out a quiet chuckle, ”Not at all. In fact, they have a rather low amount inside them consider they’ve reached adulthood. Hmm… now that I look closely… they only have about twice as much mana as I do and I’ve been completed crippled. Truly a sad existence Gloves.”

Apparently despite their pitiful mana pool their hearing was better then average. ”Huh? Who you call pitiful grandma?”

”I am sonny. I’ve known this village since you were less then a shine in your pappy’s eye. I may be retired but I can still handle a to bit punk like you. Puffing up like a crowing rooster trying to pretend he’s the toughest in the pack because he can screech the loudest… and right next two a better specimen twice your size,” sneered Grey.

Buff let out a quiet sigh knowing this wasn’t the way to defuse the situation. ”Huh? What was that you old fossil? Just because I ain’t as old as the trees nearby doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m doing. Just sit down on your rocking chair and let the real men handle this.”

The three ’females’ or at least Green and the two Thyme’s pretending to be female glared back at Gloves for the insinuation. Green’s desire to throw ’him’ out of the village was growing. Purely for the benefit of everyone of course. ”You’re damn right I’m older than some of the trees here. I was here when this little slice of the world was founded. I helped build most of the original houses. My knowledge will be invaluable. What do you have to offer?” sneered Grey

”Well my leadership skills of course, and my strength. What more do I need?” scoffed Gloves.

Grey narrowed ’her’ eyes and said, ”Well considering I hardly see any leadership skills from you so far and that we’re already covered in the muscle department you bring nothing of any value to the table. Perhaps I should roast you over the flames a bit, char your skin and use it as a shield. Might harden you up a bit.”

Green gave out a tiny yawn and slunk to the ground. The grass was nice and soft. It had been a big run, she was low on mana, and these idiots wanted to waste time fighting. So she did what came naturally to her when Kress and Nixilei wanted to go at it for a bit. She decided it was time for a nap. Tophat was giving Green a look of pure dissipointment… but the young woman had already closed her eyes and drifted off. She didn’t see it, and because it contained no true hostile intent she didn’t feel the gaze either. Green was giving off a small slip of a smile and Tophat had the reasonable urge to join in.

”Apparently she can sleep through a crisis,” grumbled Tophat under ’her’ breath.

While this was going on Gloves had pushed up their sleeves and tried physically intimidating Gray. Gray was indeed smaller, but not by that much, and most of it was from their somewhat hunched back. If Gray stood at full height ’she’ might even be taller than Gloves. ”Well all I see is an argumentative old women too stuck in her ways to accept anyone else taking the lead. I bet there is a reason you retired, perhaps you should return to it. Clearly it wasn’t doing you any favours though,” shot back Gloves.

Gray decided that they’d endured enough insults. Taking the slightest combat pose Gray slid the walking stick in hand so that the base was clenched in they’re fist. They then proceeded to smack Gloves multiple times on various pressure points. Pressure points that didn’t really exist on a dryad but dropped Gloves to the ground anyway. It was a more extreme option then was possible in reality, especially in ’combat’ even as basic and one sided as that combat had been. Still, it happened and Green heard the thump of Gloves hitting the floor. Peaking at the ’argument’ with one eye she saw that Gloves had been downed. Languidly puller herself to her feet Green asked, ”How long will he be down for?”

”Grhmhm, in my prime I’d say that’d take him out for a good six hours. As it stands though… maybe twenty minutes. Gloves is a weak fool but still in the prime of his life. I wouldn’t commit to anything longer then twenty minutes. He could wake up any time after that. Just… keep in mind he can technically hear us. Do with that information what you will,” explained Gray.

*Well… that could have gone better I suppose.  But you know what. I’ll count this as a win.. A very odd and slightly counterproductive win… but if we need that ass we can wake him up… or better yet just pick somebody, anybody else.*