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

— Kat —

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Kat listened to Hunter speak more on her relationship with Matilda and KKL98SM as they left the cave and started their circuit around the area for the worms in the trees. Eventually, Lily made a topic request Kat forwarded. “So… Lily is curious about the strangeness regarding sexual education you had in the clan?

I’m looking back now and nothing jumps out as me as being too strange, but Lily seems to think there’s a story there and that you implied you were willing to talk about it,”

“I am indeed willing to speak on that issue, and I suppose we have somewhat exhausted the stories I can tell about Matilda and KKL98SM at this stage in our companionship. Lily’s current question has two places I can begin. Either with the ‘why’ or with the ‘what’ that you seem to be missing. I suppose I shall first focus on the ‘what’ as it the smaller section of the explanation.

Please hold any further questions until I explain the why.

“What Lily picked up from my hint is that my clan does not encourage the use of birth control. If anything, it subtly does the opposite. Not in an overt way, and if I was to ask directly I am sure I would get a proper answer even when I was younger. I do not want to portray the clan as particularly negligent in this manner.

Almost all diseases of more sexual inclination were thoroughly routed out by Lust long before I was born, and they continue that crusade to this day whenever a new one pops up.

“Yet for the longest time I did not understand why the clan operated this way. Why they would leave subtle encouragements but not overt ones… and why that clashes with my own experience. I am unsure if I am asexual like yourself Kat, I find a number of individuals to be quite pleasing to the eye, and the idea of engaging in intercourse is not a disgusting idea…

“Yet I find myself lacking in any sort of libido. I briefly encountered the feeling while rooting out an alraune infestation once, but even at its most concentrated the feelings of lust they inspired where still quite muted compared to what I’ve been told of in stories. It means I don’t really look for that sort of company…

“And the clan is entirely ok with that. There’s a significant portion of the clan that fits into a similar enough ‘box’ that I was not lacking on information when I sort to understand my own sexuality. Matilda was not one of those individuals, but she knew plenty people she could point out instead.

“Now, I bring this up because after I had that little journey of self-discovery… I wondered why the clan seemed to be so supportive of the choice to never involve yourself in that side of things… yet also subtly encouraging children. Perhaps you can already see what I did not at the time.

“What I found, was that while the clan’s main goal is to create exceptional hunters of every increasing quality… to do that they need more hunters. They may not wish for a huge number of new children but they do want a steady number of younger demons to be brought up within the clan.

“See, to ensure the goal of creating more exceptional hunters is met… the clan needs to continue and to continue the clan needs bodies. I’ve never found it to be overly harsh about this. The details though… that’s where it gets both interesting and contradictory. I eventually decided I’d learnt enough on the topic and moved on, but I can explain some of what I know, including those contradictions?”

Kat nodded as they stood next to a burning tree no longer full of worms. Hunter nodded and continued with her explanation. “Well, the first is that while sex isn’t discouraged, and many safe avenues are offered… I don’t want to make it seem like it’s actively encouraged for most either. You may have assumed that already, just based on my experience, but it’s a bit more general then that.

“We are NOT a clan based on Lust. We are a clan of Pride and Envy. We seek that which we do not hold, are we are proud of our skills. The clan almost certainly does not desire a descent into hedonism, and as such it regularly provides alternative outlets for tension too avoid such a thing… but the need for children in the next generation means that sex itself is never too actively discouraged.

“Though admittedly healthy relationships are rare. I do not suspect that part is intentional, so much that it is an accepted side effect of the clan’s other choices. This is mostly speculation on my part, but I would suspect that a large majority of the clan are unable to handle proper romantic relationships.

Either for reasons more like my own, or simply because they find it hard to connect with others.

“When you combine this with a large number of hunters, especially older ones, that wish to leave a legacy or help train the younger generations despite the fact that they never found love themselves? Well it means that ‘hook-ups’ are an accepted thing. While it may not be encouraged intentionally, it is common enough that it might be unintentionally encouraged. That part I am very unclear about.

“As I never had an interest it’s hard to tell just how much it’s pushed onto those who do have the drive for such things. Once it became clear I didn’t have an interest in sex, it was essentially never mentioned again, at least, not in relation to my fellow demons. Mating habits of many monsters tend to be extremely important to understanding the species you’re investigating after all.

“So… yes that is most of what I was hinting at. The clan can be a bit weird in regards to sex. It wants more children, but it doesn’t want too many hunters taking time off to have those children, yet we also don’t want to bring in too many people from outside the clan because they tend not to properly understand our way of things, or if they do, still tend to be less understanding.

“I find this to be a particularly relevant point because many of those I have learnt with that were born inside of the clan also do not understand those things. Of course, in truth I make no claims that I understand all the inner workings of the clan… but I feel as though I understand enough to accept it as it is. Do you have any questions?”

“Um… not really? It’s not exactly a topic that interests me too much for obvious reasons,” said Kat.

[BAH! I want to know why there aren’t more partnerships! Why Hunter thinks they have issues with relationships! Do they not have hunting TEAMS. Surely teamwork through life and death battles would at least help start something?]

Kat shrugged and relayed Lily’s ideas to Hunter who gave a shrug before speaking. “You make points that resonate with me… yet I find that most of the clan likes to work alone. I suspect it is that pride aspect of the clan rearing its head. Additionally most hunts are suitable for one person. If you need more than one demon for a problem, sending a rank above is usually better…

“And in the cases where it is not, such as right now, I find that groups need a more diverse set of skills. Here we have myself, Kat, and Kamiko. Even if Kamiko is hear for non-skill based reasons her presence is just as essential… though I am at least suspecting that she is important for reasons unrelated to her combat skill, or her need to be on the mission just to drive the cost down.

“Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that in groups, you do not usually have more than one hunter, and quite a number of other demons find the clan weird. Not that I do not find numerous other groups of demons to be weird myself. So it very much a reciprocal experience, but that does limit the potential dating pool for those interested in such things,”

“Have you considered getting a partner?” asked Kat. “I mean… doesn’t have to be romantic, you could just find a best friend that’s a bit more? Like… take me and Lily for example. I’m asexual as you know… but that doesn’t make Lily any less important and I’m not going to let that get in the way of things. I’m not embarrassed at all to say I love her and that she makes me life a LOT better.

So… is that something you’ve considered?”

“Of course,” stated Hunter. “I do not consistently enjoy company. This team has caused me no issues, and I enjoy the questions… but this contract comes after a long stint of solo missions. I am not sure I would ever have the energy to engage with a full-time partner. Definitely not one so connected to my mind,”