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

— Kamiko —

Kamiko was distinctly uncomfortable at this moment. She’d handed out all of the steaks bar two. One of those was technically for herself and the other was a spare from the batch of twenty. Her last stop had been Brook and Church because they were at the back… and well… Church had taken one bite and then started to make it really, really weird.

She’d take small delicate bites and then start moaning like she was Sue performing her favourite activity… or perhaps worse. Church being mostly naked while eating was not helping matters either.

Sephy was in the background clearly contemplating on if she should join in the fun but Church was really stealing the show. Kamiko was just quietly trying to back away… only to ‘collide’ with Meg. Kamiko turned around and tried to glare at Meg but really it was more of an aggrieved pout.

Kamiko just wanted to be away from this maniac but Meg was clearly having too much fun with Kamiko’s uncomfortable state.

Church, despite only having small bites finished her meal first. Small the bites might have been but the girl clearly hadn’t been taking her time. She turned eyes that practically glowed towards Kamiko. “Do you have seconds? I need more of this!”

Kamiko gulped and tried to say she didn’t… which was a lie. Even not counting the one for herself she probably wasn’t going to have there was indeed one spare. “Yes,” squeaked Kamiko as she summoned the spare plate and tried to bolt… only for Meg to hold her in place.

“I see you’re enjoying that!” stated Meg. “Did you know little Kamiko here cooked the meat all by herself!”

Kamiko’s eyes widened in horror as she glanced between the two. Praying to be allowed to leave but quickly realising it wasn’t going to work. The rest of the tables were pointedly not looking that way… except Sephy. Worse? When Kamiko realised she’d need help her search for Hunter came up empty. The lamia had vanished.

Kamiko felt like she wanted to cry.

Church finished off the meat again, and started picking at the vegetables. “Normally I’d say something like ‘I’d suck a lot of dick for more of this’ or well maybe not that crude but I totally would accept such an arrangement… though seems like it wouldn’t work in this case. Unless…” Church’s eyes roamed Kamiko’s body and she felt exposed. Very exposed.

*ENOUGH!* It was enough for her brain to decide this was a fight. Her aura crashed into the area nearby even as it seemed to just wash over Church herself and Meg of course. The others did flinch back. Kamiko was still mad though, as demonic fire started to leak from her body, freezing the floor and table nearby.

That’s also when Hunter reappeared and just yoinked Kamiko. Between one moment and the next Kamiko felt her brain almost reset as she appeared back in the kitchen and immediately calmed down, letting out a long, somewhat pained exhale as she tried to calm her racing emotions.

It took a few minutes but eventually she was in a fit state to speak. Kamiko glared at Hunter the best she could… which was still more of an aggrieved pout really. Kamiko struggled to make her face anything close to scary. “Thank you for getting me out of there… but you waited a bit long don’t you think?”

Hunter bowed slightly at her ‘waist’ and said, “I apologise but I am not the best with social queues. I can mostly fake it when it was just the four of us, Kat, Lily, and you… but that comes more from following the flow of conversation and an understanding of your personalities then from proper reading of facial expressions.

I simply did not register how much emotional pain you were in until you started to expel demonic flames. I also suspect 23HX502 DID know, for what it is worth,”

Kamiko chewed on her lip. “I don’t know what it’s worth. Meg is… Meg is… I don’t even know what she is. I thought I understood… and maybe that’s why I was somewhat ok with pushing you both to be friends but… I don’t know how to even begin dealing with what just happened? Was… what was that?”

Hunter shrugged, “I do not have a full answer. Knowing 23HX502 the truth is multiple things in conjunction and I hesitate to say I could guess them all. If asked Meg would likely pick one of the more palatable reasons as her ‘one true answer’ and leave you wondering what is left unsaid,”

Kamiko scrunched her face up like she’d tasted something sour. “That’s not much of an answer… what do YOU think she was doing? Mainly?”

“Mainly? Mainly is hard… I could take a guess at a few key motivators certainly but I give no guarantees as to which are true, or more important,” stated Hunter firmly. “The first thing that comes to mind is that… 23HX502 is likely offended in some manner by your social weakness. She is likely attempting to ‘toughen you up’ in a relatively safe environment.

If you are to be my friend, she likely expects a minimal level of quality…”

“Wait… is this one of the reasons you don’t have more friends?” asked Kamiko.

Hunter shrugged, “Perhaps. I doubt 23HX502 has a large role in that particular issue of mine. She simply isn’t around regularly enough. Just remember these are more guesses then truths Kamiko,” Kamiko nodded and Hunter continued. “Right, well next she is likely trying to… assert some dominance over both yourself and the group here.

“You are clearly scared of her, and yet you are also, even distressed and cornered, much more dangerous than any of them. That blast of your aura likely cemented that fact… in perhaps everyone except Church and Corela. Church is an odd individual and Corela is quite old… so I am unsure how that will affect things going forward.

Anyway, it is a way to establish strength… and somewhat undermine your message of unity by offering to cook for everyone,”

“What do you mean? Unity… wasn’t really my goal? I more wanted to show them what they could find on the surface in a small way,” answered Kamiko.

Hunter shrugged, “As I said it is only a guess. 23HX502 has no desire at all to play baby sitter so I can see her using this chance to show that they cannot impose on us too heavily. Though of course, the final answer is that… Meg was simply having fun with you,”

Kamiko shivered, “While a lot less… deep then the other options I think that one scares me the most,”

Hunter nodded, “It is understandable. I do not know if it is the scariest or not as she has amused herself with my presence for so long that it is the natural state of things around her. She need not do anything specific at this point. It is perhaps why she finds herself around me so often,”

“Yeah… I think the whole ‘let’s be friends’ plan is really falling through,” grumbled Kamiko.

“Perhaps distressingly for you… I am not certain that it IS,” stated Hunter.

“Wait… you mean to say that she likes me or something?” asked Kamiko.

Hunter shrugged, “I’m not quite sure that ‘like’ is the correct word? Or… no perhaps it is but it is implying additional things I wouldn’t want to. She seems to find you at least amusing to be around. You’re likely safe on the whole because you don’t leave in the clan compound… but if you come to visit I’d be vigilant,”

“Oh… that’s… not comforting…” mumbled Kamiko.

“It is not meant to comfort you I am providing you a serious warning,” stated Hunter.

Kamiko puffed up her cheeks for a bit before letting all the air out in a sigh. “I wish Kat was here. She’s better at this sort of stuff then me. I mean, I watch and I listen and I’m normally pretty good at that… but I feel like I’ve missed so much about Meg… maybe it’s because she’s older then me? I mean… no offence Hunter,”

“I do not understand why I would take offence,” stated Hunter.

“Right…” said Kamiko slowly. *I… Is this Meg bringing out the worst in Hunter? Hunter trying to shutdown? Or just Hunter not trying extra hard to fit into the group? I can’t tell at all and… god I don’t know what that means! I hope that message I sent of to Kat earlier gets through… I need some way to just… get a break.

I can’t wait to be back with my friends.*

“Shall we return to the dining area?” asked Hunter.

Kamiko frowned at the question. “Um… maybe I should make something else? Maybe like ice cream? I think they have the equipment for ice cream here… and probably ways to make nut milk and the like… but I have real milk?”

“Is providing them with additional tasty food really a good idea?” asked Hunter.

“Um… no probably not but I need something to get my head away from things and I’m choosing to hide away here with the excuse I’m cooking to avoid them. I just won’t hang around nearby after handing the food out. I can move quickly enough for it… I just didn’t want to seem rude before,” answered Kamiko.