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

— Kat —

“So… how much of a worry do you think that’s going to be?” asked Kat.

“Well personally, I’m really wondering why I worked myself to the bone, risked death multiple times… when apparently I should’ve been trying to get a pet,” grumbled Skye.

“Hey I didn’t think of it either,” said Kress with a grin. “Besides… what’s the bet that there’s some plan in place to make things a bit more… equal. Oh, and you’re also ignoring the fact that if you’re not rich and want a familiar you have to do it properly… you’ve still got a pretty good chance of dying,”

Skye glared back at him. “Look… I don’t disagree with any of that but it’s still annoying alright? It’s not like we lost because we didn’t have a bunch of familiars and it really hasn’t come up for us all that often. I mean Kat didn’t have hers before,”

*Oh… wait did we not? Huh I guess we didn’t.* “I mean, that’s because Lily here went through a complicated ritual. She’s both my girlfriend, and my familiar. Technically she’s a beastkin,” said Kat. Skye gave her a weird look. “Hey don’t look at me like that. We grew up together and she’s my best friend… I’m just a bit dense and didn’t notice she had a crush on my. The fact she can transform into a cat now is actually a new thing,”

Skye shook her head, “Fucking demons,” Lily hopped down from Kat’s arms and sat on the floor, glaring at Skye for aa bit. “What?” Lily transformed remaining seated and held up a finger to denote silence. Skye’s eye’s went wide when she saw this before Lily quickly transformed back and returned to where she was. “Well… ok then? I didn’t think Beastkin could be made into familiars,”

“You can still blame Kat being a demon on that one. As far as I know it shouldn’t work,” said Nixilei with a shrug.

Skye rubbed a hand over her face. “Alright… whatever. I’m still a touch annoyed about not having a familiar for this. I… I wouldn’t want to force anything but it does seem like we’re missing out on some firepower,”

“Lily hasn’t actually been able to participate too much. I’m not sure how useful a normal familiar is but because Lily’s a person, and a good mage besides,” [Sweet but not sure I’d agree with the praise there. I’m acceptable at best.] “so she was politely asked not to participate in the various challenges for the most part. I do wonder how things will change for the finale because… well… there’s two full teams with familiars now and even if Lily isn’t a normal familiar… rules are meant to be applied equally,”

“Bah,” said Clive from beside his wife. “If they were trying that they’d have provided arms and armour for the contest. Honestly the fact they let demons in at all is ridiculous, no offence Kat,”

“None taken,” said Kat with a shrug. “Honestly… demons can be stronger with a lot less work. Though somehow I’ve managed to do even better than that. I’m technically Rank 4 now,”

“And we’ve gotta fight her?” hissed Dusk. “That sure hurts our chances of winning,”

“Thyme keeps giving me bracelets to restrain me back to peak or Rank 2. Which may or may not be technically against the rules… but I’m not going to kick up a fuss over it,” said Kat out loud. *Plus I still keep my full regeneration, increased demonic energy capacity and new abilities I get for Ranking up. So I’m doing just fine.*

Dusk let out a huff but didn’t say anything else. Skye seemed a touch unsure as well so Kat decided to change the subject, no sense in demoralising her… acquaintance? “If you did go looking for a familiar what do you think you’d want?” asked Kat.

Skye immediately shot back, “Assuming you had to abide by the rules of magic and get a normal familiar what would you pick?” Kat shrugged. “Look, I need to think about it as well so I though I’d ask now,”

“Ah, fair enough,” agreed Kat. *Though I’m really not sure what I’d want? I don’t really need something strong but the problem is familiar bonds aren’t really meant to be stretched across dimensions so… I couldn’t exactly leave whatever I picked behind. I’m torn. I think I need some sort of adorable emotional support familiar more than a combat one but… taking a weak monster into combat seems like a really bad idea.*

[Are you just trying to embarrass me?]

*Not entirely? I do think you’re adorable and you’re great emotional support, you just also happen to have some great spells. So… back to the whole ‘what to pick’ thing. I don’t really know a lot of monsters and I’m not sure I saw one that’s really worth it. I mean maybe those squirrels from the misty forest we saw? They might be alright but I’ve got no idea how affectionate they’d be. If not that… then maybe an owl or some other kind of bird that likes to perch? Just carry it around on my shoulder. What about you?*

[Hmmm… I might go for a slime of some type. They’re meant to be quite versatile and if I got a big one it could defend me from all sorts of physical attacks while I protect it from magical ones. At least, in theory anyway. I’m not sure how strong they can really get.]

*It’s a good idea.* Seeing as Skye still hadn’t given an answer, Kat decided she might as well. Perhaps it would give Skye some ideas. “I couldn’t think of anything too specific but I decided I didn’t really need the combat help so I’d go for something affectionate if possible. The two main things that come to mind are these teleporting squirrels I saw on a reason mission, or perhaps some sort of avian monster that would be happy to perch on my shoulder,”

Skye nodded, “Ariel reconnaissance is very useful and if I was just trying to go for utility that might be my answer as well… but I just haven’t ever found birds all that appealing. I think I’d want to go for something with a bit of size to it. Honestly, despite how scary that two-headed hound is… I wouldn’t mind one. So I guess I’m not thinking anything specific earlier. I’d want it to be big, scary, but also fluffy so that it can keep me safe and warm,”

“So… what some sort of bear monster?” asked Kat.

Skye nodded, “Yeah probably. What about you Hubby?”

Clive shrugged. “Eh I’d just go for a bird. I’m not super picky. Whichever one was happy enough to have me. Something like that Ice Strike seems cool. Though I think I’d be more interested in a solitary hunter rather than a pack one… though would something like that be harder to train? I’ve not thought about it,”

“Shadow Snake,” said Dusk.

“I don’t think I’d want a familiar myself,” admitted Kutruph. “Having a bond with something that’s weaker than myself holds little appeal… and the same goes for something stronger. I might be willing to have a pet or a companion but a familiar? That’s too much for me,”

“Well I think I’d just bind myself to my boyfriend,” snarked Kress. “Because apparently demons can just do that. So technically my handsome self would be the familiar,”

“Um…” Kat frowned. “I’m not sure it works on humans,”

Kress scoffed, “That’s a bit dodgy ain’t it?”

Kat shrugged, “Look… it might. I really didn’t investigate the specifics,”

“I’d want a bird,” said Gareth. “Having it perform overwatch for the team would be great, and something that’s willing to guard Green would be excellent,”

“I like Skye’s idea,” said Green. “Something big and fluffy! Though I’d want it more for it’s use as a mobile bed then anything else. It’s why it feels rude to go looking for a familiar… though maybe one would enjoy being a bed? Like… don’t some monsters have symbiotic relationships? Like that one species of bird monster and the boars? The birds keep them clean? Oh or the trees and the birds we saw earlier! I’d want to be like the bird!”

Nixilei rolled her eyes, and said. “Shadow Snake,” with a nod to Dusk.

Kat sighed and asked, “Really?”

“Eh…” Nixilei shrugged. “I’m not sure it’s what I’d prefer… but it is very practical. It could protect me while I’m healing, help investigate things while I’m doing my other work, and it’s venom is rather potent but not immediately lethal. I’m a practical woman at heart and that all sounds great. Perhaps I wouldn’t be going out of my way to give it love and affection but it would be very important to me,”

*I think I’ve decided this conversation has gotten weird. I’ve also come to the conclusion that I want no other familiar! It’s Lily for life!* Kat felt Lily’s mental eye roll and started to laugh.