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

Chapter 1731 Breaking the Silence with Sylvie

--- Kat --- (Friday Afternoon)

Kat found herself sitting across Sylvie, with a chessboard in between them and Lily curled up asleep on her lap. It was late in the evening a day after sheʼd had that chat with Callisto and sheʼd spent most of the day practicing in the backyard with Lily. The space was somewhat limited but it was better then nothing in the end. Of course… ”You do know Iʼm not any good at chess right?” said Kat.

Sylvie shrugged, ”Thatʼs sort of the point. I was hoping to talk with you after hearing that you had a bit chat with Vivian and then one with Callisto. I get I am busy with school and stuff… but that doesnʼt mean I wanted to miss out! So… chess it is. If you actually knew how to play you might focus on the game instead of me!”

”Then whatʼs the point of the chessboard?” asked Kat.

”It gives us something to look at and pretend to do when weʼre feeling awkward or coming up with our next topic or thereʼs a long silence or something,” explained Sylvie.

Kat glanced at the chessboard once again. She knew how to play chess… in theory. Kat never found the time to really learn the game but she did know what all the pieces do and was aware that chess theory was a thing. She also knew that one opening you never wanted to do because it got you checkmated right at the start. That was the extent of her chess knowledge. *Though maybe I should learn? Sylvie enjoys the game somewhat even if itʼs not a favourite.*

”Right… so what did you want to talk about?” asked Kat.

”I donʼt know? Anything?” said Lily.

Kat sighed, ”Thatʼs almost worse then saying nothing Sylvie. It doesnʼt give me anywhere for the conversation to go!”

”Well… what did you talk about with Callisto and Vivian?” asked Sylvie.

Kat considered hiding or obfuscating things for about half a second before discarding that notion. Even still… she didnʼt really want to talk about that stuff with Sylvie. Going over her old adventures like she had with Callisto would feel a bit too much like bragging and the stuff with Vivian… well Kat hadnʼt exactly enjoyed talking about that with Vivian either even if it was the right call to make.

”My chat with Callisto was just about the Contracts Iʼve been on. She wanted something to keep my occupied while doing that portrait. Did you hear about that?” asked Kat.

”I did and Callisto has asked me to look out for a time to have her draw me. Currently the best idea is to have her draw me while Iʼm studying somewhere so I can just do my own thing without getting bored. Though… I notice you didnʼt mention what you spoke to Vivian about,” responded Sylvie.

Kat sighed, ”I donʼt want to get into specifics but she was trying to give me a minor therapy session I suppose…”

”Ah… do you think you need therapy?” asked Sylvie.

Kat barked out a laugh in response to the question. ”Ha, thatʼs the question isnʼt it? I know that the Hub has therapists and I might even be able to get one at a discount or perhaps for free because Iʼm doing contract work and… hmm… Experience tales at

”Well I was going to say I donʼt need a therapist but if itʼs free… maybe? I can ask Kamiko about it when I see her soon anyway.” Kat paused to glance around a bit and finally making her first move on the chess board. She didnʼt know how to explain things they way she wanted. Trying to convince Sylvie she didnʼt have a problem after Vivian butted into things might be an issue… especially doing it in a way that didnʼt have Sylvie turn away from therapy if she needed it in the future.

”I guess for me I just donʼt think I need it. Which… is a hard thing to say because I know that a lot of people who do need say the same thing. Ergh… how do I explain this? Iʼm happy with my life and I donʼt feel stressed too often and I think Iʼm fine? Maybe if more people were worried it was serious… or… hmm…”

”I know how therapy works Kat,” said Sylvie with a smile. ”I donʼt know why youʼre being so awkward about it. If I really thought you needed it Iʼd have said more than just asking a question… but after you were being so weird with it maybe you think differently?”

”Ah itʼs just… no I donʼt think I need therapy but like… if there was like… an regular checkup with your general practitioner but for therapy? I could be convinced. I donʼt think I have any major issues but like… maybe I have small ones that should be dealt with or something? Like… you want to get cancer screenings when youʼre older so that you can make sure to catch it early. I guess itʼs sort of like that? I know we donʼt have still like that HERE but on the Hub they might?”

Sylvie nodded ”That makes sense I guess. I donʼt think I want to be a therapist but it was interesting reading some of those books. Itʼs… weird. I donʼt know itʼs actually helped me understand other kids my age any better. Though it does make me more thankful for Penny and Alice,”

Kat thanked Sylvie for the graceful topic shift and grabbed the hook. ”Thatʼs good. How is your friendship with those two?”

”Itʼs great!” said Sylvie with wide, genuine smile. ”I… well you know I didnʼt really have friends before. Nobody bullied me… twice… because of how close I was with you and that was fine but… well yeah itʼs not the same as having friends. Not sure I really understood that before… but theyʼre both great!

”Iʼm… well I didnʼt really know what friendship was like and Iʼm not sure what itʼs like for other people but for me? Itʼs just nice to be understood. Somewhat. I guess that part is more about understanding what it means to stand out. Alice might not be as smart as I am… but thatʼs a very big might.

”Sheʼs still really smart and she knows a lot more about talking to people. I sort of wish we went to the same school so I could just let her do all the talking. She doesnʼt necessarily enjoy it… but out of all three of us she could pass as the most normal. I can sort of try… but Alice could definitely pretend to be normal if she really wanted to… but she doesnʼt really?

”I guess thatʼs part of whatʼs odd. I donʼt want to be normal but sometimes I recognise it would be nice… so… to see someone who could be chose not to be? Thatʼs just comforting in a way I didnʼt know I needed. Itʼs not like you were ever that normal of an example, and Lily defiantly wasnʼt.” Kat felt like she maybe should have a response to that, but she didnʼt and Sylvie was on a bit of a roll.

”On the other hand Penny just… she doesnʼt even try. Iʼm not sure she ever tried. At first I really liked that because… this is going to sound bad but it was nice to have someone who was just… more out there then I was. I sort of sit in the middle of Penny and Alice and itʼs just… nice to see what could have been?

”But then I remember what Pennyʼs family are like and suddenly I feel sort of awful for thinking that. I get that some of her issues… well calling them that is rude but… well some of her issues are because of her guardians. I havenʼt asked… but I think sheʼs been with them a while and theyʼve never tried to help her understand things. Not the way youʼd help me out when I was younger…”

Kat winced at that. She hadnʼt needed to help Sylvie out that much… but she could imagine that Pennyʼs family making things worse by basically ignoring the girl. ”Iʼm really not sure what to do about that.” Sylvie continued after a brief pause to move on of the chess pieces. ”I think itʼs the biggest source of friction for our little friend group actually. Penny hasnʼt SAID anything and I donʼt think she will but Alice really wants to do something to help and I keep holding her back…

”Because I just donʼt know what to do! I mean… sheʼs with family. Technically. They arenʼt good for her but they… I donʼt think theyʼre abusive? Maybe? Itʼs one of the reasons Iʼve been looking into those therapy books. Iʼm not sure if itʼs emotional abuse and I just donʼt… I donʼt know what to do about it.

”The thing is… I forget about a lot of that when Iʼm having fun with them. Itʼs only occasionally I even think of the issues but… well if I want to be a good friend I feel like I need to help right?”

”Iʼd say yes… and that you should probably bring this up with Callisto and Vivian. They likely have a better idea about how to help…” offered Kat.

”I already did, and they said theyʼd get back to me about it,” explained Sylvie. *Hmm… well thatʼs something. Might need to get Lily to look into things as well…*