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

--- Kat ---

After a round of nods Tia smiled. "Good, we approximate that you will have an hour until you are called to action. Please be ready for it, if you have any further questions feel free to reach out to me. I'll be in my office on the other side of this door if you need me,"

Tia then proceeded to exit through a second door that seemed to appear on the wall when she got close to it. I wonder how that works. Obviously it wasn't hidden under an illusion… so why is it there now? Does Tia carry around an 'office' with her that she summoned up? Or is it part of the building and she was able to call her office here now that she's done talking to us?

[That's a good point. I'd just assumed it was behind an illusion but that's just because I forgot about your true sight. Hmm… I'm going to guess that it's something the building can do, because it seems like something everyone would want, but perhaps it's expensive? I almost want to go after her and ask.]

"Um… hello everyone my name is Kamiko," said Kamiko interrupting Lily's and Kat's mental conversation. Kamiko looked very nervous as she stepped away from Kat to give a shy wave. "Um… I already know Kat and Lily we're friends… um… and you're name is Hunter 23HX443 but that's a bit of a mouthful. Um… wait is that rude?"

*Where did her confidence go!*

Hunter 23HX443 simply looked at Kamiko as she slowly blinked. Her slitted pupils following Kamiko's movements for seconds as the silence extended. Kat was tempted to interrupt but for some reason she felt like that would be a mistake. Eventually, Kat's patience was rewarded.

"Do not worry. I am aware of the role we must play when first meeting with the summoners. You are also correct with my designation as Hunter 23HX443.

I am told it is tradition for teammates to refer to me as 'Hunter' as a compromise between my full designation and expediency, though I personally wonder why people are so reluctant to make use of the translation feature to fix that issue," stated Hunter 23HX443. Her voice was deadpan with a very slight hiss to it.

"Can you actually explain how that works?" asked Kat. "Oh, right. I'm Kat as you said as this is my girlfriend Lily," Kat held up Lily who gave a sharp-toothed smile. "I know you can mess around with the translation ability but nobody bothers to explain how it works. They just say it takes practice,"

Hunter 23HX443 watched Lily for a few seconds before turning her gaze up to Kat. "Hunter 23HX443, Hunter 23HX443, Hunter 23HX443," despite the words Kat could hear, it was very clear that wasn't what originally came from Hunter's mouth. Every 'word' was just a single syllable and mouth movement. It looked more like Hunter was going through her vowels yet somehow her entire name came out.

"I do not know why others believe it to be difficult. Perhaps there is a way to mess with the translation ability more accurately. All I do is lock the word I wish to say into my mind, surround it with a mental construct of demonic energy, and then speak the words, expending a slight touch of demonic energy as the word or sound I am using in place of the full thing.

"There are limits. Hunter 23HX443 works because it is my designation. If I knew your full names I could pull the same trick but it cannot be used to say complete sentences in an instant. With practice you can manage more, but I did not heavily invest in the skill. Just enough to differentiate myself and my sisters,"

"Oh… um… ok that makes sense," mumbled Kamiko.

Kat looked at Lily and decided to take the chance. "Since you mentioned your sisters… I have to ask, or rather, I feel like it is better to ask now instead of later. Why do you refer to Hunter 23HX443 as your designation instead of name? And do you have anything you'd prefer us to call you? Oh, and I guess I'll add on something that came up earlier. Have you not worked in teams before?"

"You ask many questions and potentially overstep yourself," stated Hunter 23HX443 with no emotion in her voice. Kat wasn't sure how to take it. The way Hunter 23HX443 was saying it made the sentence sound more like a statement. 'The grass is green' 'The sky is blue' and Kat 'asks a lot of questions'.

I wonder if this is normal… or if Hunter 23HX443 is just like this. Kat didn't have long to muse about it because Hunter continued to speak. "I personally do not believe this to be an overstep. If we were to punish those who ask questions we would end up with terrible. To question is to hunt for answers, and hunting has always been in our blood.

"The easiest question. Team members. I am usually assigned to solo hunts. In my decades of active service, I can count on two hand the number of times I have been assigned a team. Further, I can count on just one hand the number of times I was assigned team members who do not belong to the clan.

Thus, I cannot say what is considered 'normal' for situations such as this, only relay what I have heard from others.

"The next easiest answer. Why is Hunter 23HX443 a designation and not a name? My clan has made it clear that a name is a thing to be earned. It is precious, and it shows competency. To claim Hunter 23HX443 as my name would be unconscionable arrogance on my part, and an insult to my parents, teachers, and clan.

"Yet I admit, to say it is just a designation is also somewhat of a lie. Hunter 23HX443. It is emblazoned upon my mind. Even should I earn my true name Hunter 23HX443 will never leave me. There likely will not be another Hunter 23HX443 within my lifetime, or if there is, it will be ensured I do not learn of them.

"The only exception to such a rule would be if I took them on as an apprentice and I have no plans for apprenticeships at this time. Designation is simply the word you hear when I speak for even I do not know a better description for Hunter 23HX443. Many in the clan resent not having names. They thrash upon the chains the clans use to bind them…

"But I do not mind. I find strength and purpose in the traditions of my clan. I know they are not perfect but they are mine and I embrace them. Others I know of have their nicknames. They have monickers they request to be called by. Many believe the elders do not know, many more believe that I have not heard them speak of their indiscretions.

"They are wrong. Yet I do not correct them. They have not earnt their name, and have not brought honour to their designation. They know not the shame they bring to themselves but that is ok. They may be part of the clan, but they do not believe in it as I do. A shame, but not one I care to correct.

I am a hunter, my job is to hunt. I am not a priest, they do not need to be converted,"

Hunter 23HX443's tongue snaked out of her mouth and was two pronged as expected. Hunter used it to moisten her lips before retracting it back inside her mouth. "My true with is that you learn the trick required to say Hunter 23HX443 in just one breath, but I accept that this is a skill not many have event attempted to learn must yet have mastered.

So I shall accept 'Hunter' as my temporary designation. Thus, I have answered both your first and second question with one long winded answer.

"I know many would flinch at such a thing, yet your eyes have remained engaged as I continued to speak my thoughts. You asked for a question, I gave an answer, and I can see that you have accepted it. I know many who would tune out such a long answer, and yet you have not. So now I ask of you two questions. What keeps you interested in me?

What fascinates you enough to not dismiss my thoughts as crazed ramblings… and why is your girlfriend a Memphis?"

Kat snorted at the second question as Lily wiggled from her arms. Lily transformed in midair and bowed. "Because I am in fact a Memphis beastkin. My current state is something Kat generously allowed me to use a favour token for. I am bound to her eternally and I consider that to be a great thing. As for why we are interested?

Kat's just polite and I always crave more knowledge,"

Hunter 23HX443 considered this answer before nodding in acceptance. "I understand. You must be quite precious to each other to enact such a thing. I apologise if it seems that I took your bond lightly with my questions. I have considered searching for a familiar to help me in my efforts but I had never once believed dating one was acceptable. I see you have something unique here, something different.

I am intrigued,"