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

--- Kat --- (Asteodia and Burnice are sad girls for different reasons)

Kat and Lily took some time to themselves after talking to Asteodia. As hopeful as they were for her future… it was a very complicated issue and going over it was draining. Rewarding but draining. Even if they wanted to make sure they visited everyone before it was time to leave… that didn't mean they couldn't relax together.

Now that they knew there was a pool, the pair decided to take a chance to swim without being interrupted. They could spend time with more people after a nice soak.

--- March --- (Kat, Lily and March. Surrounded by large boulders on the beach)

"I heard you're leaving," said March as she saw the two approach.

"Yup. As much as we want to say… I've got a younger sister to spend time with and my demonic overlord is pushing me to either pay up, or go home. Sure I have the money… but it's a good excuse to leave even if I don't really want to… and I already don't spend enough time with my sister as it is.

True I'm growing up, and part of my knows she's in a better place after we got adopted… but I still feel bad that it's around the same time I started going on contracts," said Kat.

"Want to talk about it?" asked March.

"I shouldn't bother you with it. It's nothing I haven't gone over in my own head plenty of times," responded Kat.

"Ah I don't know about that. I might not know too much about siblings but I do know a good deal about responsibility. So go on. Tell me a bit more about it," said March, setting the boulder she had on her back down onto the sand.

"Right well… I guess it goes like this…" Kat started to summarise her old roll at the orphanage, how it lined up with the time she started taking missions, how a visit to Lily's allowed her to meet Vivian, and how things ended up going. Leaving out the fact that her world had no magic on it and that she wasn't always a demon of course.

"I see…" said March slowly once the story was over. "So what exactly is the issue?"

"I guess it's a combination of things," admitted Kat. "I was always going to have to leave, and I've been taking care of a lot of kids for a LONG time. I'm really not any older then I look and I had that role thrust upon me when I was a kid myself. I don't blame Gramps for that, but it's what happened.

"Sylvie was one of the kids that got the closest to me and I'm just… not sure how to take how things shook out in the end. I had friends before Sylvie… but I can't necessarily say I had a sibling before Sylvie. If that makes sense. The environment just wasn't right for it.

When I was younger I didn't understand, then I was in charge and… there was a sort of distance between myself and everyone because I was either too young, or weird because I was in charge.

"It was only when Sylvie came around that things developed differently. Then we found a place for Sylvie to be happy… but she wouldn't go without me. Now don't get me wrong, I love that. Vivian and Callisto have been great to me, and having a home with them is something special… but it puts me in an awkward position,"

"I don't see how," said March with a casual shrug. "It seems to me like you took care of Sylvie when she needed it. Stood by her when you could, and allowed her to drag you into a new family without resistance… and then you've continued to try your best to make sure she knows you still care, while also making sure she's attached to her new parents. I really don't see what you could do better.

The distance is probably good for both of you,"

"Yeah… maybe it is…" mumbled Kat.

"I DO say it is. Kat. As sad as any orphan's story is. You are not Sylvie's mother, and it was a massive burden to put that on you. I've seen what that sort of thing can do to older siblings. You've got a chance to live your life, spread you wings all while knowing that your sister is safe at home.

I don't think it gets better then that. Everyone has to grow up some day… and it seems like Sylvie is already quite mature. She doesn't need you hovering anymore,"

Kat let out a long sigh. "That's part of the issue I'm dancing around. I… I know I didn't want to admit it to myself… but knowing that she no longer needs me like that? It kinda hurts. Oh sure she hasn't really NEEDED me for a while before this all happened but now it's more pronounce and I don't know how to feel about it.

"She's mature as you said, and she'd say something like 'I understand, I'll be fine' and the worst part? The worst part is that unlike a lot of kids she does understand. And god that guts me in some ways. Now, I don't for a second want to pretend that I'd rather her be crying and screaming, or be overly dependant on her…

"But maybe I'm a touch overly dependant on her. Instead of the other way around," mumbled Kat as she let herself fall back into the sand. March and her had sat down at some point during the story and Lily was pretending not to be listening in from Kat's lap. "It's not something that's come up in such a serious way before. Oh sure, I worried about leaving her alone…

"But I think? I think it's finally settled into my mind that she doesn't need me anymore. Despite using getting back to her as an excuse… it's kind of a shit one. Oh sure I send her messages every night before bed and I get responses back all the time. We're not as disconnected as I make it seem despite being in different worlds… but she's growing up you know?

And I'm missing that… and I guess I'm just not sure what I want to do,"

March sighed and tapped the ring on her finger bringing out a big jug of water. March took a long sip from the glass before asking, "You want some?" Kat shook her head. "Right. I can see the issue now… but I have no experience. At all. I suppose I could ask if you'd want to stop your Contracts for a bit.

Experience more of her childhood… but I can't see you doing that.

"Sure it's nice to go back. Nice to have a family. But you feel that call to adventure. You go off, take missions, and you come home. A lot of adventurers don't get that last part… and I think you're lucky. It's something a lot of people envy.

Heck I'm lucky too. My parents love me and I go back to visit…"

March paused to take another drink draining the rest of the jug before returning it to her ring. "The truth of the matter? I've grown up. They'll always be my family. I'll love always love them. But my place isn't back at home anymore.

It's out in the world. I think you've got it harder in some ways. Enough time back home, and an easy way to get there. Which is lovely in some ways… and chaining in others.

"Now I'm not saying you need to cut them out of your life, but I am saying that maybe… maybe you've both grown up and it's time for things to change. Of course, it's also clear that you like to feel needed. That your childhood has cemented into you that you need to be useful. That you need to be loved. That you need people to care for. Perhaps, right now?

It's time to focus on taking more care of yourself… and if that's too hard? Perhaps taking care of your girlfriend instead,"

"Damn… I was not ready for sage advice from you March," grumbled Kat. Understanding the wisdom but not truly wanting to accept it.

March laughed. "Well I'm not the brightest person, but I am bright enough. I'm fully dedicating into getting stronger… but getting stronger? Even in a purely physical sense? That takes at least some planning. Some thought… and damn does it give you a lot of time to think about things.

Sure some people have distractions but for me?

"My thoughts are enough. Which leads me into a nice segway. It's been great talking to you Kat, but I've gone more working out to do. Feel free to reach out to me either before you leave, or somehow in the future, but right now? Right now I've got boulders to lift,"

Kat licked her lips. Throat feeling dry. It was a hard thing to swallow, as she watched March pick up that boulder and March away. It seemed that the mistress of strength carried more than just physical weight on her shoulders. There was the burden of knowledge as well.

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