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

Meng

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Kat dropped down from the sky like a vengeful angel… and then proceeded to say hello like nothing was wrong. "Um… hello guys? Meng what's going on here?" asked Kat, sounding a little confused.

*Urgh… Kat you were so close to greatness there. You just needed to drop down on one of the two idiots, preferably Jian, and then we could've been done here! They didn't hear you, didn't look up. They were completely unprepared.*

Meng then took in Kat's form, and tried to keep the frown off her face. Too Meng's trained eye, she could see that Kat was not looking well at the moment. Her skin, normally a pale ivory was now edging towards grey. Meng could see bags under Kat's eyes, something she hadn't even know it was possible for a demon to acquire, and Kat's stance was loose and closed off. With her shoulders slightly hunched over and Kat's tail had wrapped itself around the tree Kat had landed next to, perhaps helping her stay upright.

*It seems the fight with Bang was harder on her then I thought. Perhaps the explosion was a bit much for her regeneration and this is the aftereffects? Shit. Do I need to buy more time? Can we attack now? Should I send her looking for Bing and Feng? I'm not sure how she'd find them… but I could use it as an excuse to let her get away if she needs time to recover. I'm confident I can take both of these guys now that my kids aren't at risk. The help would be nice but… Bing would be very sad if I got Kat killed. Sue might retaliate… and Lily… hmm… depending on how things work I might not have to worry about Lily.*

Meng wanted to slap herself. *No. Stop planning for the deaths of your allies. You know the step after that is planning how to get away with killing them. Bing and Feng's safety come first, and their happiness second. Killing is not the only answer. Now. Can I risk keeping Kat here? It's not so danger I need her help… I just don't have any way to measure her health. Dammit. I'll trust Kat not to be stupid. Perhaps a vain hope considering she just dropped down here, but I'll do what I can.*

"Well Kat, these guys are attempting to kill me, sort of. One more so then the other, and we came to a bit of an agreement earlier. I made an oath not to attack first, and they have stuck around hoping that the poison will kill me. Sadly for Jian, it won't, so now we're just killing time. There was some more reinforcements, but if they wake up before a century is passed I'll be impressed," explained Meng.

"I'd like to make it known that I'm the one with the least interest in any killing happening right now," said Shun, lying of course because Kat had even less interest but he was making the argument in good faith at least, "I'm here mostly for business reasons. If you disable me, I'll just let you go,"

"Yeah because you're a fucking traitor!" hissed Jian, "If it wasn't for the fact that you do good work, and that I'm standing across from TWO enemies now, I'd take you out myself for such blatant disrespect,"

Shun just shrugged, "Eh, you can try. I've got plenty of tricks stored up in my old age. Just because I don't think we can win against Meng doesn't mean I can't ensure that I won't lose,"

"Um… if you're not interested in killing Meng… can't you just… not?" offered Kat with a confused smile.

Shun shook his head, "No demon, I'm afraid not. Oh, I mean no offence," Shun continued when he noticed Kat's glare, "I was not informed of your name, so I cannot be any more accurate then 'demon'. As for why I can't? Politics mostly. I have made my vow, and I will follow up on it. If I can't keep my word for petty reasons, or try to run from a fight completely it will be very bad for me in the future,"

"Kat is my name," said Kat in leu of a more elaborate answer.

Shun just nodded, but Jian seemed to take offence at the answer, though it seemed he was actually angrier with Shun. "Why do you need the names of your target? And why did you answer him demon? Urgh… I don't suppose I can convince you to just let us fight Meng by herself? From what I know you are only charged with keeping Bodeir safe,"

"True… but well, I don't mind going out of my way a bit. Though, where is Bodeir?" asked Kat with a raised eyebrow.

"Wherever Bing is," answered Meng easily. She'd simply tied the 'balloons' she was keeping those two trapped inside to Bing. They were a bit fragile though, so she could only hope that her daughter was keeping a proper watch on them. It would not be good for Kat to find out Bing had lost the Mountain Shaker heir.

Kat nodded as if she'd expected the answer, and she probably had. Keeping Bodeir with Bing would make them both safer in Meng's mind. It meant that even if Kat's goodwill faltered, they would be bound together and allow for the demon to keep them both safe even as the pragmatic option.

"Is she lost?" asked Kat suspicious of the answer.

"Probably," admitted Meng with a sigh.

"Shun… why don't you go kill the brats?" offered Jian. "I can stay here keep these two busy, you can handle a few Rank 2's right?"

"Ok firstly, no. Secondly, there are things worse than death and I have no desire to experience them. Finally… you do know that while Meng promised not to attack you… nothing is keeping her in this area. If I leave, she can just chase after me," Shun pointed out to his 'friend'.

"I see that you at least can be trained," said Meng with a nasty grin. Shun just rolled his eyes at the response.

"Do I have to do everything myself?" asked Jian with a growl.

"Perhaps, honestly, we could just call this whole thing off and pretend to be injured for a while. It's not like they're going to ease up much on the punishment if we're actually injured in the attempt. Plus, you ARE the watcher for Meng. I doubt they think we're in need of such close watching, and if they do? Well they should FUCKING HELP," said Shun.

Everyone waited a moment to see if Shun would magically conjure more reinforcements with his words… but nobody appeared. "Hmm… you have a point," admitted Jian.

"Wait? You're seriously just going to let me go? Where was all that fire about proving yourself?" baited Meng.

"Meng don't rile them up. Isn't it best we don't fight anyone here?" asked Kat.

"No, of course not Kat. I want assurances they won't quickly follow us and forcing them into a coma is by far the best way to do that if you're not going to let me kill them," answered Meng.

Kat glared, and Meng just glared back, unrepentant. Sure she was trying not to plan the deaths of her allies, but enemies were more than fair game. She wasn't going to just smile and let bygones be bygones. *This fucker tried to shoot Feng, through the heart! I'm not going to let him off without a beating. And if he dies from it? Well that's just a tragic accident.*

"I'll admit, I do desire to bring you down Meng… but I've calmed down since this conversation started… and Shun is right. I don't like our chances, especially now I know your attainment in poisons is drastically higher then my own. Hmmm… I can't believe I'm thinking such treasonous thoughts… but we were taught to retreat from impossible missions… what sort of illusion would you need to cast on us to leave us alive?" grumbled Jian.

"I'd want nothing less then an illusion that is impossible for you to break by yourself," answered Meng easily.

"Fuck off," said Jian with no hesitation. "You'd just leave us here on this god forsaken mountain, and while the beasts aren't around at the moment, unconscious an unable to fight back we'd be devoured! And I doubt you'd be so kind to drop us off somewhere safe, heck even if you did they might make moves on us anyway,"

*I really don't see a problem with that outcome.* Meng shrugged externally as if to say 'not my problem'. "Come on Meng," said Kat. "Isn't there a way you can agree to some form of compromise here?"

Meng thought for a few seconds. *Is this Kat's way to saying that she isn't strong enough to fight them? Or is she just trying to avoid bloodshed.* "I am afraid Kat, that I am very good at killing people. Jian here tried to kill my son, and despite being angry at him during the incident, I'm rather angry about the whole thing. Agreeing to leave them to the elements is perhaps the kindest I'm willing to by towards these fools,"