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

"Well, that all makes a lot of sense really" said Kat. "I think I'll be spared most of those problems because I don't want mind control of any kind. Seems kind of… not sure what I'd call it, but unpleasant is at least one description"

Nira shrugged and said. "Well, I can't be certain you'll always feel like that, but it is a common attitude. Mostly from Succubi with parents that have those abilities and they wonder if their parents only got together because of it. Gives them all sorts of insecurities. Honestly, I don't really have a lot of answers for those. Demons are more resistant to those kinds of things a lot of the time, but not always.

"And it's not like I can just ask the parents that sort of thing. Terribly unprofessional to even suggest that I know about it at all." *Huh. That means they DO have psychologists and that Nira is one. Why does it matter if she has healing then? Kamiko said she was a healer after all… unless healing the mind counts as well? Maybe?*

"I still don't think I'll have to worry about it. I just don't really want that sort of power over people. It seems like a lot of effort really. I mean, having absolute control over them basically means they are entirely your responsibility. I don't mind responsibility, and I do like helping people but that's just a step too far." Said Kat

Nira's eyes widened and she replied with. "I've not really heard that idea bandied around. It makes a surprising amount of sense. Do you mind if I share that with my patients some time? Being able to tell them that one of their parents clearly had to really want them to make the choice twice could go a long way to settling them down."

"Sure I guess" said Kat. "Though what is it you do? Kamiko said you were a healer but you seem to be implying you're a psychologist"

Nira gave a 'somewhat like that' gesture with her hand. "Depends how you look at it. I've worn a number of hats over my time in the hospitals. You have to understand that when you start out, you basically just heal a person or two when they come in and then you have no energy for anything else.

"And you can't just sit around doing nothing, so when you are younger and in the lower Ranks they test you on a bunch of things and see what you're good at. Maybe that's patient care, keeping people calm while they are recovering and can't be healed any more, or helping them while they wait for their healing without injuring themselves further.

"Alternatively, they could get people to study the mind, like myself. We help with more deep-seated issues. I got into it to find out why I hate eating and still never got an answer. Anyway, now that I'm higher up in the pecking order, I do a lot of medical research on fringe cases, heal the occasional high Rank person and just do work that interests me.

"I'm not sure if Kamiko has made it clear just how rare healing is, or a Rank 5 healer. I'm one of only five in this Hub, and the most senior of those. There is only one Rank 6 healer above me that runs the department on paper, but is rarely ever seen.

"I actually work across the hubs semi-regularly. There just isn't that many people at my level. Well, in the more local multiverse anyway. It's a bit hard to go too far afield and my family is here so I research with the people I can contact.

"Anyway, because of that I can mostly just do whatever I want. I do enjoy helping people, so I just find where I'm most needed and work there. I could show up to work and sleep all day and nobody really has the authority to stop me."

Kat bit her lip as she waited for that knowledge to sink it, but it just wasn't hitting her.  *I guess I just don't know how big the hub is. The way she's saying it, certainly sounds very impressive. Like… like saying that you are the best scientist in the world almost. Something like saying 'I'm the next Steven Hawking' and it being true. I just can't picture it though. My brain must still be a bit human, because she just looks so young, and doesn't feel very powerful.*

"Wait I don't think you've ever told me that Mum" said Kamiko, now mostly recovered from her mother's antics.

Reminding Nira of her presence though, may have been a mistake as she turned to Kamiko with a big grin. "Finally showing an interest in your dear old mother? Sometimes I feel like you kids hardly care about me. Never spending time at home, always running off and having adventures…"

Kamiko was ready for the teasing this time and gave Nira a flat look in return as she said. "Mum, I have to fulfill contracts. We all do, even Aslena who can get out of a lot of them has to. You can't blame us for that one, and you know we love you."

Nira still smiled though, before disappearing from Kat's vision and reappearing with Kamiko now on her lap. "Naw, my daughter does care."

Kamiko rolled her eyes and snuggled into the embrace. "I'm not my sisters Mum. That line of embarrassment never works against me."

Nira gave Kat a look over Kamiko's shoulder saying 'she may not be embarrassed but I get hugs out of it so it's fine' and Kat was left thinking. *Do you even need mind reading when you can say so much with just a look? Unless… it's probably a Rank 5 thing now that I think about it. Kara did say that you can get better at it.*

"Speaking of Contracts" asked Kat, now wondering if she'd missed anything considered 'common knowledge' about them as well. "Is there anything I should know? Or just would be good to know?"

"Well…" said Nira with an overly thoughtful look Kat could tell was faked. "The biggest one is that while yes, you can complete any Contract by killing the person who offered you the Contract, we don't really do that in this Hub."

Kat raised a questioning eyebrow and Nira continued. "Right, I suppose I should explain. That was the favoured method by quite a lot of demons a LONG time ago. This is the sort of thing that makes it into OUR history books, and I'm sure you know how long we live. This is truly ancient history.

"It was basically the first loophole we found in this particular life we've had to live. Back then, demons were still trying to figure out what they were doing in the world, and we were more than a little bitter about the whole thing at the time.

"So finding out that we could just kill the guy who summoned us and then be done with it was a big plus. The way it works, basically, is that a Contract is based on the approval of both souls. If you kill the second soul needed for the approval process you can force a 'Contract Complete' state.

"Now, the reason we don't do that anymore is because we get much better jobs and terms if people know we can work with them. When you go around killing anyone, you only get Contracts to kill people, or do the work of insane cults or something. Generally just nasty business.

"So, as a Hub, we have agreed to not do that for the most part. If you do start killing people for Contract completions, and by people I mean Summoners, then you go on a list, and you eventually get stuck with a few worlds where the Summoners are extra cautious and bind you in more complete chains that prevent you from attacking them, or at least make it very hard.

"Now, that isn't to say you can't kill ANY of your Summoners. Sometimes, you just get summoned by a horrible person you can't agree with in any way and think the world would be better off without them. Personally, I've never been in that position, but my husband has. He thinks that he was sent specifically to kill the Summoner in question instead of completing the job but I'm not sure why he thinks that."

*Well, considering I once got a Contract basically from D.E.M.O.N.S itself to lie to a Summoner and threaten him instead of doing what I was asked and answering his proper questions, I think we can be reasonably sure that your husband was right in his guesses. I probably shouldn't confirm it though.*

Kat nodded though, trying to keep the understanding and surprise out of her eyes. "Yes I can see how that could happen. In a recent Summoning I was tasked with destroying this Sect with a guy I did NOT like. Not sure he was evil enough to kill instead, but it would have been nice to know it was an option."