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

Chapter 2232 Come With Me

--- Kat ---

Kat was valiantly recreating the thinker pose. Projecting as much (metaphorical) aura as she possible could.

”Alright you’ve made your point, what are you thinking about?” asked Lily.

”Well, I’m just thinking... why am I so light?” squeaked Kat.

”I... don’t follow. You’re tiny right now...” Lily said slowly.

”Yeah but why would that effect my weight. Sure I don’t doubt that you could lift me with one hand if I were at full size... but I think I’m lighter than normal for some reason. You’d think I’d be even denser right? I’m basically as strong, and my speed only dropped because my legs are a lot smaller. My flames are the same... but despite all of that I weigh less. How?” Kat asked.

Lily frowned down at Kat and gently picked her up. Careful to not disrupt Kat’s majestic posing. This caused them both to laugh, but they tried to remain focused. Lily pulled a rock form nearby over with a shadow and started to compare the two... and Kat was right. The rock was heavier then her. Which sure, made sense in theory, Kat wasn’t even a tenth the size of the rock at the moment... but Kat was normally much larger then the rock and came with the extra density of being a demon.

Lily looked over at Appoline who was checking on the still unconscious people while Vanilla returned to fussing over Maryland. ”Hey Appoline, why is Kat lighter?”

”Because she’s smaller,” answered Appoline.

”But why? She shouldn’t have any less mass,” Lily commented.

”I don’t understand. She’s smaller, thus she has less mass...” Appoline began.

”Isn’t she just denser?” asked Lily. ”The same amount of weight, just in a smaller area?”

”Why would that be the case? I can see that causing all sorts of issues,” Appoline countered. ”She’s the same relative weight, so somewhere between a tenth and a fifteenth of what she was before, same as her size.”

Lily opened her mouth and then closed it again. [Alright so on the one hand, that does sort of make sense. On the other, what the fuck how does that make sense?]

*Magic, I guess? I’m following the logic. I didn’t get crunched down. I’m not some block of metal that got thrown into a black hole and reduced to a pinpoint. I’m a person who is now, proportionally, a lot smaller and thus my weight followed as well.*

[But where is- no wait, I should ask everyone.] ”Then where is all the mass going?” asked Lily.

Appoline shrugged, ”Somewhere clearly.”

”But... but I mean...” Lily tried to work out how that went against one of the core principles of science that energy couldn’t be destroyed nor created and that energy and mass were essentially the same thing... except magic existed. Very clearly. She created paper from nothing all the time so was this really any different? It... FELT different for some reason. So instead, Lily asked. ”Alright then why is she about as strong?”

Appoline shrugged, ”Probably because her strength is mostly dependant on her magical abilities and thus is likely supported by her soul or something like that?”

”Haven’t you ever wondered?” asked Lily.

Appoline shrugged. ”Do remember, for all that I’m a potions genius I specialise in poisons. I could likely make a potion that does this, in fact, I’m certain I could because I saw the recipe for one a while ago. Perhaps not as long, or have one that works on a demon but I could make it.” Appoline paused. ”That does not however, mean that I have any understanding of how it works.

”I know plenty about medical potions because if I want my poisons to eat through them I need to know about them. I know a lot about some crazy potions because it’s what a... friend of mine is interested in. Shrinking potions? They are really hard to brew, require expensive ingredients and just... aren’t that useful. I’ve never needed to look into them, and even if I did, I have no idea how I’d test such a thing Lily.”

Lily sighed. ”Sorry, this is just really bothering me for some reason. Though surely they’d be useful for like... sneaking around or something?”

”It’s literally easier to brew invisibility potions,” Appoline stated.

”That... I want to say that sounds wrong... but actually no I suppose that does make sense. I imagine they’re not the best?” asked Lily.

Appoline nodded, ”The cheaper ones are more of a dome really and they don’t block sound or smells at all so they’re not that useful for sneaking into properly prepared places.”

Lily nodded quietly, allowing the silence to just sort of exist for a while. Which was apparently enough of a reason for Appoline to ask her own question. ”So, now that you’re done with the testing, can one of you come with me to get more ingredients? My potion stores haven’t magically grown over the last hour, and I’d rather start collecting sooner rather than later. For now they might still think Brook’s plan is in the works but I have no idea how much leeway she would have gotten.”

”Are we still calling her Brook?” asked Lily.

”Well what else are we meant to call her? It’s not like we know her real name,” Vanilla offered. ”We don’t even know what she looks like, or if she is actually a she in reality.”

”She probably is,” Appoline added in. ”The potion has some potential side effects if used by people of opposing genders and if this isn’t the proper version those could be even worse.”

”Do they care enough about their workers though?” asked Lily.

”They should when crippling pain is one of the potential side effects. Even if they don’t care about inflicting it, the fact it exists should limit whoever’s effectiveness.”

”That’s a minor side effect?” hissed Lily.

”Well it’s not permanent so... yes,” Appoline said with a nod. ”It’s also not certain to happen, the chance seems to be about twenty-five percent or so from what I remember.”

”I feel like I just have more questions...” mumbled Lily.

”Well, I’m currently not that interested in answer them. Now, can we leave, and who is going with me?” insisted Appoline.

Kat looked up at Lily, Lily looked down at Kat. *Do we want to have that discussion out in the open.*

[This is not how I thought you were going to start the conversation.]

*I don’t really care either way, so... are we talking about this where everyone can hear?*

[I guess so? I don’t feel strongly about it either.]

”So... neither of us really care?” Kat said as she turned away from Lily to look at Appoline. ”Lily is happy to stay or go, and I’m the same. We also don’t really know which would be better for either of us. In some ways, Lily can defend better than me, but if I just decide to go all out with my demonic fire I can still match up despite my height so... yeah what would you prefer?”

Appoline shrugged, ”I trust both of you. If Lily came with me I could show her more about ingredient gathering but if you went along I think we could find some more valuable plants hidden inside small crevices. The Trapdoor Blossom will also be more likely to recognise as both as a pair... but I don’t know that I NEED anything from inside there either. Messing with it too much seems like a poor idea and can be left for later.”

Lily was about to comment, but instead of words a big yawn came out of her mouth. Lily tried to hide it, but her jaw was in rebellion and it took a full five seconds for it to end. ”I see, I guess I’m taking Kat with me then.”

Lily frowned, ”I kinda wanted to go after you mentioned you’d teach me more... but I guess you’re right. I didn’t realise it but I really should rest. I’ve been up for quite a while, healed a bunch, used up all of my mana. I’m surprised I haven’t crashed earlier actually.”

Kat shrugged and flew over to Appoline. Kat hovered around for a few moments until Appoline gestured to her shoulder and Kat took that as an invitation to sit down... and it was sit. Appoline’s ears were in the way if she wanted to stand up, and even sitting down there was a chance for her horns to scrape against Appoline’s ears. It was the main reason she’d hesitated to sit there originally.

Lily yawned again before saying ”Alright... though where is Scar? Is she still checking stuff over?”

”I can hear her in my old room. Not sure what’s so interesting in there, it’s not like I left my setup available. Then again, she might already be working again because I don’t think that room was enchanted properly before...” explained Appoline.

Lily nodded and hopped over to the bench, transforming and starting to curl up... only for Vanilla to move over towards her, hands hovering at Lily’s side. Lily opened an eye to glare at her for a second... before closing it. Vanilla took this as acceptance and picked Lily up, moving her onto Maryland’s stomach with a smile.