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

*Are you going to be alright Lily?*

[Yeah I’ve just closed the backpack and settled in. The dust isn’t really getting to me here but I don’t want to try my luck outside. Ugh, it’d get all in my fur and my ears. Oh my poor ears. I can just image how painful and annoying it’ll be. You’re so lucky dirt just slides off you. Though… does Sue have the same thing? I hope so.]

Kat looked over at Sue, the Rank 1 demon in question had grabbed not only a bandanna, but also a pair of goggles to keep the dust from her eyes. *Huh… my eyes seem fine. I wonder why? Rank 3 powers go?* “Do these goggles make my but look big?” asked Sue out of nowhere.

Kat looked at Sue, confusion written on her face. “What?”

“I asked if these goggles make my ass look fat?” repeated Sue.

“I have no idea how those two things are connected. The goggles don’t change the size of your ass, and unless I’m mistaken… the goggles are on your face right? How would it have any effect?” explained a still confused Kat.

“Hmm…” murmered Sue before bending her torso around to check out her own backside. “Must just naturally look that thick,”

Kat slammed a palm into her face. “Is now really the time for this Sue?”

.....

Sue just shrugged, “I don’t see why not. You walked into it… though I am a little sad your girlfriend wasn’t looking so I could tease her about it. She’d at least look at my ass and then get flustered about getting caught,”

“I feel like I shouldn’t agree with your point. Feels a bit too much like encouraging you…” said Kat slowly.

A moment after Kat said that, a man flew down to them on… a sword? Kat blinked a few times to confirm that, yes, the mountain elf was standing on a sword that could apparently fly for some reason. It didn’t look like it’d be much use as a weapon, being closer in size to a surfboard then a great sword. It was much too wide and Kat could tell with a glance that the blade was dull. Then again, if you were using it to fly, perhaps it was for the best.

As for the mountain elf… well… Kat wouldn’t admit it aloud but she really wasn’t a fan of his looks. His skin was the same brownish red colour that all the nearby rocks were, and Kat practically shivered looking at the elf’s bare chest. Instead of smooth, thin skin that most races Kat was familiar with had, mountain elves went in the opposite direction. Instead of hair that increasingly go finer as clothes were introduced mountains elves clearly went in the opposite direction.

Their skin was almost bark, or perhaps rock like in texture. It was rough and clearly built to withstand the damage the countless dust particles would do to anyone of fairer complexion. What caused her issues though was the fact the elf had their chest exposed… showing off the cracks in his skin. Kat felt a shiver race down her spine at the sight. Large chunks of his skin had deep cracks running through them, and one section was even curling up slightly, like dying bark.

Part of her wanted to rip it off, just so she didn’t have to look at a full 30cm worth of skin slowly peeling itself off the man’s body… but the rest of her wanted to stick it down and pretend that nothing was wrong. Their face wasn’t much better. Kat had expected with the name ‘mountain elf’ they’d be somewhat fair. Instead, their face was sunken, eyes deeply recessed to avoid the dust but with exceptionally bushy eyebrows. Their ears were completely flat against their head… but they were more like hollow tubes that wound around the skull.

Kat had never before seen a race with aesthetics she so thoroughly disliked. Beholders were completely alien. Fiends were big, and bulky but she could at least understand them. Shadows were just sort of there. Not good or bad. Kat even enjoyed the looks of quite a few races, Lamia, Medusa, Beastkin of course. But mountain elves? Nope. No way. Kat decided she was NOT a fan.

The problem was, at least Kat’s excuse was, they were just a little too humanoid for her to classify them as completely ‘other’ like the beholders where she could simply appreciate the weird eye guys for what they were. Yet they were far too alien for Kat to think of them as pleasing in any way. Sure she could see how such an appearance would be useful for terrain like this… but Kat wasn’t a fan. Not a fan at all.

That’s why, when she looked over at Sue and saw completely undisguised interest in the bare-chested elf’s direction. She wondered if her true sight had decided to leave her. *Sue finds him attractive?! What the fuck?*

[Huh… that’s the rudest thing I think I’ve ever heard you say or think about someone’s appearance. It’s… kinda weird actually.]

*I will not apologise for finding mountain elves exceptionally unappealing. I… I’m trying to think of a way to explain this but like… just look at this.* Kat pushed the image of the elf towards Lily as well as her feelings about many of his traits.

[Huh… yeah I’m not a big fan of this either… and I don’t like the fact that their skin seems to crack off in large sections whenever it gets too damage or maybe just old…? Still you’re reaction seems a little extreme. I don’t like them much either, certainly I’d call them ugly… but you’ve gone straight to outright disgust.]

*I’m not apologising.*

[I’m not trying to make you. I’m just saying you might be taking things a bit far.]

While Kat and Lily were having their conversation, Sue strutted up to the elf and said, “Hello their big boy. Going to offer me a ride on your massive sword? I really hope it’s accurate in scale…”

The elf just laughed, “Ah, perhaps I can. My name is Hughlfe and I’m your guide back to the city. It’s a little ways away. Originally, I was going to suggest we all fly there but I mean… if you’re saying you’d rather take a ride with me then who am I to refuse? I don’t really have it in my to go for both of you though… sadly as… large and potent… as my sword is, it still can’t fit three people,”

Kat was still mentally arguing with Lily and didn’t hear the comment at all, or perhaps chose to ignore it, consciously or unconsciously. Sue was of course, perfectly happy to answer for her friend, “Ah don’t mind my friend there. She’s more of a… well I suppose you could say she prefers a magic carpet ride to that of a wonderous sword. I’ve never seen the appeal myself. Choosing between something long, thick and hard, or some fluffy, floaty, nonsense? Yeah I know what I’d rather be doing,”

“Ah, no shade, no shade,” said Hughlfe as he nodded in understanding “My sisters the same way. I mean, I of course can appreciate the wonders of a magic carpet but I don’t own one myself,”

Sue nodded, “Of course not. I’d never even want to imply that anything could be potentially more potent then this weight sword of yours. Why, if I’m not busy I’d be very happy to take an… extended tour of the entire thing. I’ll make sure to scour every inch of it,”

Hughlfe’s eyebrows, or was it just the folds of his skin? Whatever it was, his eyes clearly widened at the implications. “Are you suggesting I let you… take in my whole sword? In just one meeting? I’m not saying I’m not down but that’s not the sort of thing I’d expect a girl to go for when we’re just meeting for the first time,”

“Oh but I LIVE for this sort of thing. I’m an expert at polishing swords,” Sue of course lifted her bandanna to show her tongue snake out and mime wrapping around something cylindrical. “I practically live for it. You might not be the person I’m here to impress… but you’ve already impressed me with something so special. It’d certainly keep my up. All. Night. If I didn’t at least try and make the offer,”

Hughlfe agreed, “Sounds spectacular”

Kat and Lily, ignorant of the flirting, were still trying to determine where Kat’s issues with the mountain elves came from.