Kat bit her lip "That is a good question I suppose. I know that demons seem to have been around a while, but perhaps they get to cheat a little with longer lifespans. I'm not sure how old I can get exactly, but I know I'll outlive any normal human"
Callisto nodded but it was Lily who spoke up "It is worth considering depending on how the whole multiple universes thing actually works the answer might be both. If the multiverse is infinite everything can happen"
Callisto frowned "We have not yet learned anything to suggest the multiverse in infinite and I cannot truly believe that to be the case. You do make an interesting argument for the sake of things Lily but I think it far more likely that it is inconceivably vast but not infinite"
Lily shrugged "True, it was just an errant thought. Though it does bring me to the question of if humans in other universes have a similar lifespan to demons"
Callisto nodded "Yes, that is a much more intriguing question. It brings into question if the extended lives of demons might instead be a by-product for human ancestry with greatly expanded lifetimes and it is later humans that have degraded instead.
"Of course it is just as likely it goes the other way…" Callisto continued to debate with Lily over which was more likely, if either, that humans were descendants of demons or vice versa. Kat was going to take Sylvie and have a chat with her but seeing her bright eyes and rapt attention on the two arguing figures decided to simply pick up a chair and relax.
Kat set her chair against the car and leaned backward so that her head could rest against the cool steel, but her wings were still mostly free of obstructions. She then wrapped her tail over her eyes and prepared to take a short nap.
Of course, this didn't actually give Kat any additional sleep. As a demon she found herself sleeping less and less, and she wasn't even tired but it did give a great chance for her to recover some demonic energy and allow the other two to get the arguing out of their systems
Eventually Sylvie joined Kat. She was still very interested in the argument but that didn't mean snuggling with Kat was suddenly off the table. Kat of course simply wrapped the girl in a light hug and kept relaxing.
Finally, after half an hour of debate wherein Callisto and Lily managed to come to the conclusion that there was no conclusion they finally brought Kat back into the conversation. "Sorry about that. I may have let myself get a little out of hand" said Lily
Kat shook her head. "Nah, it's been to long since I've seen the truly overexcited Lily. You've been a little reserved since school ended and I think this is good for you"
Lily sighed "I suppose you are right. Perhaps I did need that. Thank you Callisto for enabling the conversation"
Callisto shrugged "I had just as much to do with it as you did. Having a conversation with an intellectual equal is a rather scarce commodity even when I try to keep in mind those that I am aware of"
Lily blushed at this. *Hmm, I wonder how true that is. Lily is really quite smart but Callisto seems to be on a slightly different level. I mean, I'm sure that's rude of me to say, but Callisto just has a sort of PRESENCE that Lily lacks, almost like my calming aura when I bring it to bear in full*
*Lily just… lacks that extra step. Though perhaps it isn't her knowledge that is lacking but her confidence.* Kat considered it further. *There is also the point that Callisto is older than us by a few years…*
*Oh god is this Lily in a few years? Sylvie is already looking up to Callisto and Vivian and I'm worried what sort of monster that could create. If you add Lily into the mix I'm scared for the future of the planet… Vivian's quick switch to seriousness, Callisto's seemingly endless knowledge, and Lily's penchant for over researching.*
Kat shivered slightly, for the world was not ready. *Maybe it is a better idea to teach them magic. Let them destroy some other universe testing a crazy idea.*
"Anyway" said Callisto "Back to the reason we have gathered in this clearing. I was going to request Kat try to see how good her stamina was, but it sounds like you already have an idea because of your energy metre?"
"Well, I wouldn't say energy metre, more like a vague sense, but anyway, I know for a fact I can run pretty much forever. I lose a little bit of energy when I fly… well normally anyway, and pretty much none running but I can fly faster" said Kat
"How is it that you can run forever Kat? Surely you need to stop for at least something" said Callisto
Kat shook her head "Not really? I mean, perhaps for food or water eventually, but I gain just slightly more energy than I use up when I run"
Callisto furrowed her brows "That doesn't really make much sense to me"
Kat shrugged "I never said it did. I seem to just gain a bunch more energy if I sit still, but using it is a bit weird. I can sort of like… feed it to my muscles, but it's more like um… hmmm give me a moment"
Callisto and Lily nodded
"Ok, so, when I create fire" said Kat trying and failing to create said fire. "Ok, when I'm summoned and I create fire" Kat said with an emphasis on summoned "It is literally burning energy. A large chunk of it is just gone
"When I use that same energy on my muscles, it's more like it flows through? Like, say… um I use ten litres of demonic energy, I get back nine, but I still need the full ten for it to work at all?" said Kat
Callisto hmmed in response. "I see, so it can be used the same way one must assume food is. Consumed to produce energy. Or like water that we drink, which is absorbed slightly but mostly utilised for cleaning and then disposed of"
Kat and Lily cringed at the crass example, though Callisto and Sylvie seemed to find no issue with it. "Um… well, I mean." Kat wasn't exactly sure how to follow up such a statement.
Finally recovering "I'd say not quite. The demonic energy I get back after placing it in my eyes or legs is just as pure as fresh energy that springs forth somehow" said Kat
Callisto nodded "I see, so a slight variant on the system then. It is good to know, but for now I'm more interested in your seeming inability to generate fire"
Kat tried again. Forcing the fire to the edge of her palm where she found it easiest to start her fires but couldn't get even a sliver. It was like she was having the weight of the world pressed on her palm as she tried to force against it… which might have been right.
"I think it's something that was mentioned to us by the system. This universe supresses all kinds of higher energy including demonic. I guess I'm mostly fine? The stuff in my body has no issues because it's in my body. But now, trying to start a fire, seems impossible because the universe doesn't like it" said Kat
"Didn't you summon your fire when you ranked up before?" asked Lily
Kat shrugged "I think that was different. Maybe it's a rank up thing or maybe just because I kinda messed up mine the first time"
Callisto started writing further but still spoke "I see. Well I guess that means the few tests I had lined up involving your additional abilities will have to be discarded"
"Well, my aura still works I think?" said Kat
Callisto paused in her writing "I see. Yes, I do believe you mentioned that before. Might you refresh my memory a bit?"
Kat started to send her aura towards Callisto carefully trying to avoid Lily or Sylvie when the little girl on her lap spoke up "Do me as well. Send it towards me"
Kat looked towards Lily who shrugged and nodded. Kat let her aura flow more freely allowing it to affect everyone in the area. This turned out to be a little bit of a mistake because Sylvie instantly curled up asleep grabbing tightly onto the edge of Kat's kimono.
Lily did something similar, yawning and stumbling over to the chair before curling up slightly and closing her eyes. Callisto though got a sharp glint to her eyes and her renewed writing was twice the speed it had been before
"Yes, what a wonderous feeling. I can understand why the other two find this to be relaxing, and why they requested it be shared with them" said Callisto
