Kat's mind started to come together some time later. Thinking was still hard, but it was possible once again. However, before Kat could get properly comfortable, a dull ache started to make itself known. Seemingly radiating out from the centre of her pond, and covering all parts of her mind, Kat forced herself to come together and open her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that her vision was back in its entirety.
Sadly, this didn't help much. The dull ache remained but it was slightly less concentrated, now mostly just a continual throbbing across her entire body, especially noticeable in her wings, and even her horns. Strangely, her tail was completely fine. This was when Kat noticed that she could in fact move said tail despite laying down and that her wings were the same, except moving them caused the pain to flare up so she left them to the side.
While Kat was trying to figure out how her demonic limbs were free to move, a knock sounded at the door. Kat let her eyes drift there, and a moment later, Kara opened it and peaked in. This time, her hair was flat against her head. The snakes seemed to all be looking out in different direction and her eyes no longer glowed.
"Good, you are awake. May I come in?" asked Kara
"Yes" said Kat, her voice sounding surprisingly normal though her throat felt raw when she spoke.
Kara nodded again, stepping inside and taking back her seat at the end of Kat's bed. "Well, I'm glad to sssee you awake, and with the worsst of the pain gone. I have quite a few thingsss that I need to go over now asss your attending nurssse, we can sstart with either sstuff for medical, or the information about your misssion and your debt"
*Ugh, my debt. Hearing that I actually have to hear about it doesn't sound good… let's hear about my medical stuff first. I might as well get that one out of the way before I find out what sort of slave labour I'll be subjected to.*
"Um, medical information first thanks" said Kat.
"Ok" said Kara "Jusst one moment then let me get the disssplay"
Kara stood up and moved to Kat's side before ducking down and grabbing something from the bottom of the bed. What she brought out was a small plastic block with a hole in the centre and water filling up the bottom half. Kara then moved to the edge of Kat's bed and set the plastic contraption down, making sure that she didn't put any undue pressure on Kat's feet.
The bed was designed so that even much taller demons would have no problems, so there was quite a lot of space at the end of the bed for the whole thing. Kara then moved and sat sideways with her back somewhat to the plastic thing, and her legs off the bed.
"Right. To sstart with. I will ssay that in sssome waysss you are extremely lucky, but from another perssspective you are anything but. It ssseemsss that your regeneration can heal you from almosst anything, even problemsss with your energy. The problem isss, that it alssso takesss energy to fix these problemsss. Other higher tier regeneration abilitiesss use body fat, rage, or sssomething elssse in combination with energy. Additionally, they normally fail to fix energy isssuesss without outssside help.
"Thisss meansss that they will be pulled from contractssss much earlier than you, and hencsse our problem. It'sss almost imposssible to maim you. With enough time and effort, your regeneration can ressstore you to prime condition. Even top tier Wrath demonsss would be pulled out earlier becaussse exsssessive ssscarring isss conssidered maiming. Thisss meansss that it takesss sssomething REALLY bad to pull you to sssafety
"Ssso pleassse be aware, that when I sssay you were in a bad way when you were delivered to usss I'm not exaggerating when I sssay 'Don't do that again' even though it'sss likely to happen.
"The problem isss that if your energy channelsss are damaged, you need to ussse more energy to fixsss them. Thisss causes a bit of a feedback loop. Your healing might be perfect, but it isss also too sssmart for itsss own good. It will firssst try to keep you alive and functioning then heal the ressst including ssscars if necessary."
Kara glared down at Kat, and for her last paragraph all of her snakes turned and glared to Kat to reinforce how serious she was. Kat however, was still not at max capacity mentally and let it completely go over her head and said. "I don't see the problem though? If it can fix anything eventually why do I need to be careful? Especially if it uses energy? I've got plenty of that"
Kara let out a long hissing sigh from all of her mouths even her snakes, before picking the container up off the bed and putting it to the side. Once this was done, she turned herself to face Kat move head on and said.
"Right, the isssue isss that it will keep you functional firssst even if there isss a more efficient way to heal you long term. Even dessspite thisss though it sstill fixesss everything. The easssiesst example isss the pain you alwaysss experience during healing. You alwaysss heal your NERVESSS firssst Kat.
"If you try to forcsse yourssself to move too quickly while you are healing, you will likely caussse even more damage to yourssself asss you move. The isssue isss this goesss double for your energy. Becaussse it isss not ssstrictly necesssary for you to move and function for it to be in good condition, it will focusss on other thingsss first.
"And becaussse energy channel damage isssn't well understood or measssured, the sssystem won't consssider it a problem no matter how much damage you do to them asss long asss you have enough energy left to heal yourssself.
"Now though, your body hasss healed everything excsept your energy channelsss and it isss going to be sssomewhat sslow going. There are waysss to ssspeed it up, but firsst I need to explain the problem" said Kara, bending back down to grab the plastic model.
Pressing a hidden button, the water started to rotate inside the contraption, circling around the centre in a smooth flowing motion. "Thisss is how your energy ssshould work. Now, thisss isss jusst to help visssualissse, ssso don't get too hung up on it, but it will help.
"Now, when you damage yoursself excsesssively it'sss like freezing thisss in place" Kara pressed another button on the side, and chunks of ice started to form. The liquid still moved, but now the ice would brush up against the sides, making soft clinking sounds. "Now image thisss wasss a vein. Thisss ice isssn't much of an isssue in sssmall amountsss, but…"
Kara gestured for Kat to fill in the blanks and she did "It will do a bit of damage when you circulate it, which in turn means more ice builds up, which causes more damage"
Kara nodded with a smile on her face. "Yesss. Now the problem isss that you heal with your energy, which meansss even asss you damage yoursself it alssso healsss you, hence more pain. The worssst part isss that like mossst demonsss you generate energy from no one place in your body. Thusss, even if basssically your entire sssystem is frozen"
Kara pressed a button and suddenly all that was in the container was a frozen block of ice stuck halfway around the centre. "it can ssstill produce a bit of energy to keep you 'functioning' and, in your cassse not in need of exsstraction."
Kara pressed another button and small droplets of water started to seep from all corners of the tube, slowly moving over towards the ice and eating away at it. "Thisss isss what happened to you. Now, you can't regenerate your energy properly becaussse your energy sssyssstem is messsed up
"Even ssstill, it isss healing you, ssslowly. You have the choicsse to forcsse it by circulating SSSMALL" Kara's eyes all lit up and stared deep into Kat's "amountsss. Sssmall, I sssay once again. Do NOT overdo it. It will hurt either way, but if you do thisss ssslowly and carefully it won't be causssing you damage."
Kat swallowed somewhat nervously. "What is the alternative option?"
"Jussst to ressst and let it happen. You won't be able to move much without rather extreme pain asss movement will forcsse sssome improper circulation of energy at thisss time." Said Kara, with a look of distaste, clearly indicating which option she thought Kat was better of going with.
*Great, looks like I'm in for some pain.* Kat nodded though, and said "I'd like to do this the faster way and try to get moving sooner rather than later, if that's ok with you"
Kara nodded happily. "Right ssso thisss, isss what you need to do and what to watch out for while you are moving your energy around…