Chapter 4: Chapter 4 The Demonic Energised Messaging Operations Neural System Part 2
Waiting a few more minute for the pain to subside and to calm down, Kat was slowly coming to terms with a startling realisation: she could feel the tail. Not only that but somehow, she knew how to move it. Flicking her new tail around was somewhat awkward as she had ended up sitting on part of it when she sat up for the first time, but it was certainly moving, and not in any explainable way.
Sneaking a look at the clock, she noticed that it was 5:15, plenty early enough to avoid getting spotted, so she grabbed some clothes and headed towards the shower, quickly undressing she turned around and tried to examine herself in the mirror. What she saw was, much to her dismay, extending from the small of her back was a thin black tail. Concentrating on it allowed her to flex and move it extremely easily as if it were another arm. The worrying part was that it felt completely natural to her as if adding a massive two metre or so tail didn't throw her balance completely off.
Quickly showering and throwing on a shirt Kat paused. How on Earth was she supposed to hide the tail, or first, how was she supposed to wear pants with tail? Trying to wrap the tail around her leg proved fruitless, the thing was too long, and the spade end wasn't quite as flexible as the rest of it. *Shit ok, I need to hide this tail somehow, it moves a bit too well for people not to ask questions and I can't just wear my pants below it because I'd reveal to much of my back and people could tell it's a real tail. Ok, would dresses work? No of course not, they have the same problem as pants. Calm Kat calm.* A moment passed and Kat lifted her shirt and begun to wrap her tail around her midsection over and over again, tucking the end underneath the coils to try and hold it in place a bit. *Ok this works, I think. I don't look weird in the mirror but it's hard to tell. Really uncomfortable though. Feels like having your arms bound. Hopefully my tail can't cramp up.*
Dressing and returning her pyjamas to the bedroom, she checked the clock: 5:45. *Dealing with my tail took longer than I thought though I don't have to wake the kids till six technically. Do I need anything*?
Looking around the room, Kat didn't find anything she deemed immediately useful until her eyes fell on her cell phone. *Do I call Lily? She knows something about demons… hopefully. Should I tell anyone? No, I need someone to work this through with.*
Kat reached out towards her phone, about to start calling her best friend, when she suddenly remembered the time. *Shit, Lily won't be awake for another while. When did she say she wakes up again? Damn I'll just send her a text.* Sending a quick message off to Lily to call as soon as she woke up, Kat begun the routine of banging on the doors, however, while racing down the stairs she clipped her tail on the bannister and nearly lost her footing.
*Sssss, that hurts. Note to self: Not as thin as I used to be now I'm hiding a tail under my shirt.* Now hobbling down the stairs, she continued her knocking before heading for the dining room and noticing a concerned Sylvie.
"Are you ok Kat?" The little girl looked up at Kat with big round eyes, daring her to say she was fine.
Kat sighed "I'm fine Sylvie I just knocked my hip on the railing coming down the stairs. It's nothing to worry about"
Sylvie kept staring at Kat, searching for other answers and seemingly finding none, she dropped her gaze but still huddled by Kat's side, sensing that there was something else. The pair went to the mess hall as normal to have a quick breakfast.
As Kat was about to ascend the stairs and pick up a few things, she felt a tugging on her pants and looked back to see a still concerned Sylvie looking at her with big eyes. "Are you sure you're fine Kat? The pain from before should have gone away"
*Gah don't look at me with those eyes, I'm sorting out potentially worldview destroying phenomenon I can't put that on Sylvie's shoulders. Aw fine*
"Look Sylvie, things have gotten a little bit more complicated since yesterday and I'm trying to figure some things out. I have to head out for a bit, but I promise after we eat breakfast tomorrow, I'll tell you. Deal?" Kat said, expecting some resistance or pouting but to her surprise Sylvie just nodded, let go and headed back to her room. *That kid is too smart for her own good, I hope she stays just as sweet though.* Hurrying upstairs, careful to mind the tail around her waist, Kat gathered a few things than headed for the front door. Right as she stepped outside, her phone buzzed.
"So, what's going on Kat? Are you in trouble or something? You've never tried to get my attention this urgently before." Said Lily
"Yeah, ah, some stuff happened yesterday after I left your place and I really need to go over it with you. Are your parents' home? I'd really rather we did this someplace they weren't around said Kat
"Ah, um, yeah they should be out doing the weekly shopping for the rest of the day, let me just go check." Lily said.
Kat waited a few minutes, hearing the rustling of clothes and a few clicks presumably from doors opening as Lily made her way through the house.
"Ok yeah the cars gone so you should be fine I think, is it really that big of a deal it's not like you to dance around an issue like this?" said Lily
"Yes, yes it is." Kat said.
"Ok just come straight over I'll be ready for you whenever you arrive."
Beginning a light jog towards Lily's house, Kat quickly realised that her tail did affect her balance and she had to compensate for that, slight shifts to the left and right made her tail twitch slightly and attempt to react to her movements trying to keep her on balance. Needless to say, with it tightly bound around herself .the assistance it brought was minimal at best and distracting at worse. *Shit don't tell me I have to relearn how to walk. Stupid tail. Then again maybe I'm the idiot thinking that I could walk normally without the tail being involved.*
Forty-five minutes later Kat arrived at Lily's front door and knocked… No response. *Dammit is Lily still in her room? I doubt she can hear the front door from there, or maybe she's still getting ready. Do I just wait here or?* Kat's internal debate was halted by a solid thunk from inside the door before it swung open to reveal a tired and messy Lily.
"I don't get how you wake up so early or easily… anyway come on, you sounded serious on the phone." Lily said as she guided Kat back to her room.
"Well, I guess we should get the easy stuff out of the way: I have to leave the orphanage before I turn eighteen." Kat said
Lily froze in the hallway
"That is the easy stuff? You're getting kicked out of your home in twelve months and you tell me that's easy? Kat why would you put up with that of all things, you've helped the old man run the place for years, I can't believe he'd force you out like that, I mean-"
Cutting Lily off Kat jumped in with
"Woah, woah, hold up there Lily, this has nothing to do with Gramps other than the fact that he had to tell me, apparently it's just the rul-"
"What and you took him at his word Kat? This is serious what are we going to do? I mean-" Kat grabbed Lily pulling her into a hug to stop things going to far.
"Calm Lily, calm, I trust the old man, he even gave me an amazing gift and cried on the way out of his office, Lily. It's fine." Kat said trying to soothe her agitated friend. I don't think I've ever seen her freak out so much, I can only hope the tail doesn't go even worse. Hopefully it's fine.
"What could possibly make it worth getting kicked out. You mentioned that the orphanage does alright but I doubt Gramps has the spare cash to get you something really special. I mean, last year he only got you a few notebooks" Lily said, calmer but still uneasy
"He gave me his wife's handwoven kimono that has been kept in pristine condition for at least my entire life, apparently he was supposed to give it to his next wife but he decided to give it to me, his daughter, instead." Kat said tearing up a little remembering the moment
"Oh. Oh. I am so sorry Kat, I didn't know you guys were so close, I mean you don't talk about him that much and I, I just assumed, I'm sorry." Lily said
"It's fine, I never really mentioned it because he really has taken care of me my whole life, I don't remember my parents and I know they both died before I turned two. I've been with Gramps for as long as I can remember, and I always knew he cared for all of us at the orphanage but yesterday really hit home for me how long we've been together and what that truly means." Kat said
Breaking apart the girls continued on to Lily's room before shutting the door.
"So if this isn't what you were concerned about what the hell is? I can't imagine anything short of losing an arm actually causing you any real grief" Lily joked half-heartedly.
"Hmm close actually, I might not have lost an arm…"
"But I did gain a tail" said Kat lifting her shirt and uncoiling her tail from around herself. Kat's eyes quickly flicked up to Lily after not hearing a response only to see the girl slam herself into the headboard with a loud thunk. *Is this considered an improvement on her first reaction? Kat smiled wryly to herself. Now I need to wait for her to wake up. Again.*
Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Panic and…
Lily groaned rubbing the back of her head as she turned to the side. Her memory was a bit foggy. Opening her eyes to stare at Kat she said "Wait what are you doing here Kat? Hang on… wait don't tell me something important, Gramps… no um tail… Wait you have a tail!" Lily finished finally noticing the swishing tail behind her best friend.
"Ha, ah ok your messing with me, you heard me go on about demons yesterday for so long and this is my punishment. Honestly the tail looks good on you but surely something that moves so well would have cost… Oh no." realisation dawned on Lily as it occurred to her even if Kat did have access to that kind of money never would she spend it on something for a poor joke.
"Yes Lily, we have a problem. The tail behind me is real and I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do about it. Can I still say hell? Hey Lily, what are the ethics of a demon swearing about hell?" Kat asked.
"Wait are you sure that's a demon tail? I mean plenty of other things have tails and oh no. The end is a spade. Kat please tell me you aren't a succubus." Lily pleaded
"How should I know Lily? just because I woke up like this doesn't mean I have any more of an idea than you do. I don't feel any different besides the tail, if that helps. Actually, it seems to have really screwed with my balance, my brain seems to be wired to compensate for it now and wrapping it around myself to hide it caused me some minor balance issues running over here, and for now at least let's save the more questionable parts of this to the side. I'd like your help figuring out what to do with the tail and then we can freak out about the future alright? Is there anything special I need to know about it immediately?"
"Ok" Lily said struggling to calm down "Can I just have a quick look while I think about this for a moment. it hasn't really hit me properly yet" Kat nodded, and Lily walked over to her back. Closely examining the area where Kat's tail merged with her body she could find no discernible markings as if it had always been a part of her friend. Poking around the area slightly Lily began
"Ok well, first things first my guess is that demons don't really have a major weakness in their tails, the biggest issue you are likely to have is just getting used to it I think and maybe some people might target it because I'd imagine a tail is hard to defend but that's about all I have for you there."
Taking a deep breath Lily continued "The real issue is the spade on the end, not because of the spade itself but because of what it represents. you have to be some kind of succubus, no other demon ever really developed something similar to this. Some have more varied tails then others, but the spade shape marks you as a succubus of that I'm mostly sure. The question is what does that mean for us?"
"What do you mean? Is there any problem with sucubuses? Succubi?" Lily nodded at the second one "Aren't they like beautiful women or something? I've never cared too much about my looks but I certainly don't look horrible." Kat said
"Well… succubi tend to be, how shall I put this, a little sex obsessed normally. Now don't get me wrong some minor instances of them give them different roles but things aren't quite in your favour after that one. Wait actually are you going to keep changing? Do you get the cool tail and that's that or is there more to this?"
"Well I might have left out a few things, like the tunnel of magic fire and the demon summoning ritual. And the random floating text but I don't really remember it all to well" Kat said.
"Kaaat, what did you do. Please don't leave out important stuff like that, why didn't you tell me before?" Lily said
"Well I mean, at the time a mostly just, thought it was a dream. I was curled up in bed and I might have even drifted off to sleep for a bit when all of a sudden I was surrounded by all sorts of strange fire" Kat said
"Do you mean you were… in hell?" Lily asked.
"No, no, it was just fire and none of it burned but it sorta felt like some of it could? And there was a bunch of different colours all around as I rushed past it was a complete rainbow and then some." Kat explained
"Ok, ok keep going Kat, please" Lily said
"Right, ok so, um I think there were some words that flashed around me as well and I think some of the text said something something bloodline, I don't really remember exactly what else it said. I also seem to recall the text wishing me well at the end I think, oh and something about an awakening of some sorts. But that it didn't happen or something? Look I was waking up somewhat and I wasn't really trying to focus at all I thought I was dreaming and I was very distracted by the colours. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before until I met the wizard" said Kat
Lily just sighed "Kat, please don't say that like it's completely normal. I'm struggling to keep all this straight in my head already and it's only so easy to believe you because you're my friend… and the tail is very distracting so I can't forget that either."
"Sorry sorry" Kat sat down next to her friend and continued speaking, all the while slowly moving her tail behind Lily
"So after the flames all died away I was standing in a room with two guys, now to be honest I didn't notice at first because the room was stacked with books, and I mean stacks floor to ceiling bookshelves and the place was at least ten metres tall you'd have loved it. Anyway, after the old dude started yelling, I started paying more attention to what was going on. So, there was a funny circle around me and the younger one, let's call him Apprentice, telling him to cancel the summoning, and how clearly everything had gone wrong." Said Kat
"Well to cut the story a bit short it turns out the spell was supposed to summon a weak demon with a calm temperament, and I'm not sure how they measure the strength of a demon but I doubt I'm that strong if wizards can pull people across dimensions. Anyway like I was saying they thought the spell had fucked up because I didn't have any demonic features at all and that is supposed to take a very very high level of power which obviously I don't have. Anyway the Apprentice got all pale at that and did some long chant to send me back" Kat finished just as she got her tail to circle around Lily.
"Eeep, dammit Kat don't do that" Lily looked at her friend with a pout."Aw come here it wasn't that bad" Kat said giving her friend a hug "So what can you tell me"
Leaning into Kat's hug Lily replied "Right so, the important thing might actually be the text you were talking about, it seems like for whatever reason over the next however long you are going to turn into a demon, I don't know what the means really, maybe nothing, maybe you will become a different person I just don't know. What I do know is that magic is real and you likely have to deal with it. Demons are supposed to be summoned routinely so my best guess is that sometime soon you will be summoned again. If nothing else weird happens before next Saturday, we can revaluate that but I have no reason to think this will be the only time. Honestly Kat I'm somewhat at a loss, I don't know how I can help you here."
Kat leaned in and hugged her friend close. "Honestly this has helped a lot already I don't normally get to flustered about things like this but you also don't normally wake up with a tail so who knows. I guess the only question now is what to do when I'm changing for gym class…"
"Kat, we don't have gym till next week" Lily replied
"Oh, welp then it's not my problem. Do you want to do a bit more research together before I have to sneak out to avoid your parents?" Kat said
Lily looked like she wanted to contradict Kat, that her parents weren't that bad, but Lily's parents did like to go out of their way to make her uncomfortable. And so, they spent the next few hours doing research, uncovering little of note before it was time for Kat to leave.
"Oh one more thing, I'm probably going to tell Sylvie about this. She somehow managed to figure out something was wrong already and I can't resist those eyes of hers. Maybe she's the one with bewitching powers" said Kat.
"Look, it's not my business who you tell and I don't think it will be an issue to tell Sylvie from what I know of her, but be careful." Lily said, "The school isn't that religious considering its name but you have a real honest to god tail Kat, who knows what they'll do."
"I know Lily, I know."
After a short journey home and a rushed lunch, Kat got started on the weekend cleaning. Every Saturday the orphanage expected everyone to clean out their rooms as well as the dining hall, or more accurately the three stooges in charge of keeping everyone organised were supposed to be in charge, though this was not to be. Instead, Kat still lead the cleaning efforts, cleaning her own room first before rounding everyone up and instructing them to tidy before handing out buckets and then spending the time bouncing between helping the other kids clean and cleaning the dining room.
And yes technically the oldest was in charge of the orphanage cleaning, that's how it had always been. over the past six months Gramps had been encouraging the three teens, Sarah, John and David, to be in charge. They always complained that Kat was still the oldest but Gramps intervened stating she had done those duties for 7 years, longer than anyone, and it wasn't her responsibility anymore. Well that's what Gramps said. Reality begged to differ. Kat was the one making sure to wipe down the tables in the mess hall. *If this demon summoning stuff becomes a big time sink, I'm going to have to force those three to actually do their dammed jobs. For now, those three, Gramps, and I have an uneasy truce, I still do most of the work, but mistakes are on their head not mine and someday soon they need to completely take over. Hopefully they can sort themselves out quickly.*
After the cleaning Kat had her evening meal with Sylvie and assured the little girl that tomorrow she would tell her everything, she just needed to ask and while that had seemed to put the girl at ease that didn't mean she had completely let the matter drop. Sylvie occasionally stole glances towards Kat as if in some moment of hesitation Kat's problems would become completely obvious to the little girl. Going upstairs to shower, Kat decided to go to bed early. *I really need the sleep, apparently, I was up last night being summoned to who knows where and after the cleaning, honestly, I could use the extra sleep.* A quick shower and change later Kat found herself drifting off to sleep, hoping that tomorrow wouldn't be quite so tiring.
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