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

--- Kat ---

When Pip eventually stopped pulling them along they were in front of one of the many closets that lined the halls. Opening it up revealed a large cache of colourful blankets. Kat had sort of been expecting boring single colour sheets trending towards muted colours but apparently that was simply incorrect. The closet was bursting with bright colours, covering blankets of all thicknesses and colours.

Pip reached down to a somewhat tattered sheet at the bottom and explained, "This has got to be our first sheet. It's a bit old and tired, but Corela is already so uptight and maybe a bit stinky. If she's showered at all since coming out of the cryo-pod I haven't noticed and wrapping her up in fresh clean bedsheets could stress her out.

So… clean sheets that aren't quite so fresh is obviously the answer!"

Everyone nodded along, that made sense though Kat had to ask. "Are we going to wash her somehow? The insta-wash perhaps?"

Pip shrugged, "That's sort of what I was thinking. We get a couple of sheets we can stack on top of this first one that we can be a bit rougher with. I mean, it's nice but nobodies used it in years because it's falling apart," Pip shifted the fabric around in her hands and showed that there were quite a few small holes you could make out even while folded like this.

"Why keep that one around?" asked Kamiko. "You seem to be able to manufacture things without issue as surely these wouldn't last the centuries necessary…"

Pip gave Kamiko a confused glance. "You always need a not-quite acceptable blanket for things, or a bunch of towels. It's wasteful just throw them all away… and sometimes you need a towel or a blanket for something that you'd feel guilty using the newer ones on.

This way you have a towel FOR that purpose and the fact it already has holes means you don't feel bad if something does happen, or even that it might,"

"Ah… right…" said Kamiko not quite understanding. Her family, despite the somewhat cozy appearance of her home… was rich. Nira's medical position essentially guaranteed as much and the fact that a lot of Kamiko's older sisters stuck around and contributed to the home finances over time as well. Anything that needed to be replaced simply was.

The only exception would be the few truly precious things… but they could be repaired by magic and were likely never to be thrown away.

It meant that for Kamiko there was a very clear line between 'nice thing to be used until it breaks' and 'something to repair and keep around' when it came to household necessities. The idea of keeping around something like that blanket when it COULD be replaced didn't quite click with her worldview.

She understood that those less fortunate would need to use something until it broke but to Kamiko's mind the people living here weren't less fortunate at all. They were however lacking in repair magic.

Kamiko's internal issues went somewhat unnoticed. Kat and Lily did share a quick glance but Kamiko didn't seem bothered, just confused so they left it alone. Pip was more busy with deciding what sheets everyone should use. A pattern was emerging though. Pip wanted a blanket for everyone to hold, and was picking the fluffiest and most colourful from an already bright cupboard.

Eventually, the rest of the workout crew arrived… in pyjamas themselves. Pip turned around and immediately started pouting. "What are you guys doing! It's nowhere near bedtime yet!"

Malt grinned and raised up the bag he was holding while the twins explained, "Yes but we decided this was the most appropriate for our current plans. It's more fun to sneak up on Corela wearing night clothes after all. We also ducked down to the manufacturing area and requested a set of clothes for Corela. Apparently it remembers her sizes so we should have a set of pyjamas for her in there,"

Pip pouted and ran off, yelling back as she did so, "I'm gonna go change real quick!"

"Make sure you wash yourself again before changing!" returned Malt as the twins sighed.

"Um… no offence but why not bring some pyjamas for Pip along with you or tell her about this part of the plan before she ran off the first time?" asked Kat.

"It was my idea…," said Shen. "… and I honestly didn't get the idea until we were all getting clean. Luckily Chen was up first," *FINALLY CONFIRMATION ON WHO IS WHO!* Kat made a note to keep a close eye on the twins and try to keep them correctly identified for as long as she could. No obvious differences were visible… but maybe less obvious ones could be found?

"so I could run out and get clothes for us both. Malt could get his own, and then we could all get some for Corela."

"Oh, do you both stay in the same room?" asked Kamiko.

"No we don't, I just grabbed two of my sets. They fit us both obviously," said Shen.

Kat glanced between the two. They were wearing the exact same set of pyjamas. Same patterning and everything. The tops and bottoms were mostly blue with little clouds on them and the occasional bird thing poking out from the clouds. "Why have two of the same set of pyjamas?" asked Kat.

"Pranking obviously," said Chen. "We've got a bunch of sets that match. Sometimes we store both in my closet, sometimes both in my sisters, sometimes we have one each. If we always wore the same things people might start to pick out patterns. Instead we have to keep mixing it up if we want to confuse people,"

*Ah so it IS on purpose!* "Oh… um… that's nice I guess? My older sisters like to be as different as possible despite the fact they're triplets," said Kamiko.

Shen and Chen shared a look before grinning. "That's part of the act too though. Do they look the same? Not, like… not style wise but are they otherwise identical?" Kamiko nodded. "Yup, see that too is part of the prank. If they look different most of the time then you come to expect it.

That means whoever is wearing the 'correct' attire is the same triplet as always,"

Kamiko thought on that for a few moments… before shrugging. "They didn't try swapping much even when I was little. Mum always new… and I'm not sure if they never tried it around Dad or if they did and never got called out on it… but Mum would ALWAYS call them out on it,"

"Boo," said the twins. "That's no fun," continued Shen. "Yeah, a parent outing their child like that?" followed Chen. "Shocked and appalled with are. Shocked and appalled," finished them both.

Kat grinned at the twins as Pip made her way back to the group, this time in fresh clothes. Pip's pyjamas were actually quite boring in comparison to the sheets. They were just plain black… though plain black silk it seemed?

"Alright, everyone ready for the plan?" asked Pip.

Kat nodded, "I'll take the oldest sheet. Not only am I the strongest of the group but I also have the calming aura. Lily has the sign…" Lily used her shadow that had been resting 'in' Kamiko's to pull the sign out from her storage ring and wave it around a bit. "and everyone else has their own set of blankets?"

"Don't you guys want to change first?" asked Pip.

Kat shrugged, "This is what I wear literally all of the time. It comes with having wings I'm afraid,"

Pip screwed her nose up, "Isn't that really gross?" The rest of the workout group seemed to agree with Pip.

Kat smiled before adopting her best 'refined lady' air and deepening her voice a bit. "Perhaps for peasants such as yourself, but I wear only the finest demonic attire. That means I can dismiss and resummon a completely fresh outfit with only a thought. It doesn't get dirty, and even if it does it's a moment's thought away from being in perfect condition once again!"

"Oh… um… I mostly do the same when out on missions but I think we have some spare clothes in this ring… and they'd probably work for pyjamas if we want? Like… I think there is some pyjamas in there? I haven't really looked. I have some at home but yeah, like Kat I just refresh my demonic attire on missions,"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Then you gotta change! And… and shower too!" insisted Pip. "It's only right that we all go in pyjamas for the main event otherwise you'll just look weird,"

Kat smiled softly at Pip. She was acting a touch immaturely for someone in her teens… but it was adorable and the idea had merit. So Kat when glanced into her ring and found there was in fact some spare clothing? Well the answer seemed obvious. Swiping her hand across the blanket she was holding to hide it away Kat declared, "Right, the three of us will get clean and then we'll initiate the plan!"