<h4>Chapter 526: So Close to the Answers… And Yet.. So Far…</h4>


    "Well fuck me I''m d this is finally over" said Sue looking at the rock containing what remains of the Summoner.


    "No thank you Sue, I''m straight and Kat''s… whatever she is" said Kamiko with a wince. It was clear she didn''t really want to voice the words but felt Sue deserved the ''victory'' and was willing to go along with it for a bit.


    Sue was of course, going to capitalise as best she could. "What are you saying? Is Kat a one man band? A purveyor of fine produce. Perhaps a theremin yer or the owner of a great toy store" Sue wiggled her eyebrows, grin increasing ever so slightly with each word.


    *I maybe got half of those… I… by context are they all the same joke?* Kat raised a confused eyebrow at Sue, who sighed and said, "Myedy is clearly wasted on you Kat. At least Kamiko" who was now bright red, something Kat didn''t notice before "noticed what I was actually saying. I''m disappointed in yourck of knowledge Kat"


    Before anyone else could reply Stone stepped in "Sue!" Sue snapped to attention and looked up at Stone with big ''innocent'' eyes. "While I can ignore your humour and ept it as part of yourself, before we get too lost in it let''s get a move on shall we? Unless you all WANT to stand around in rat guts?"


    Kat assumed that would have cowed Sue, Kat and Kamiko actually started moving, Sue just returned a smug grin to Stone and only started moving after she saw everyone else do the same. "Why Stone, I know you''re normally rock hard but that''s no reason toin when others try to reach an enlightened state. Why, I think we should all strive towards the very PEAK!"


    Stone tilted his head back to re at Sue. "I''ll let you keep going with the other two. Direct another inuendo at me and I''ll cut you pay understood?" ordered Stone


    Sue held his re for a few moments before sighing. "Understood Stone…"


    After that she ran up to join Kat and Kamiko, because she found no reason to stay at the back if Stone wasn''t going to allow her to make fun of him. Once she was moving though, she actually took to the front and everyone else kept pace. Sue set that at a reasonable speed, not believing she had the control to properly bnce her demonic energy consumption, and so she simply moved at a ''jog'' for her, a pace she would befortable with for hours.


    "Well, now that it''s just us girls, perhaps we should chat about our hobbies, or what boys we like. Well… Kat might want to skip thatst one. Actually no. Serious time. What is your sexual orientation Kat? I''m pretty sure it hasn''te up?" said Sue


    "Uh… I don''t know?" said Kat somewhat awkwardly.


    Sue let out a low growl that felt like a sigh for some reason before looking over to Kamiko. "Really? Really? Kamiko please tell me she isn''t that bad. She should know right? I mean… how does she not know?" asked Sue


    Kamiko shrugged, "Kat''s never mentioned anyone she likes that way"


    Kat nodded, "I''ve just not had romantic feelings about anybody I don''t think" exined Kat.


    "Bah" said Sue waving a hand back at Kat, "Screw romance, who have you looked at and thought ''Damn I want them to push me against the wall and fuck my brains out''" Kat''s face twisted in distaste at the idea, not even realising herself the true force of disgust visible onb her face. Sue actually flinched back a fraction but was missed by Kat, "… right right… um… I guess you could be doing the pushing against the wall instead…?"


    Kat''s facial expression didn''t exactly improve much at that thought and Sue took notice again. "Ok fine… um… right… who are the most important people in your life? Don''t tell me about them just… just name them?" asked Sue


    Kat narrowed her eyes suspiciously but listed off everyone close to her in order of when she met them, ending with Kamiko and "… you might count as well now Sue"


    Sue breathed out a long puff of air before asking. "Ok, apparently this is going to be difficult. Kat. Have you ever had any male friends?"


    *Hmm. That''s… I don''t know the answer to that one off the top of my head. I had… I''ve had male acquaintances that certainly could have been friends if they stuck around but… not really, not for half a decade at least.* "Not really. There were a few that might have been but they all moved away and we didn''t keep in contact" said Kat


    "Right how do you feel about that?" asked Sue pressing in.


    "Should we really be doing this now Sue?" asked Kamiko "I''m not saying it isn''t important to investigate but… we''re tired Sue. We just killed a giant rat made out of crystals and stopped a very nasty corrupted. Is this really the time?"


    Sue nced between everyone here, gaze lingering on Stone for a bit. "I… I suppose not. Sorry Kat. I mean… even if… no it''s not something I should have brought up with Stone around if I even qualify which… I mean… you did list me… but I was at the end… um… why was that? I… I don''t mean to be rude about it but… now I want to know…"


    Kat just shrugged, "Well I don''t really know what you''re both looking for so I''m not to annoyed but, to answer your question Sue, it was simply in order of when I met my friends or otherwise important people. Still not sure what half of them ssify as. You''re the most recent maybe addition to the list"


    Sue smiled at that, "Well do keep in contact once this is all over. D.E.M.O.N.S is very slow with messaging. Did you know it''s actually to prevent it from being used as an Instant Messaging source and not because it can''t? Shocking when I learnt it but it''s not a secret. Um… anyway thanks for that. Why are thebels on that list in question though?"


    Kat sighed when she heard the question, "Well I''ve already had my freak out over it all, but essentially. The first is Gramps, he practically raised me and his status is only sort of in question. He''s either a father figure or a grandfather figure. Probably the first but his age makes it… a bit on the line.


    "Next would be Lily, my best, and until I met Kamiko, only friend. Others might count as friends, but she''s the only one who definitely counts. After that is Sylvie. She''s more like a little sister or… well a little sister bordering on daughter to me.


    "Following on from that is where things get really messy. Vivian and Callisto. Vivian''s adopted me and Sylvie but it''s only been a couple of weeks since then. She''s also not that much older then me and certainly doesn''t act like it. I don''t know what I want her to be or what she wants me to be. Maybe big sister is the better idea but I don''t want to identally make her Sylvie''s other big sister and not her adopted mother.


    "And Callisto… well despite what I said about Vivian I think Sylvie is actually closer with and identifies more with Callisto. The problem there of course is… I''m pretty sure those two are just roommates. Still, they live together with us and Callisto cooks and cleans because Vivian won''t let her y rent so that muddles things further. Is she just… well she''s not JUST the maid of course


    "But then what is she? Another big sister? Another adoptive mother? I have no idea quite frankly and it''s all quite a mess. She feels… I dunno. I''m personally not as close to her as Vivian and I just haven''t really talked to her casually all that much to find our niche. Then there''s you and Kamiko.


    "Kamiko''s been great this week" Kamiko beamed as Kat said that "letting me into her home, introducing me to her family and especially the Demon Hub. I don''t know what I''d have done without her. Then there''s you. We''ve only spent a day together. There you go Sue. That''s all my important people"


    "That…" Sue stumbled over the words. "That really doesn''t seem like a lot of people. I mean… gee Kat, I''ve had sex with more people then you''re notquite friends with. I mean… this just feels weird"


    "Yeah but you sleep with people for fun and on Contracts, is it really a fairparison?" asked Kat with Kamiko nodding together.


    Sue shrugged, "It''s mostly an expression but… I guess you''re right. You''re friends are all more important to you then most of the guys I''ve slept with. Heck, you personally a more important to me then at least half those same guys. At least I n on talking to you again!"