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

--- Kat --- (The Next Morning)

Kat was sprinting down the street at three in the morning. Lily, annoyed at this but still wanting to come along was silently protesting by hanging off Kat’s back in her human form instead of remaining a Memphis. Lily may have tried to make things more annoying or awkward to double down but she was already back asleep.

Kat was attempting to get to the orphanage early enough to sneak in and get started on breakfast. It wouldn’t be too hard to work out what Gramps was planning to make because he normally did some prep for it before going to bed and almost always had a sign done up that just told everyone what they were going to be eating.

Three was pretty early, and with her newfound strength it wasn’t hard to make it to the orphanage in ten minutes. This was with Kat ensuring that she didn’t damage the road at all. When she made it to the orphanage though… there was already a light shining out of the kitchen window. Kat frowned and made her way inside. The lock wasn’t the most secure thing and she knew where the spare hidden key was.

Kat glided softly over the floors to ensure she didn’t wake anyone and soon got to the kitchen Gramps was already there and apparently he had decided to get the morning started by cleaning everything in the kitchen, included the ovens. He was currently inside one of them. The door had been removed and he’d placed a couple of pillows on the ground with a rag over them to keep them clean.

Kat waited until he ducked out of the oven to announce her presence, "Hey Gramps, what are you doing up so early?"

Gramps jumped a bit upon hearing Kat’s question, which was why she’d waited. It took a few blinks for it to register what was going on but eventually Gramps let out a long sigh. "Good morning to you as well Kat… I have been having issues sleeping lately so I am making use of my time,"

"That can’t be good for you. What’s the issue?" asked Kat.

"Perhaps it’s not… but the issue? I did go to the doctors and they had nothing for me. I’ve got my own suspicions though. I’m getting older Kat. I can almost feel that my time is coming to an end," answered Gramps.

Gramps shrugged and moved back into the oven as he continued speaking. Seeing this Kat sighed and moved over to the other oven. She was going to see if her demonic fire could clean it. Lily was carefully lain down in one of the corners where she slept for now. "Why do you think you’re going to die?" asked Kat after watching her flames freeze the gunk around the bottom of the oven.

"I’m nearly ninety Kat. Sure my work has kept me active mentally and physical… but I can feel time catching up to me. Every time I lay down to sleep I feel like it might be my last. There’s this persistent feeling that one day soon I just… might not wake up," explained Gramps.

"I could do something about that you know? I know your wife was important to you… and I really do get it. Much more now then I used to…" Kat glanced at Lily, "… but I’m not sure she’d want you to die… and well… maybe you could find someone else? Maybe not as good, probably not as good… but there would be someone," said Kat. The gunk was mostly frozen now and she there was a spare scraper she could use to pick it all up. Not a spare bucket though… hmm…

Gramps nodded along with what Kat was saying, not that she could see him. "I do know. I haven’t forgotten your offer Kat but I also haven’t changed my mind. Perhaps in another life I would accept. Take the chance and find someone else to keep me stable… but I am tired. Not only that but if anything know that the world is more magical then I once thought? That’s just extra proof the afterlife exists if anything. I know for a fact souls are real now after all.

"Look, don’t worry too much about me. While I do get the feeling I won’t be around much longer, ’much longer’ for me is still a year or two away I suspect. I’m sure if I was willing I could simply… ’give up’ as it were and I wouldn’t wake come morning but I am not yet willing to simply expire,"

"Why… why say that? Like… why choose to stick around if you don’t want to REALLY stick around," said Kat. "Sorry that… that’s probably rude but… but it’s just hard for me to hear. I… no it’s alright,"

"I understand it’s not what you want to hear Kat but I’m not going to apologise or change my stance. I have had time to get used to the idea of dying one day… and I have had a lot more time to get over my wife’s death. Despite that… I have in many ways only gotten over the first. Oh I’m not constantly depressed or in need of reassurance but well…

"I can’t say turning down a life extension treatment that would likely restore my youth as well is the actions of a sane man. Sure, infinity isn’t for everyone but that’s not really what you’re offering. I’m sure something could be worked out where I just get a few more years as well… but I just don’t have it in me to accept," explained Gramps.

Kat winced. "I… I’m not really sure how to deal with that. I mean… I just… I can sort of get it but… well… Lily and I have literally tied our lives together at this point so I’ll hopefully never be in that position. If I was… I don’t really know what I would do. Especially considering I won’t actually die of old age any time soon.

"It… it’s hard to hear I guess. Though… is… if I could find something to perhaps make you feel better if not actually extend your life? Would… would that be acceptable? I’m not sure if there even IS anything like that, but I’m heading to the hub later today and… and I can at least ask?"

Gramps tapped the metal edge of the oven as he considered the question. "That is a harder offer to say no to then your original one… but a difficult choice indeed. In principle at least I have nothing against you asking around but don’t purchase anything just yet. I… I feel as though accepting might lead me down a slippery slope of easing and extending things until I might as well have accepted your first offer.

"Have a reforged body would certainly ease all of my aches and pains but you already know how I feel about that. So… don’t spend too much time on it, if you spend any at all. And don’t be disappointed if you don’t find anything. I really am fine with things as they are,"

Kat clicked her tongue. "Fine then. I guess I won’t focus on it too much. Though… what are your plans for the place? The kids? I know you said you’ve still got a year left but… that’s not a long time,"

Gramps let out a long breath of air, "That’s the question isn’t it? I’ve got a few options to consider. Leaving it as part of my estate is one. Handing it over to a charity of some kind. Simply shutting the place down and having the kids go elsewhere. I’ve been talking with a few people about it but I haven’t really found a solution I like," Enjoy more content from NovelBin.Côm

Kat gave Gramps a look that said ’I have a solution’ but didn’t actually say anything. "Yes, yes I know if I took your offer I wouldn’t have to worry about anything and could either will the place to myself or not have to deal with it at all. I will figure things out, I promise you. I just don’t want to rush into anything and have it cause trouble for the kids. Well, more trouble then my passing will anyway,"

Kat let out a long sigh. "I guess I can keep my ears out for that as well. Do you want me to mention it to Callisto and Vivian? I mean, they know people,"

"Hmm… perhaps later on. I’d best not leave it too late of course but I’m hoping one of a handful of people I know and trust will take up the burden," said Gramps.

"I mean… I could technically?" offered Kat.

Gramps laughed, "Oh Kat I’m sure you could and I do obviously trust you… but you have your whole life ahead of you still. A much longer and richer one they I can possibly imagine. It would be a travesty if I chained you to this place. I will not even consider it,"

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