Rain Dance

"Y'Runfrish Tal'Frinchila Alpha of the royal class" Kimi replied. "The highest class. It isn't something I am proud of, though I am thankful I have a somewhat humanish skin-tone. It means I don't have to use a glamour when I visit the human realms."

Trevor flitted the small wings on his back as if to prove a point.

"What about this guy here?" asked Voltaire, pointing to Trevor. "You mentioned him being a summon. Where do you summon him from?"

"Hell'Ruc. My homeworld." Kimi replied. "It is much how the humans describe hell."

"Huh. So it's underground then?" Voltaire asked. "That's where humans around here consider hell to be, underground. Caves are considered the openings to hell, and most of the tournaments are in cave systems, so I guess we've already spent a fair amount of time in hell already."

Adair noticed how easily Kimi answered Voltaire's questions, which were similar to the ones he himself asked earlier, and was slightly miffed. He thought he had been more polite than Voltaire. He wondered if it was his red hair. A lot of otherwise trusting people were wary of him because of his red hair. People just didn't like red hair around here.

"No. Not underground. Hot. Fire pits. Magma lakes. Sulferic rocks. That kind of place. Frightening. Little vegetation. Even less rain. Its barely habitable for the demons that call it home. Everything there is black, red, or another color of death." Kimi replied. She shut her eyes and tried to concentrate on her breathing, which had become shallow. "I think I may be afraid of heights."

Fine time to mention that thought Voltaire irritably. "Don't look at the ground then. Just keep your focus ahead or on Ava."

"We've seen some magma, if we go far enough underground," Adair added. "Some places have a lot of magma streams and steam everywhere because they're near volcanoes. Usually doesn't give us much of a problem, though we don't want to step right into the magma. We're not that fireproof."

"It's not that scary when you get used to it," said Voltaire.

"Yeah, where 'Taire gets nervous is when we have to get check-ups from the demon doctors and they have to give him shots," Adair added with a smirk.

"...Shut up," Voltaire growled back.

"My kind don't have doctors. If you're sick, you get better or you die. At the castle, the imps used to treat our wounds with what little healing magic they knew." Kimi replied, her eyes still shut. She was almost completely dry now, from being so close to the three fire wielders.

"Yeah, I've heard that's how it often is with demons," Voltaire replied, leaning back some to watch the rain cascade around them. "But as far as the tournaments go...well, a demon, like Ava, comes in with her changelings, which is what me and Adair are. Changelings are humans who give their hearts to demons and get powers in exchange. Demons get stronger when people give them hearts, and they lose power if the original owners of those hearts die. So demons are protective of their changelings."

Voltaire lazily blew out some fire.

"Anyway, point is, we fight at tournaments, and like any decent fight we get wounds. If there weren't doctors to heal the wounds, then no demon would want to risk their changelings in a tournament like this. It's not because they're kind, it's because the master demons would get pissed off if their changeling died."

"I care about you two, and not just because of your hearts!" Ava protested childishly.

"We know," Voltaire answered absently, giving Ava a casual pat.

"That is new to me. What if a lesser demon were to give their heart to a stronger demon? Has that happened before?" Kimi asked. She felt bile rise in her throat.

"Please tell me if you can see the town yet." She stated with a small whimper.

Trevor looked to her in concern.

"Demons-" Voltaire began, before pausing at looking at Kimi. "...The demons I know don't have hearts naturally. That's why they steal hearts them from others. Now I know that demons can lend hearts and heart pieces they've stolen to other demons, lesser or greater...without permission from their humans..."

"I said I was sorry!" Ava replied. "But it is good to invest heart pieces. Makes them stronger by drawing off of many sources."

Voltaire just sighed in annoyance, and went on with his talk.

"But yeah, when demons lend other demons pieces of heart, it's either to support that receiving demon with extra power or trying to make the main heart stronger by drawing off of other demonic sources. Even though they're separated, heart pieces are still connected to each other. It's hard to explain right."

"Well my kind have hearts. We get out powers from a type of organ that grows around it called a horn. Our enemy is the Angels from a rival world, meant to be like heaven. They have the same thing only its shaped different and called a halo. You can build up your horns by killing other demons or angels and some take the horns or halos as trophies." Kimi explained softly. Anything to get her mind of the nausea. "I have very weak horns, which its so hard for me to do magic. Our king- no, Negau has the strongest horns. That is why he was tormented so."

"Huh. Our demons aren't really like that," said Voltaire. "There are some demons that hunt other demons for the hearts and soul matter they've collected, and sometimes they'll kill each other if they're not enough hearts to go around, but most demons are more likely to work together than against each other. It's humans and animals and anything else with a heart that has to worry about them."

He paused, looking ahead.

"...Are we there yet?"

"Do you see the town yet?" Kimi replied. "We need to land at the south side of the town. We can get the rest of the way by foot in an hour. You can't get to it by the air." She dry heaved and clamped a hand over her mouth. "I don't know how much longer I can last."

Voltaire squinted as he peered ahead, as did Adair. Their eyesight was somewhat improved over the normal's person's eyesight.

"I think I see a steeple up ahead," said Adair. "Ava?"

"Mmm...yes, town up ahead!" the phoenix announced. "Be there in a couple of minutes."

"Can you handle that?" asked Voltaire, getting more concerned.

Kimi nodded, her hand still firmly over her mouth. She could last that long. She hoped to god she could last that long. She swallowed, forcing more bile back down.

Trevor chirped anxiously at her, pawing at her elbow.

Voltaire noticed the barrier flickering slightly and got splashed with some rainwater, but it wasn't his main concern. He leaned forward and put a arm around her shoulders, not sure if that would help or not.

"Hurry up, Ava! Before we all get drenched!"

"I'm hurrying! I'm hurrying!" Ava squawked back, flying faster. "Will be there soon! Soon!"

Kimi screwed her eyes up, willing the barrier to strengthen. It did, just enough to keep it stable. She could make it. She was a demon, and a royal demon at that! She could- she heaved again, but managed to force her bile back.

"Ok, at town!" Ava announced. "Now need to land! Land, land, land, land....LAND! Here will be good!"

She dove into a plain near the town, stopping under a large tree.

"Okay! Here now!"

Kimi shuddered. She heaved again, actually throwing up in her mouth a little.

The barrier flickered, went out, then came back stronger.

Trevor was sitting up straight, behind Adair, with his eyes closed.

Kimi tried to get down, but could only use one hand, the other clamped firmly over her mouth.

"Easy there," said Voltaire, helping her get down. "We can stop here for a sec if you need to. The tree's catching most of the rain, and we won't instantly die if we have to deal with a few drips." Though it will suck.

Adair was still on Ava's back, noticing Trevor's odd behavior. He didn't think trying to move the summon would be a good idea, but they both needed to get off Ava's back.

Kimi stumbled over to the tree and leaned against it heavily. She heaved a few times, but nothing came up. That in itself was good because she didn't have anything in her stomach-she hadn't eaten for three days. Finally she straightened, still paler than usual. "O-Okay" She murmured. She was shaking horribly and could barely hold herself up. "I-I'm alright now. I-I'm f-fine." she took a deep breath. "I can put the barrier back up"

Trevor opened his eyes and lept down, but retained his stiff posture.

"You sure?" Voltaire asked, a little skeptical. "I don't want you passing out on us."

Adair, still a little wary of Trevor, got off Ava and was looking around and making sure there weren't any curious villagers running to the scene. He didn't want to have to deal with shouting and pitchforks right now.

Kimi nodded with her eyes closed. "I-I think." She murmured. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate, but her legs collapsed out from under her.

The barrier remained, untouched.

"Kimi!" exclaimed Voltaire, kneeling down to lift her head up. Ava squawked and hurried over, making worried warbling sounds.

"What happened?" asked Adair, running over.

"She said she was fine and then she collapsed," answered the Hunter. "Godamit, I said we could wait!"

Trevor padded over softly, the barrier moving with him. He stood on his hind legs to look at Kimi's face while Voltaire was still kneeling down. He gave a soft whine before turning and starting off a few feet. He stopped and chirped at them as if to ask what they were waiting for.