Chapter 1553 Kam-Cam
D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad
--- Kamiko --- (About 4 hours after leaving Kat and Lily)
Kamiko bit back a scream when a hand landed on her shoulder but that didn't stop her flinching. Looking over she saw Hunter's face near her, and the hand on her shoulder kept moving⦠oh Hunter was giving her a pat. "Oh⦠um⦠are you trying to comfort me?" asked Kamiko. She⦠genuinely wasn't sure. Since setting off things had been tense, at least in her mind and Hunter⦠wasn't helping.
Even if she might have been trying?
"Yes though I can see from your face that it has not worked. Do not worry, I will ensure your safety on this trip in Kat's stead. Knowing you can heal me it is not a large sacrifice to make," stated Hunter.
Kamiko gulped and gave a small nod. "Um⦠right⦠I⦠I trust you that much but well⦠honestly Meg is a bigger concern. I'm⦠I'm surprised you got away from her. I mean, I can see her hair in front of us and I⦠I'm sure she can hear me⦠but well⦠you⦠haven't exactly been the best at standing up to her.
Continue your journey on empire
I um⦠I didn't want to ask, but⦠but nobody else did and⦠well now I think I might be more scared of not knowing⦠so umâ¦"
Hunter grit her teeth. "It is⦠not a thing that I enjoy admitting out loud. I suppose I have been intentionally trying to sidestep the issue and I am sure that the fights we engaged in simply muddied the waters further. To⦠answer your question?"
"You⦠you um⦠don't have to if you don't want to?" offered Kamiko after a few moments of silence.
"No, you likely deserve an answer. Kat and Lily do as well⦠but it is easier to admit to this knowing that you feel so scared. Kat and Lily⦠or at least Kat, seemed more equipped to deal with 23HX502 then I feel I can. I⦠I have a lot of problems with 23HX502 as has been obviousâ¦
"But there are very few people in our age group that can keep up with us. Even knowing that we are a few years apart in age⦠23HX502 has always been a cut above everyone else. In a straight fight I am not her match, but in terms of hunting and assassination I manage a leg up.
"The issues⦠the issues come from my own lack of social circle. I do not⦠I cannot say that I like 23HX502. She represents many of the parts of my clan I find least pleasing. I⦠see her as part of the problem. So many people are simply ungrateful for the benefits they have received, disrespect the traditions of my clan⦠and then further have the gal to not even properly make use of them.
To wallow in mediocrity.
"23HX502⦠has not done this. She has spat in the clan's face while still making proper use of our facilities and presenting her problems in a forthright manner. I cannot deny I have a much higher level of respect for her then I do many others that act similarly⦠but at the same time⦠she is the one I see most often. She regularly seeks me out and causes problems. She isâ¦
"Despite being so different from many of the other more problematic members of the clan that I am aware of, because I interact with her so frequently she has become the FACE of those problems in my mind, even if it remarkably unfair and she shares little with those individuals⦠her presence gives me a person to lump blame upon.
"It is uncharitable of me⦠but that is the main reason we do not get along. The⦠conflicting problem is that I do not have anyone else on my level. While there are those amongst our age group that respect the clan for what it is and does⦠they simply lack the skill and dedication to stand on equal footing with me.
They cannot challenge me, I do not see them as peers⦠and I am⦠admittedly quite intimidating.
"Most of the clan members I find acceptable have their own friend groups that I have been set apart from. I was put on a pedestal for a long time and I did not properly rectify that while we were growing up. Now I find myself lacking in friends⦠and while I do not find that a terribly disturbing thing⦠someone I am not friends with comes around to bother me.
To compete with me and act as a rival and I find⦠I find⦠hmmâ¦" Hunter found herself trailing off not quite able to find, or say, the words.
"You⦠you have a rival⦠and⦠and maybe you don't like her but you definitely do not wish to be rid of her?" asked Kamiko.
Hunter nodded, "Yes. I do not⦠I do not know how to change our relationship or if I even want to. She⦠she is my peer in the way those older then us cannot be, and those our age simply are not. I⦠I do not know if I can find it in myself to like or approve of 23HX502. She⦠everything that she is⦠I do not like it.
We have fundamental disagreements and I cannot spend too long with her without getting angry and attackingâ¦
"But that too is part of our rivalry. I mentioned it, I do not want to remove her⦠and our fights are not so lethal as they seem. Ultimately⦠I find myself not knowing what to do. The fact she signed up for this mission, not to ensure the safety of a world but to help me out⦠I do not know how to feel.
It is a mixture of joy and anger that if anything just make the anger stronger⦠yet it does not entirely stamp out the joy. It is a problem I justâ¦" Hunter sighed.
"The point I am hoping has come across here is that my fights with her a in many ways performatory but if she was to cause you real harm, either mental or physical, I would not be inclined to hold back in my retribution the way I do now. Just⦠know that I am on your side in this,"
"Oh⦠um⦠yes that⦠that does help. Though⦠um⦠hmm⦠I feel like⦠like it might be better if you were friends? But⦠but maybe that's just because having friends was my dream for so long. I⦠hmm⦠I feel like sharing something important with you in return⦠but⦠oh wait no! I know.
Um⦠soâ¦" Kamiko took in a deep breath and glanced at Meg who wasn't looking back⦠but did seem to have a slight skip in her step that was not there before. Kamiko made a note of that.
"So⦠I had⦠have? Had. I had issues with my sister. Aslena she caused me a lot of trouble when I was younger and⦠even somewhat recently. It wasn't until I met Kat and she sort of⦠confronted Aslena for me that we started to get along. I mean, it isn't perfect and I⦠she still causes me problems from time to time but⦠it's⦠it's much less hostile now.
I feelâ¦
"Hmm⦠I don't want to make it seem like I am just attempting to speak ill of her⦠but she feels more like my sister now. Before she felt like a problem or an enemy. I⦠I would not call her a rival. It was not about pushing me to be my best⦠but pushing me down instead.
I⦠I know some of that was my unwillingness to speak up about it and let things happen but⦠I put a lot⦠or maybe all of the blame on her. Which wasn't fair but it is what it is. Um⦠what I'm saying is⦠you can change your relationship with people whenever you want, sometimes⦠sometimes you just need a push,"
"I thank you for what I assume is well meaning advice but I assure you I have considered changing things many times. I have yet to find a compelling enough reason though. I struggle to overcome my inherent dislike of 23HX502 and her choices. I respect her, and that means we can get along somewhat, but I do not have a favourable opinion of her.
I can see many easy ways to ensure we had a more standard friendship but I do not believe it would make me happy in the long run⦠and truthfully I am unsure if 23HX502 would feel the same," explained Hunter.
Kamiko didn't say anything⦠but she thought it worth noting that Meg had allowed a rather serious conversation in which Hunter referred to her as 23HX502 without interrupting and complaining about not being called Meg. Sure the mist muted sound a bit but not by that much. Kamiko didn't know what that MEANT exactly, but it was certainly something to keep a note of⦠and maybe inform Kat?
Kamiko would think about that once they'd set up camp and nobody else would notice the message.