Apollyon made a satisfied noise. “This is nice.”

“It really is. Maybe we should do this more often.” Kate sounded quite enthusiastic too.

“Let’s not make too many plans yet, we have barely left the city.” Evelyn had convinced the librarians, except Amaterasu who volunteered to stay behind, to accompany her on the hike to a fancy restaurant about a day’s worth of walking away.

Eisheth and Nirrti were hanging back a bit, talking about the nice nature around them. So, Apollyon, Kate and Evelyn chatted among themselves.

“I feel like I am calling on you all on very short notice recently, I’m sorry about that.” Evelyn frowned.

“Nonsense. We already agreed to join you on this weeks ago. Besides, we don’t flex our superior endurance often enough.” Apollyon was the one carrying most of the equipment, clothes and other shenanigans.

“I still feel a little bad about it.”

“Please do not. We have been travelling for barely two hours, I am having a good time.”

“It’s great! Never thought I would enjoy nature like this.” Kate was happy too.

Evelyn smiled. “I’m glad you two are having fun. What about you back there?” She turned to the other two demons behind the group.

Nirrti was eating some berries she had found on the way, Eisheth answered in her stead. “We have barely started, but we’re having fun back here.”

“Very good. Be careful with the berries though, I heard some were poisonous.”

Eisheth giggled. “Evelyn, we use arsenic and cyanide as spices. We can’t be poisoned.”

“Right… I forgot… intentionally.”

“That’s fair, but I recommend trying it all once you turn. They add something human-you is missing out on.”

“I will. It’s just super weird to think about. Also, why have I not died yet if you are cooking with all that stuff? There should be some arsenic dust or something around that kills me.”

“We magically clean our kitchens every time. Even the tiniest risk of harm to our humans is too great. And we have all lessened our usage of deadly-for-humans ingredients since Kate befriended us. We will keep it that way as long as we have anyone mortal visiting regularly.”

“That’s actually really sweet of you. You all are just too nice.”

“What was it you said, Kate? Hatred and indifference are mortal flaws?”

Kate nodded. “Exactly. It was Jolene who told me that originally, but she’s right. I can’t help but care.”

Evelyn looked up at the clear sky. “Is that why all of you decided to join me on this?”

“Pretty much. We care about you and doing things with friends is fun. How boring would immortality be if we didn’t just do things like this, if we just sat around the entire time?”

“Fair enough.”

 

The group stopped on a small bridge over a creek. A familiar yet disguised cat sat atop the railing, waiting for them.

“Mochi, hello.” Kate instantly recognized the cat.

Evelyn approached to pet Mochi. “So good to see you here. And you used your old look, still very cute! Want to travel with us?”

Mochi bumped her head into Evelyn’s hand and jumped down to rub against the human.

“I remember that was a yes, right?”

“Yes.”

“Awesome! Welcome to our hiking group. Just nudge me if you want to be carried, okay? We still have a while to go.”

Mochi confirmed that with another head bump.

“Awesome! We’ll get going once we are done letting this amazing view sink in.”

The view was quaint yet magical. The small creek meandered out from the small woods the group was in down a hill and through the fields beyond. The human and the demons quite enjoyed it here. It was cozy, especially with a cat happily greeting everyone.

Eventually, they had to move on. Mochi kept following them for a while before asking to be carried. After figuring out a way to place her atop Evelyn's backpack, the journey continued and Mochi got to enjoy a nice view the entire way.

While the original idea had been to spend the night at a hostel halfway to the village and its fancy restaurant, the timetable had moved. From the looks of it, they would arrive at the restaurant at a reasonable time if they kept going, so it was decided to do just that.

There would be no more woods on their path, but pretty fields and cute hills. And eventually the town they were aiming for.

 

The restaurant was everything Evelyn had promised: good food and a good atmosphere. Mochi sadly had to wait outside but was promised some of the spoils.

“This has to be the best reward.” Evelyn was a bit exhausted, but happy.

“Good food is always a good reward.” Nirrti agreed.

“I think I’ll do this again someday. Maybe to a place Mochi can join me.”

“Preferably. But I think she will be happy to just travel with you.”

“If I bring her something to snack on from wherever we go.”

“I think she’ll forgive you if you don’t. But don’t make it a habit to leave her out of your culinary adventures.” Nirrti giggled.

“I won’t. I could never leave her out of the journeys I want to go on. I mean, I specifically want to travel with her.”

“Speaking of journey.” Kate interrupted. “Should we see about getting a hostel room after dinner and hike back tomorrow or…” She made an ominous hand gesture.

Evelyn shook her head. “Neither. I don’t think I can do the full trip back in one day and don’t want to cheat. There is an overnight train that departs at one in the morning from here, takes a little detour and then gets us back home at around four thirty.”

“That’s more than a little detour then.”

“Well, yes, but the view will be nice.”

“Darkened train, clear sky, sounds like a good plan.”

The other demons nodded in agreement.

“I don’t know if we can take Mochi with us on the train though.” Evelyn frowned.

“Maybe we can take her in a cat carrier?”

“Maybe. We’ll talk to her after dinner.”

“Yes, let her decide what to do.”

 

Mochi had opted for the cat carrier, which was promptly conjured. The group was now enjoying the view of the stars and the moonlit landscape. It was a wonderful ending to this lovely day. Evelyn would sadly miss most of the good view, she had fallen asleep.

The demons around her opted to merely whisper to each other.

“Kate, do you regret not having made such a list of things to do before being turned?” Apollyon sounded a little worried.

“In a way I had that, didn’t I? It was just cut short.”

“True. I just worry that I took something from you. Something you may never recover.”

Kate shook her head. “Not at all. There are things I regret about that time, but nothing of that is your fault. Let’s just say that those things were all things that didn’t necessarily increase my opinion of the angels.”

“I am grateful you think that way.”

“I was the first person you turned, wasn’t I?”

Apollyon nodded sheepishly. “I bore witness to many turnings, but you were the first I turned myself.”

“How was it?”

“It obviously went well, you know that…?”

“I meant for you. How did it feel?”

“It felt good. Warm mainly, almost like hugging you but in a deeper way.”

“I wonder what it will be like for Evelyn.”

“You should ask her when it is all done. I am sure she’d be happy to tell you.”

“I will. Besides all that, we need to do this more often.”

“This?”

“Yea, going a trip together. All of us.”

“Hm, yes, that would be nice.”