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Demon Hunters Part 3
🕑 Added 2024-10-31 20:25:34 +0000 UTC“Are you still checking that transparency spell, B? I told you, nothing came up when I checked it the past NINE times.”
“That doesn’t mean nothing will show up when I check, Tom”, Bianca said as she glanced at her tablet screen, using her skill with tech to mess with Tom’s spell casting to see inside the diner.
It had been a little more than two weeks since the two demon hunters had arrived in town. It had been even less time in their new digs, as the apartment they had rented was for six months and was mostly barren. Bianca sat on the used couch they had purchased, scrolling up as she tried to relax.
“I don’t think you’re going to find anything. We’ve been inside that place, both to eat and survey, and the closest thing we’ve seen to demonic activity was one of the cashiers stealing money from the register. I’m telling you B, the place is clean.”
Tom grabbed a soda from the fridge, opened it an took a big swig. There was not much inside the fridge, outside of some leftovers, a few sodas, and some bottles of water. The duo lived a minimalist lifestyle while on the road, though they knew they wouldn’t be back on the road for a bit. They had signed the six month lease and planned on being there the whole time, even if it turned out that there was no demonic activity.
“I think you’re getting a little too obsessed Bianca. Seriously. You’ve stared at the screen every day these past 16 days and found nothing. Let’s just enjoy this town, huh?”
The horse stifled a belch and wiped his mouth, before he wiped the remaining soda off on his t-shirt. The blue shirt was clean, though this little wet spot joined a second one from the soda he had before this. Tom was not normally much of a soda person but for some reason, he had been really craving the sweet beverages these past few days.
He walked toward the couch and hiked his grey sweats up as he did so. He had loosened the band recently, though he didn’t realize he had. His boxers and stomach flashed briefly, though Bianca was paying him no attention.
Had she, she would have seen that the four pack he usually sported was now gone, a stomach that bulged slightly replaced it. His thighs too were packed more snugly in his sweats, his genetics making sure to increase the girth of his thighs to support his softer frame. It wasn’t much, but putting on about 18 pounds in 16 days was still a good amount. He did not notice it, even as his shirts got a bit snugger.
Bianca felt his approach and minimized the viewing of the diner. She placed the tablet on the coffee table and groaned. She was so sure that something was up at the diner, even insisting that they eat there at least once a day to have a better chance of catching some demon in the act. Still, that was doing nothing and all she had accomplished was getting a small case of indigestion.
Not used to eating this much, the lithe vulpine was finding herself bloated and uncomfortable, at least immediately after meals. As the day progressed, that bloated feeling would subside, only to be replaced by a hunger, one that was satiated with another large meal, whether from the diner or elsewhere. Without realizing it, as she was solely focused on getting the demon, Bianca was consuming roughly three times her old caloric intake for a day, which might not seem like much to the average fur, but for someone as small as her, it was a lot.
At only 5-1, she didn’t have a need to carry much weight around, which was why she typically stayed around 100 to 110 pounds. Since getting into town, she had packed on 9 pounds. Again, it wasn’t an astronomical amount, but for two furs who tended to be in shape, gaining a combined total of 27 pounds in under three weeks was a good amount, and a testament to just how much they were enjoying their time at the diner.
“Obsession, maybe. But we’re friggin demon hunters, we can’t just let them blend in and hide. We have to be diligent!”
She rose to her feet, standing in front of her taller friend. Even with his logical reasoning, Bianca would not be deterred.
“So, you’re saying we’re going to spend more time looking at this screen? Because that doesn’t sound fun at all.”
The fox was about to respond when she felt her stomach grumble. It had been a few hours since they had been to the diner, and while she hated to admit it, she was hungry again.
“No, no it doesn’t. I think for the time being, we should double our efforts at this place. Starting today, we’ll go for breakfast AND lunch. That’ll make the demon be more likely to slip up with us being there.”
Tom smiled. Even if this endeavor was pointless, he was not going to complain about going to the diner more. Like Bianca, he was growing fond of the food and really wanted to enjoy more of it.
“If that will get you to give this up, I’m all for it B. Let’s go.”
*
After the usual long wait, the two were able to get a table next to the counter. As they talked to themselves, the owner, Zendra, made her way over. She was very friendly and the pair had spoken to her a few times, but not for an extended period of time. Now, it seemed as though she was talking to everyone.
“Hey there! Bianca and Tom, right?”
“That’s us.”
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have just blurted out your names like that without being sure that’s what they were. It’s been a busy night but it’s FINALLY cooling off a bit. I think there’s a sporting event or something so some people are doing takeout.”
She motioned to the line by the takeout window before taking a napkin from her apron and wiping her face. The otter was a very large woman, which reassured a good few folks in town. As the adage went, no one wanted to eat cooking from a skinny chef.
“It’s totally fine. You have a lot of on your plate, literally and figuratively”, Tom said, chuckling to himself.
“He-he. It’s true. Since I came back in town, it’s all been a blur and so much to do. I had to hire more people than I thought but now it’s finally beginning to get easier. Not too much, but enough that I can actually take a break for a minute or two.”
“That’s good. We don’t know much about you since we’re from out of town. How did this start”, Bianca asked as she looked up from her menu.
“I always wanted to cook, ya know? Went to culinary school, the whole thing. Tried making it in the big city and got a good job, but I wanted to control things. Eventually I took out a loan, opened a small food truck, got the funds I needed to pay back the loan and come back here. This diner was just sitting here and I took a gamble. It’s been really rewarding.”
She turned to see that one of her staff had pushed some sodas to the front of the counter for the guests. Zendra took them and placed them in front of Bianca and Tom.
“You two don’t mind Coke, right? Didn’t want to presume.”
Bianca was about to decline the sugary drink, but Tom accepted on their behalf. The fox nodded amicably before taking a slow sip of the beverage.
“That’s quite a story. You must have had that food truck for awhile.”
“Nope, maybe a year? You’d never think that the city wouldn’t have it’s share of soul food, but they apparently didn’t. I cleaned up outside the offices.”
“Well, we can tell how good it is. And not just the soul food, everything”, Tom said as he took a hearty sip. “It’s the best food I’ve ever had.”
“Yeah, definitely”, Bianca agreed, though not as enthusiastically.
“I’m so glad you two like it”, Zendra responded before looking back to the kitchen. “But, if you will excuse me, duty calls. We’ll talk later!”
She waddled back towards the entrance to the kitchen and disappeared behind the wide double doors.
“She really seems nice”, Tom said as he took another swig.
“Perhaps too nice”, Bianca replied before taking a sip of her own. “Sure, she seems on the up and up, but something still feels off to me. I’m sorry.”
Tom groaned.
“You’re going to keep this up this entire time, aren’t you?”
Bianca nodded.
“You know me too well, don’t you?”
“That’s what I was afraid you’d say”, he said before getting back to his menu. He knew she wouldn’t let it go without definitive proof one way or another.
