All summoning kits contain a gag, from the most basic starter set, suited to nothing grander than a lowly imp, to the most elaborate, with safeguards meant to contain even one of the princes of hell. It must be used in all summonings. To do otherwise is a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison. Daemons are wily, and given even a single sentence, they will convince you to part with your soul for so little a price as a bowl of ice cream. Better to state what you want, and what you are offering. Allow the creature to assent or refuse, but never to give a counter offer, and certainly never to say what they want from you.

-Daemonology: Advice and Guidelines


"So…" Anna buries her face in her glass, enjoys the burn of alcohol in her throat. "I, um. I did it."

"You." Kristoff groans. "God damnit Anna. What did you give up?"

"It's not a big deal," Anna says. "You're the Daemonology major."

"For research!" Kristoff exclaims. "I didn't lend you my textbooks so you could…You said you were just going to use them to study. Prepare for college. God. Daemons are dangerous Anna. What did you give it? What about your singing career? What if someone finds out? Hmm? You'd be ruined!"

"I don't want to talk about that," Anna says. She hopes her glass hides her blush. "Fucker didn't even give me what I asked for."

"Anna," Kristoff waits until she looks up at him. "Daemons are clever. They're good at finding loopholes. But if you can get them to agree to something concrete, they are bound to fulfill their end of the bargain. It's in the introduction. You did read it, right?"

"Of course," Anna scowls. Somewhere off to the side, Olaf yells something, but they ignore him. "It's just," Anna continues. She puts her finger in the condensation her glass left on the table, and draws it out into an elaborate spiral. "I didn't get anything."

"You asked for a girlfriend?" Kristoff leans forward, eyebrows raised. "Like you joked about?"

"Yes," Anna says quietly. "So?"

"Hmm." Kristoff pantomimes putting on a monocle. "I've honestly got no idea how it will pull that off. They can't influence someone unless she's agreed to it, so I can't imagine it will… Huh. I got nothing. Whatever it is, maybe it takes time? Did you establish a time limit? Did you specify romantic? Maybe 'Punzie counts already?" Kristoff knows what he's talking about; one of his classes had him summon an imp and do just that. Agree to let it influence one decision. One decision in the hands of an imp. Only so much trouble that can cause, but it's enough to let him know what it feels like, to have a daemon muddling around in his mind. He hadn't felt anything though.

"Oh my god." Anna hits her forehead against the table. "I'm an idiot."

"You are," Kristoff nods sagely. He tries very hard to sound sympathetic. "There are a lot of very good reasons why you shouldn't do anything with daemons until you are really super duper sure about what you're doing. Shouldn't do anything with them at all, preferably. What did you give it?"

"My innocence," Anna scowls. "Whatever the hell that means."

"Good," Kristoff says. "I'm guessing it was just an imp, maybe a lesser daemon. Just playing a prank. Gave you something you already have. Next time you'll know better. Less innocent now?"

Anna nods miserably. Kristoff doesn't see the way she glances guiltily down.

"Come on you guys!" Olaf bounces over to their table. "Flyn and Punzie are dancing all alone!"

"Olaf," Kristoff sighs. In another world, favors abruptly change hands. Stronger daemons crush weaker ones. A concession Kristoff had given to an imp passes into the hands of a greater daemon. A creature which can work immeasurably more mischief with it than a lowly imp. "I'll join you," Kristoff says, without quite knowing why. "Anna, go to the bar. Find a nice girl."

"I can't," Anna mumbles. "I… What do I even say? What if she isn't gay? What if…"

Kristoff stands awkwardly, moves around the table, pats her slender back. "Then you try again. Look. I'll get you started. That one." He raises his voice. "Hey," he calls. "What's your name?"

A girl turns from the bar. All platinum hair and bruised eyes. Eyes that show a kind of damage deeper than the physical. "Elsa," she says hesitantly.

"Pretty name," Kristoff says. "Sorry to bother you. This is my friend Anna."

"Hello," Elsa replies carefully. Guarded. As if every word that passes her lips will be used against her.

"Hi," Anna says.

"Anna is gay and lonely," Kristoff says. "Are you?"

Elsa nods suspiciously.

"There you go then," Kristoff says triumphantly. "Go on."

"I hate you," Anna grumbles, but she stands anyway, and wobbles over to Elsa. She drops down heavily beside- too much to drink already. "Sorry about him," she says. Shrugs. "I wasn't going to talk to you, so he did. Not that… I wanted to, you know, just… God I'm awkward.

Elsa winces. "It's quite all right," she says. She smiles. It looks deliberate. Unfamiliar. "I'm glad you did. Awkward or not."

"So," Anna says after a moment.

"So," Elsa agrees.

"Uh," Anna flags down the bartender, but he shakes his head. "So, what do you do?"

"Bit of this, bit of that," Elsa says. She looks between Anna and the hulking bartender. "What are you drinking?"

"Gin and tonic," Anna says. "Or rum and coke. Or rum and ginger ale. Or vodka and… anything, really."

Elsa points to her drink. "Bloody Mary," she says. "Liked the name, liked the color, didn't like the taste. You want it?"

"Hell yea," Anna grins. "Actually." She sighs. "Thanks, but Kristoff would say I've had enough. Sven did say I've had enough, more or less." She gestures to the big bartender.

"Life is short," Elsa shrugs. She slides her drink over. "Besides, this day and age? Just call up something with horns, and get it to fix your liver."

"I thought…" Anna grins, and picks up the drink. Hospitals have daemonologists on staff for whatever science can't fix. So long as they can pay. What's to keep her from doing the same? Laws? Because she let those stop her last time. "Thanks," she says. "You know, just earlier today, I summoned a daemon myself." She grins proudly.

"Really?" Elsa raises one pale eyebrow. "You're more interesting than I thought." She turns fully to face Anna. "How'd it go? What'd you get?"

"It went… well enough, I guess," Anna shrugs. "It didn't get my soul or anything."

"That's good," Elsa smiles. "I won't ask what you did give. Seems like something that's between you and the daemon."

"I guess," Anna says. She sips her borrowed drink. "Not a big deal."

"Not a big deal," Elsa repeats. She grins. "I like that. Everyone makes a 'big deal' about deals with devils. Like there's something… I don't know. With the gags, and whatnot, I can't imagine anyone gives up their soul. Hell, we don't even know that there is a soul. So there are daemons. What does that prove? That there's another world with another species? It just… I don't know, it doesn't seem as dangerous as everyone makes it seem."

Anna nods thoughtfully. "I guess," she says. "You have any experience with…"

"I've been to a few summonings," Elsa says. "Nothing major. Wasn't even allowed to speak for most of them. What did you ask for?"

"Oh god," Anna flushes. Elsa winces. "You're going to think I'm such a dweeb."

"I don't think you're cool now," Elsa says. "What do you have to lose?"

"I…" Anna downs her drink in a single painful gulp. "I asked for a girlfriend."

"Huh," Elsa says. "Well I guess it's decided then. Hand?"

"Hand?" Anna frowns in confusion.

"Give me your hand," Elsa says. She holds out her own. Anna takes it, after a moment.

Elsa's face is unreadable. She pulls a marker from her pocket- who carries markers around with them- and writes something on the freckled back of Anna's hand. "Use it," she says. Stands. Leaves.

Anna looks down. There are a few rumpled bills on the counter, but what draws her attention are the ten numbers on the back of her hand, dark on the pale of her flesh. A broad smile splits her face.


AN: I feel like I should write something here, but what is there to say? That reviews make me write better? That follows and favorites sustain me like food sustains you? You all know these things already. (note, that food is the only substitute for food. I don't actually advocate trying to live off of follows and favorites)