And somewhere in the darkness, the gambler he broke even, but in his final words I found an ace I could keep

“Welcome back!” Sylvia crowed, turning to face the audience. The girls all looked at her in confusion.

“Um… we haven’t gone anywhere, though,” Nick mentioned. Sylvia waved off his concerns.

“Doesn’t matter. What matters is that we’ve reached the most exciting part of our evening!” She cracked a mischievous smile. “Time to see what our audience has decided! We’ve seen a few transformations already, but those were just to wet your whistle! Now… we begin with you, my girl!”

Sylvia turned to Dani, who tensed up.

“Wh-What did I get?” Dani asked. She got a sinking feeling in her gut.

“You had a very simple transformation,” Sylvia said. She raised her cane, and shadows swirled around the head. “Your transformation… is Just One of the Guys!”

Dani gulped. Her eyes landed on Nick for a second, and the word “no” slipped past her lips just as the dark energy surrounded her. Not to transform her body this time, but her mind.

The rules of the transformation popped up on the screen.

Just One of the Guys: Dani’s a tomboy, she doesn’t really care that much about her appearance like the other girls. And because of that, it doesn’t really matter to her one way or the other if one of her close guy friends sees her in the nude. Come on, dude, it’s just some skin! Why would I be embarrassed about something like that when we’re just friends? It’s not like you’d be checking me out or anything! (Tomboy)

The energy around Dani faded, and she blinked. “So wait… my transformation…”

“I told you it was a simple one, didn’t I?” Sylvia smirked. “From this point on, you’re not going to care one bit if the master is checking out your body! Seeing you in a bikini, underwear, even buck naked, it won’t matter to you at all!”

Dani blinked as that sank in.

“…Wait, that’s it?” She tilted her head to the side.

“That’s it?” Carly gasped. “That’s a pretty significant transformation, don’t you think?!”

“Not really,” Dani shrugged. “I mean, why would I care if Nick saw me naked in the first place? It’s not like he’d be turned on or anything,” she snorted. “I’m just one of the guys.”

“Exactly!” Sylvia chirped, as the insidious nature of Dani’s transformation set in.

“It’s basically like I didn’t get a transformation at all!” Dani cackled. “Two weeks in a row without any major changes!”

“…Almost,” Sylvia said, narrowing her eyes.

Dani tensed again.

“…What do you mean by ‘almost’?” She asked cautiously.

“Oh? Have you forgotten already, my girl?” Sylvia purred. “Your reward from the last challenge.”

Dani gasped, feeling the slip of paper burn in her fingers. The words flashed up on the screen for everyone to see.

“I’m sure you think that you’ll be getting another transformation.” Sylvia shook her head to show that wasn’t the case. “But allow me to correct you on that front!”

Up to Eleven: The contestant’s next transformation will receive an upgrade to an advanced transformation.

“An upgrade?” Dani gasped. Just because she didn't see the transformation have any effect on her mental state, that didn’t mean an upgraded form of it wouldn’t be a problem, depending on what it was.

Of course, she was the only one who didn’t realize just how much the transformation had affected her mindset in the first place.

“That’s correct,” Sylvia said, tapping her cane on the stage. The crystal embedded began to glow black once more, and it began to leak more dark energy, which surrounded Dani again.

Just One of the Guys*: Dani’s a tomboy, she doesn’t really care that much about her appearance like the other girls. And because of that, it doesn’t really matter to her one way or the other if one of her close guy friends sees her in the nude. Come on, dude, it’s just some skin! Why would I be embarrassed about something like that when we’re just friends? It’s not like you’d be checking me out or anything! UPGRADE: Now, not only will Dani no longer care about being seen naked by her close guy friends, but she’ll be fine with a little skinship as well! The occasional boob touch, a casual brush against the ass, none of that’s a big deal anymore! After all, when you wrestle with your best buds, it’s kind of impossible to avoid a little touching here and there! It’s not like it means anything, after all. (Tomboy)

Dani blinked again, her head fogging up as she processed the upgrade to her transformation. “Oh, so… that’s all? Yeah, I mean, if Nick accidentally touches me now and then, it’s not a big deal. What was I so worried about?” She laughed.

“Exactly!” Sylvia nodded eagerly, giving her a thumbs up. “You’re a tomboy, after all! What’s a little heavy petting between friends? You’re not one of those sensitive girls who’d make a big deal about grope or two!”

“Hah! And here I was afraid of something terrible happening!” Dani shook her head in disbelief. “I could take another one!”

“Oh, don’t threaten me with a good time.” Sylvia narrowed her eyes. “Well, I’m glad you’re so chill about your transformation, my girl, because I doubt your fellow haremette will feel the same.”

She turned to Mary and the redhead gulped, curling up into her sweater.

“Um… please… please tell me it wasn’t… that one,” she begged.

Sylvia smirked. “Oh? And what do you mean by ‘that one’ my girl?” She purred.

“The… the libido one…” Mary looked like she was one heartbeat away from dying. “Please no…”

“Well, I have some excellent news for you, my girl!” Sylvia laughed. “While your votes were going back and forth for a while there between all three options, there was one obvious winner by the end- Daisy Dukes!”

Daisy Dukes: With a cute body like that, it’s time to show it off! No more long skirts or sweaters, Mary’s wardrobe will now be filled with denim and flannel! Cut-off jean shorts, unbuttoned shirts tied above the midriff, handkerchiefs, and if she likes, stylish cowboy boots and a wide brim hat! Yeehaw! (Farmer’s Daughter)

Mary turned green as black light swirled around her. Her sweaters melted away, and were replaced by a skimpy, unbuttoned flannel shirt. It was tied up just above her waist, revealing her midriff and exposing her milky white cleavage to the sun. Beneath her shirt her dress morphed into a pair of tight denim shorts that cut off just at the curve of her thighs, clinging to her bubble butt like they were painted on. She completed the look with a pair of cowboy boots that rose up to her knees, leaving tons of gorgeous leg open to the air.

Mary trembled, but to everyone’s shock, she didn’t scream. She didn’t cry. She didn’t even blush. She just scowled, glaring at Sylvia with renewed fury.

She glanced at Nick, and then shied away from his gaze. He politely looked away as well. Then, she realized something was wrong. She gasped, and her hand shot up to her chest.

“My rosary! It’s gone!” All the strength she’d built up drained away as she started to shake, fumbling for a cross that wasn’t there.

“Ah, you mean this?” Sylvia dangled the rosary in front of the redhead with a mocking smirk on her face. Mary cried and lunged for the necklace, but Sylvia snatched it away. The cowgirl tripped on her clunky boots and sprawled in the sand, showing off her round bottom to Nick and the others.

“It wasn’t part of the ensemble,” Sylvia said, clicking her tongue. “Normally it would have melted away, but as it carries such sentimental value, I took the liberty to preserve it.”

She set the cross down gently in the sand. “I’ll return it gladly, my girl.”

Mary snatched the cross up and clutched it to her chest, sighing in relief. Just having it back in her possession was a relief. She looked up at Sylvia with a complex expression on her face.

“…Thank you,” she managed to spit out. The words tasted like poison on her lips.

Sylvia smiled… for a second. And then her grin turned wicked.

“Now… we get to your reward.”

Mary scrambled to her feet, backing away from Sylvia. “W-Wait…”

“No!” Sylvia chirped.

Hung Jury: For the contestant’s next transformation, they will receive the transformation with the highest votes, as well as the transformation with the second highest votes.

“Two votes!?” Kim gasped, running over to her friend to comfort her.

“That's crazy!” Dawn exclaimed.

“The… the second-highest?” Mary gulped. “Which one is that…?”

Sylvia raised her eyebrows and her smile widened. Mary face turned the color of snow.

“No-!”

“Yes.”

Sylvia swept her cane across the sky, and darkness swirled around Mary once more.

Gaze into the Abyss: Mary has always done her best to behave properly. While not one easily aroused, there have nevertheless been times when she has felt… stirrings. She’s always been able to tamper down on those feelings, but that may become much more difficult. For every transformation affecting Mary, her libido will increase slightly. (Corruption)

Mary stumbled back, feeling a swell of heat swirl up inside her. Her face flushed and her heart pounded in her chest. She clenched her legs together and pulled her shirt tightly against her skin. The feeling of the flannel against her skin seemed to inflame her, sending sensations through her that she’d always tried to suppress.

“Now, those boosts to your libido would be difficult with just one new transformation added to your existing two…” Sylvia sighed, shaking her head. “But look at you! Getting a head start now that you got two transformations in one round! That heat betwixt your legs must be raring to go, hmm?”

Mary swallowed, afraid to open her mouth lest she let out a passionate moan.

“Well, whenever you’re ready, your master will be looking forward to what you can do with that new libido,” Sylvia laughed, tapping the tip of her cane against Mary’s stomach. A fire lit up in her room, and for a second she wondered if she’d just ovulated. And that thought began to heat her up even more.

“Now then, before Pretty Mary Sunlight cums her brains out all over the beach, we should really pick up the pace,” Sylvia said, turning to the others. “That’s all for rewards, so now, let’s see what you girls earned on your own merits! Starting with you.”

Gina blinked, and then shrugged. “Well… I already got one transformation today,” she groused. “What’s it going to be now?”

“Oh, I think you’ll like this one,” Sylvia smiled as the information appeared on the screen.

Sweetcheeks: Gina’s pretty stacked in the tits department, but otherwise she’s a bit skinny. Now her rump will fill out those torn jeans a little better! But at the same time, her ass will be seen as so seductive that anyone who sees it will feel obligated to just give it a big old smack to say hello. (Submissive)

Gina grinned. “Oh, hey! That sounds like a good time!”

Her smile didn’t fade as the light suffused her, and her ass plumped out until it reached the same bouncy thiccness of Mary's. Now that they were both wearing jean shorts they were practically twins!

Just to test her new rear out, Gina gave it a hearty “SMACK!” that echoed across the beach. She felt her cheeks ripple, and gave Nick a suggestive wink.

“Can’t wait to see how we make use of this fine thing on our next night together,” she purred.

Nick blushed, feeling a little inspired to spank her himself. But he held back.

“Well, glad to see you like it,” Sylvia smiled, turning to the next girl in the list. “Now then, Carly my girl, what are we going to do with you?”

“What do you mean?” Carly asked cautiously.

Sylvia giggled. “What I mean is that it seems our audience really isn’t a fan of your adventurous spirit, or your exhibitionism. No, for the third transformation in a row, they decided they want you to become their little content creating insta-thot!”

Carly brightened up. “So you mean I got…?”

“Exactly! Veteran Experience!” Sylvia nodded.

Veteran Experience: Carly has been in the business of pleasing people with her appearance for quite some time. She’s what you might call an expert. And she’ll be happy to share that expertise with her fellow contestants! Other contestants will feel compelled to come seek out Carly’s advice for how to look more sexy and appeal better to Nick’s tastes, and Carly will give them her honest opinion. (Content Creator)

Carly didn’t feel all that different when the transformation wore off. She grinned.

“So what? I help the other girls turn Nick on? Shouldn’t be too much of a problem.” She winked flirtatiously at Nick as well. “I’m a bit of an expert on the subject.”

Gina’s teasing was one thing. But Carly was the follow-up punch that made his dick start to harden. The thought of her grooming someone like Dawn or Kim for him… or hell, even Mary, getting her all nice and primped up, ready to sleep with him… it appealed to his tastes in a way that made him question his morality all over again.

“So then… Kim, I believe you’re next?” Sylvia turned to Kim, who swallowed and nodded.

“Bring it,” she said, holding her head up high. “I’m ready.”

Sylvia smiled. “That’s just what I like to hear from my ****- err, workers!” That made Kim gasp.

“So wait, you mean…”

“That’s right my girl, you're our newest Model Employee here at the Harem Hotel!” She raised her cane and swung it through the air.

Kim barely had time to shout before she was wiped off the beach entirely. The only thing remaining in her place was Mary’s sweater, which plopped into the sand.

“Kim!” Mary cried, scrambling over and recovering the white garment.

“Where is she?!” Nick demanded, jumping out of his seat and storming over to Sylvia. “What did you do to her?!”

Sylvia rolled her eyes. “She was late for work. I just helped her get to her new job as soon as she could.” She flicked her cane towards the screen to remind the others of Kim’s transformation.

Model Employee: As part of her obligation to the show, Kim will now be employed part-time in the designer lingerie boutique. If any of her fellow contestants (or the master) wish to make a purchase, Kim will model the clothes for them, regardless of restrictions to her wardrobe from other transformations. In exchange, she will receive a portion of the BP given for any purchases. (Service Industry)

“She better be safe,” Nick growled, glaring at her.

“Absolutely safe, hand to God,” Sylvia swore, and her palm began to smoke. Then it burst into flames, and she quickly shook it out. “…Metaphorically, I mean. But that sweater? Not at all part of her new uniform, if you know what I mean.”

Nick got it. He scowled.

“Yes, she'll be wearing considerably... less,” Sylvia assured him. “A nice break from being in uniform all the time!”

“Sylvia...”

“I'm telling you, she's perfectly safe!” Sylvia huffed. “And while she’s getting situated in her new job, let’s turn to our next girl!”

Sylvia flashed a smile Dakota’s way. Dakota glared back in response.

“As part of your reward, all your transformations are similar to punishments,” Sylvia reminded the pale girl. “But you’re lucky, you got a fairly light one!” Dakota’s transformation appeared on the screen next, and she frowned.

Gets Horny When Wet: Everyone knows that supernatural entities are **** to the effects of holy water. But now Dakota will be **** to the effects of regular water as well! Whenever she gets wet, the longer she remains in contact with the liquid, regardless of how much or how little, her libido will slowly increase. (Note: Body fluids are exempt, of course). (Supernatural)

“So I can’t go swimming anymore, then?” She clarified.

“You can,” Sylvia shrugged. “But if you do, well… it might not go great.”

She smirked. “Oh, and by the way… it counts for drinking, too.”

Dakota narrowed her eyes.

“Enjoy getting turned on whenever you have a glass of water!” Sylvia chirped, turning to her next victim.

Rose was up. She kept her eyes fixed on Sylvia in defiance.

“Bring it on,” she growled. “I’ve already gotten farther than I imagined. I can take it.”

“Well, that’s good to hear,” Sylvia nodded. “Because with Scenes from a Hat, you’re going to be 'taking it' in all manner of different ways!”

Scenes from a Hat: Rose has been professionally trained to act her best. But the best acting comes when not even you are prepared. Rose will occasionally find herself in sexual “scenes” with the master or her other contestants, and be compelled to act out the scene to completion. (Note: She will not be **** to engage in any activities she has not already consensually performed) (Actress)

“So I have to act out scenes now, huh?” Rose sighed in relief. Then she smiled. “Why thank you, Sylvia. Not only do I get an easy transformation, but I get to practice my craft. Quite excellent!”

“You may think that now,” Sylvia said, narrowing her eyes. “Let’s see how you feel when you’re compelled to play opposite someone you despise.”

Rose didn’t flinch. She maintained her adamant stare, much to Sylvia’s annoyance.

“…Fine then. We’ve only got one girl left. And she’s got quite a few transformations to get through,” Sylvia said, turning to Mimi. The slime girl stared blankly at her.

“To start? Here’s your first transformation!” Sylvia raised her cane. “With the highest percentage of the vote we’ve ever gotten, nearly 90%, the one you asked for, Hands on a Warm Body! Our audience seems in agreement, a real girl they can see getting fucked is the way to go, instead of a pool of slime!”

Hands on a Warm Body: Mimi’s body is made out of slime. While that can be sexy in its own right, there’s still something to be said about that human touch. Mimi’s body will go from liquid to semi-solid, having a mostly human body that can still turn into slime. (Real Girl)

Mimi began to glow. Then, to everyone’s amazement, her skin solidified, turning from an opaque liquid to real, human flesh, pale as it might be. She gained definition and detail all across her frame, her hair separated from her face, and nipples popped up on her boobs. The lips of her vagina formed, delicate as a flower, and so did the crack in her ass. She looked every bit the naked girl, standing in the sand in front of everyone.

She was staring right at Nick.

Showed Naked Body to the Master! +5 VP

Mary gasped, and rushed over to the newly-humanized girl. She frantically pulled a sweater over Mimi to preserve her modesty, and prayed that she wouldn’t melt through it. And while the slime girl didn’t melt the garment, she did soak it completely in her slime.

Mimi stared questioningly at Mary. Her dull eyes showed the briefest spark of emotion.

“Don’t show your skin like that!” She pleaded. “If you’re going to be human, then you need to preserve your dignity, alright?”

“…Alright,” Mimi nodded. “…Thank you.”

Mary smiled for the first time since her latest transformation.

“Ahem. While I appreciate the kind gesture towards my little Mimi, we have two transformations to go,” Sylvia reminded her. “And they're only getting better! Next, we had a tie, between Custom Model and All Lubed Up! This one’s a little tricky, but you know what? I’m such a generous mom who wants her baby to have nice things, so I’m going to give you both! Enjoy!”

Custom Model: Mimi is locked into the form of her original host, Carly. But with this transformation, she will be able to make small adjustments to herself, allowing her to change her appearance and proportions slightly. These changes are permanent. (Mimicry)

All Lubed Up: The slime Mimi generates will now contain aphrodisiac properties. She can control how much her fluids will arouse others. The impact is doubled upon ingestion. (Slime Girl)

If Mimi seemed concerned that she was now given two transformations, she didn’t show it. She stared blankly up at Sylvia.

“Hey!” Dakota snapped. “Giving her two transformations like that? Isn't this just favoritism?!”

Sylvia shook her head. “It's not favoritism if it's to make things sexier for the master,” she sniffed. Mimi so-called “mother” continued, “now then my girl, not only have you become human, but you’ll be able to alter your appearance slightly! So you won’t have to worry about looking like a carbon copy of Carly any longer! Plus, you can make some nice aphrodisiac slime to boot!”

Carly sighed in relief, relaxing slightly. She’d been tense ever since Mimi turned human. This gesture didn’t go unnoticed by the slime girl, who stared right at her, without blinking.

“And finally, your last transformation, and by far the most useful… Fast Learner!” Sylvia declared, raising her cane one final time. “You’ve got the body! You’ve got the looks! But if you want to be human, my girl, you’re going to need to learn from the best!”

Fast Learner: Mimi is a Mimic Jelly. She’s not a real person. She hasn’t grown up in human society. But now she’ll be capable of learning things at a breakneck pace, being able to pick up human customs, activities, and sexual feats with surprising speed after just observing it once. (Real Girl)

Mimi shivered, and it looked like her entire body rippled. But she said nothing, simply staring at the others in silence as her brain (she had a brain now!) rewired itself to be better at picking up information.

“…Interesting.”

She stepped gingerly over to Nick, who watched her cautiously. She leaned forward and tilted her head, the thinnest of smiles touching her pale lips.

“I’m looking forward to getting along with you, Nick,” she said, winking in a coquettish mimicry of Carly and Gina’s previous flirtations.

“Aww! How adorable!” Sylvia clapped her hands. “Now my girls, shall we move on? We’ve finished up the transformations, which means we’ll be moving onto the next point of order! Mimi will be sleeping with the master today, but we’re going to reorganize, as we do every week! And this week’s order for sleeping with the master will go as follows!

1. Rose

2. Gina

3. Kim

4. Mary

5. Dakota

6. Dani

7. Dawn

8. Carly

9. Mimi

“I’m going first, hmm?” Rose purred. “And I was just with him last night! How generous!”

“And I’m going second,” Gina grinned. “Alright. Looks like we’re going to have some fun sooner, rather than later!”

Mary sighed in relief. She was going fourth again, somehow. And right after Kim, too. The only worry she had was that Dakota was going after her. She didn't want to be intimidated by the golden-eyed girl.

“I’m going late in the week,” Dawn mused. She glanced at Rose and swallowed. Would she be ready to go all the way with Nick by then? She wasn’t sure. Maybe I should ask Carly for advice, too.

“This should be a blast!” Dani grinned. She punched Nick in the arm. “I can’t wait for my night! It’s going to be epic!”

Nick rubbed his arm, surprised, and worried as well. The fact that Dani seemed so gung-ho after her transformation reminded him once again of the insidious nature of this competition, and how it warped the people he cared about.