Café Terrace at Night

As the last flickers of the blue fire faded, the power was absorbed into Franklin’s body. He blinked rapidly like a recently awakened sleeper and turned to read the plaque beneath his portrait one more time.

Poron Power- Our audience voted for Franklin’s libido to be both one of his greatest strengths as well as an Achilles heel. Let’s roll with that. When aroused, Franklin’s senses are refined, allowing him to tell what will bring his partners the greatest possible pleasure. Conversely, the longer he goes without sexual contact, the more likely he is to make rash decisions.

Voted for my libido?

Terra looked on with interest. “It was quite a close vote, which makes sense. General stamina increase and the ability to grant direct favor are staples of Master transformations, but in the end the more unique option squeaked through with 35.61% of the vote. I suppose it didn’t seem like you really needed help with your… tank,” the host finished with a wink.

Doesn’t need help with being rash at times, either, thought Dara from her place on the couches.

The Host continued, “Why don’t you give your new eye a spin, Master Porter?” She made a sweeping gesture towards where the contestants were sitting.

“Watching what you did to everyone didn’t exactly get me in the mood,” muttered Franklin, but when he turned his gaze towards the contestants, he couldn’t help but notice a few things.

The most obvious was Kennedy. Franklin could see a blue fire around the androgynous trans girl. It was centered on her eyes and ears, and ran down in trails towards her chest, crotch, thighs, and several other places. It was clear she was looking forward to the first time they could use her transformation together.

Most of the other contestants’ auras were much more subdued. When he passed his eyes over Trudy, she unconsciously sat up a little straighter and a small wave of the fire ran down her back. Next to her, Zelda was still soundly sleeping, with a gentle flame above her head. Franklin made sure to turn his head before he could notice any other places that might have lit up during the young woman’s dreams.

Realizing the silence had stretched on for quite a while during his perusal, Franklin cleared his throat. “Great. That’s going to take some getting used to. Are we finally done with all this?”

The blonde Host smirked. “Yes, this concludes this evening's transformations, with the only outstanding one being the results of young Ms. Haverbrook’s second chance poll, but that's something that we’ll all find out in the morning.

She then began walking towards one side of the lobby, where four identical doors stood, two on each level, imposing and shut tight. “This side of the lobby features the four contestant rooms, which will be your sleeping quarters for the duration of your stay.”

The Host then pointed to the wall that featured the grand staircase. “The north side wall is where you find the entrance to Master’s Apartment and Bedroom on the upper level, while the lower level features the dining room, where standard meals are served at no cost to you. The other door leads to my personal office.” The Host narrowed her eyes. “You will not be needing to enter there.”

None of the contestants felt the need to dispute her statement, so Terra swept her hand to the other side of the lobby dominated by the large desk. “The southern-facing wall currently holds four multipurpose doors. You can start exploring the ways to get those open tomorrow, but the possibilities are numerous.”

Finally, the Host drew their attention to the wall opposite the contestant rooms. “You’ll recognize CDXXXV as the Pool, which is now open for your use moving forward. The room next door is the Communal Showers, containing everything you need to prepare yourselves for the day and get ready for your dates with the Master.”

“What? Are you saying that our rooms don’t have their own bathrooms?” Adrienne asked incredulously, the hair on her head bulging slightly.

“Rest assured, each contestant room comes equipped with a toilet and sink,” Terra replied with a smile. “There is also a lovely home spa attached to the Master Bedroom, so if you’d like to go straight there on your date day, you can have fun getting ready together.”

Lyra joined Adrienne in a huff, while the remaining contestants' reactions ranged from blushes and eye rolls to one lilting giggle delivered in a silky Italian accent.

“The upper level of the east side wall features two additional multipurpose doors for you to claim,” the Host concluded before turning to the nearest contestant’s room.

Room CCCXXXII

Contestant Room 1

Unlock Condition: Audience Assignment

“I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that the audience was asked to choose the roommate assignments for this round, and they took great care to do so. Personally, I think their choices were inspired,” Terra laid it on thick. “For the first room, would almost Dr. Li and Miss Porter please place their hands on the placard?”

Several awkward looks were exchanged before Trudy pointed out, “Yeah, Zelda’s still asleep on the couches.”

Terra clicked her tongue. “Hmm, indeed, and her transformation will ensure she remains so until the morning.” Then with a smile, she turned to the Master. “One of your Harem is in need, Master Porter. Please see that the Princess makes her way to her quarters.”

“Yeah, yeah,” the Master said as he moved over to the couches. “Not the first time I’ll have moved Zel to the nearest bed after she finally passed out during one of her 'raids.' Just make sure she gets a recap of what she missed when she wakes up."

As Franklin lifted his sister, a loud chime sounded through the lobby, and the contestants each saw floating black text in front of their eyes.

Princess (Zelda) Carry: +1 VP

First Time Bonus: x2

It took a moment for everyone to process the new information, but eventually Trudy turned to the Host. “Huh? Franklin carried me down the stairs when I got here. Why didn’t I get any points?”

Shaking her head mockingly, the Host responded, “Please, Ms. Webber, not every guest had arrived yet. It simply wouldn’t have been fair to award VP until everyone was gathered.” Then with a coy smile, she added, “Though I’m sure if you ask your Master for a repeat performance, he’d be happy to oblige.”

Trudy scoffed and turned away to hide a small blush, while Franklin approached the door with his sister in tow. Dara took one of Zelda’s hands and pressed it and her opposite palm to the plaque, and the door opened.

Inside was a fairly small but seemingly cozy room, one that wouldn’t be out of place in an old Victorian hotel. A queen-sized bed and a pair of wardrobes took up the majority of the space, along with a writing desk on one end and an entertainment center on the other. Dara entered and unconsciously made her way to the far end near the desk, turning her head as she went to find that there was indeed a small en-suite water closet.

It’s nowhere near as big as it should be given the lobby’s size. Though the pool was the opposite, so I shouldn’t have been surprised…

Franklin laid his sister down on the closest side of the bed and looked at his ex-fiancée. “Can you throw a blanket over her if it looks like it’ll be cold enough to need it?”

“Sure. Of course,” replied the biochemist, still turned away and cataloging her thoughts about her new bedroom.

Franklin stood awkwardly and watched the introverted scientist. He started to reach out a hand, something inside telling him to make contact. To take the slight woman’s hand and provide comfort, along with the energy her mind now somehow needed to function at its best. He pulled back just before she turned back toward him and simply said, “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

He received a nod back in return, then closed the door behind him to rejoin the others.

Terra swiftly directed the remaining contestants to the other lower-level door.

Room CDXXXII

Contestant Room 2

Unlock Condition: Audience Assignment

“For our second set of roommates, the audience seemed to be very enamored with the rapport and surprising commonalities between our enchanting thief and our high-strung arche… assistant curator.” Terra smiled like a cat looking at two particularly volatile mice.

Raising her eyes to the ceiling, Lyra let out a frustrated groan. “Of course.”

She lowered her head to see Claudia already standing with a hand on the room’s plaque. “You worry far too much, madam. I’m sure we can coexist together without too many disasters,” the playful blonde teased. “Hopefully just enough to stay entertaining,” she finished with a wink.

The two art lovers entered the shared abode, which was a near mirror image of its neighbor. An empty display case and an ornate map stand replaced the desk and entertainment center, but the bed and wardrobes were a perfect match.

Terra led the remaining members of the cast up the grand staircase to the first of the two upper-level doors.

Room CDXLII

Contestant Room 3

Unlock Condition: Audience Assignment

Terra looked at Ira and Kennedy. “It truly seems the two of you are connected in the audience’s mind, ladies. Your pair received the most votes to be roommates of any. I hope that brings you comfort, even though I remind you of the importance of standing out from the crowd.”

The two role players hesitantly stepped forward and placed their hands on the plaque. Once the door was open, Ira quickly scurried inside. Kennedy gave one last look over her shoulder at Franklin before following suit.

As she began to move towards the final contestant room, Terra was interrupted by a familiar grumbling. “There’s only one room left and three of us? Are you expecting us to all share a room that size?” Adrienne crossed her arms as if preparing to physically block the host.

Terra simply nodded. “Yes, Ms. Ainsleigh. Ms. Webber and Miss Haverbrook were the final pair of roommates selected by the audience, and when asked what to do about the odd dog out, they chose to have you join the two of them. Though rest assured, additional accommodations have been added to ensure a comfortable experience.” She directed the trio towards the door’s plaque.

Room CCCXLII

Contestant Room 4

Unlock Condition: Audience Assignment

Trudy stepped towards the door boldly and placed her hand on the plaque. “Finally, I wish I’d gotten Zelda transformation so I could already be done with this for the night.” Evie quickly followed the only contestant she knew, and the pair waited for Adrienne to complete the assignment process.

The monochrome-haired lawyer shot Terra and Franklin one more withering glare before she added her hand to the plaque. The door opened, and Trudy raised an eyebrow before shaking her head and determinedly walking in. Evie was on her heels, and as Adrienne passed the threshold, the door began to shut. She had just enough time to register the large dog bed in the middle of the floor, the only addition to the standard floor plan, before the trio was shut in for the night.

---

“Well, now that that’s taken care of, I can show you to the Master’s Suite,” the Host said as she walked past the frowning fundraiser. He could only catch up as the blonde moved with purpose toward the door she had pointed out as the Master’s Apartment.

Room DXLIII

Master’s Apartment

Unlock Condition: Master’s Prerogative

The Host explained, “As you can see, who among the contestants can enter your personal quarters is up to your discretion. The exception being your date for the day. She will have access to your Apartment beginning at 10 am.” She stared at Franklin for a moment before motioning for him to open the room the same way he had watched the contestants do.

With a sigh, Franklin pushed the plaque until the door started moving forward. It opened into a spacious suite easily large enough to contain all four contestant rooms with space to spare. A plush couch in the dark burgundy made a semicircle in the room’s center. It faced a massive flat-screen TV over a cozy fireplace. The far wall featured an exit to a balcony, though the curtained doors obscured the view.

Terra didn’t point out any of these things. Instead, she marched directly over to the kitchenette that lined the wall opposite the bedroom door.

Franklin looked confused. “What are you doing?”

“I’m giving you a tour of your accommodations, of course. The first stop on the tour is the kitchenette. Specifically, this amazing three-in-one coffee, espresso, and cold brew machine. I’m going to assume you need a demonstration on how to use it.” With that, the Host started pulling levers, setting timers, and grabbing supplies as if she had grown two extra hands.

“Thankfully, we’ve streamlined the process with a bit of magic, so the beans are always at their peak roast date and the water used has been remineralized to precisely 150 ppm dissolved solids to ensure perfect chemical extraction.” The suddenly enthusiastic host sprayed the beans with a single spritz from an atomizer to remove any static electricity before feeding them into a zero-retention grinder.

Franklin tried to interrupt. “I’ve actually used a coffee machine before.”

Turning to the Master while stirring the ground beans with a WDT tool, “three-in-one coffee, espresso, and cold brew machine, Master Porter. Please tell me you aren’t going to use it to simply…drip coffee every morning.” The Host wanted to shudder but held it back so that it wouldn’t affect the tamping process as she pressed the finely ground beans into a perfect puck.

The Host continued as she set the portafilter in place and carefully began the pre-infusion. “You are encouraged to take your meals in the shared dining room, though you can order anything you please by thinking about what you want and opening the fridge, freezer, or pantry.” The caffeine connoisseur ramped up the pump until she felt the pressure reach the ideal 2.5 grams/second. “You and your date are of course allowed to make your meals here in your apartment if you prefer.”

“Right…” Franklin mumbled while the Host continued to keep all of her attention on her preparations.

Finally, Terra pulled the shot and watched the golden-brown liquid flow into the cup, watching like a hawk to ensure the syrupy quality remained consistent and no unexpected twirls of steam tried to ruin the process. When she had her prize, she quickly repeated the process for a second shot and turned to hand one to Franklin. “There, easy as that.”

“Great,” the nonplussed Master replied. “Anything else I should know about the apartment?”

Terra grimaced, “Don’t be ungrateful, Master Porter.” She then directed him around the remainder of the suite. “The television has many channels for your entertainment: old sporting events, classic films, plays, and operas, etc. Even some from alternate universes if you feel adventurous. The balcony opens to one of your favorite views, and the bookshelves will populate each day with a selection of novels, board games, and Monographs for you to peruse. You can jot down a specific request and leave it on the shelf if you’d like it the next day.”

The blonde host then led him through the interior door into the Bedroom side of his suite. Franklin wasn’t surprised to see it dominated by a bed that took up nearly the entire space. It looked like it could comfortably fit ten people, which he assumed was by design.

“As you can see, the primary purpose of this room is rest and recreation,” explained the Host. “The smaller areas behind the bed are your walk-in closet and the en-suite spa. There are also windows and a skylight that can be hidden or activated based on your tastes. Any other questions you might have?”

Franklin closed his eyes, trying to think of something he could say that might be helpful at all to his plans to prod for information. Like an answer to his worries, he thought he heard several voices whispering at once.

If attacking the host doesn’t work, seducing is the next best thing!

You’re clearly not escaping the competition, so you might as well try to make it enjoyable for everyone instead.

Seduce her!

Seduce her.

Wish we could’ve put Pet in Franklin’s room instead.

Those are some great roommate pairings.

Looking forward to more!

Seduce her!!!!!

Franklin opened his eyes and couldn’t stop himself from letting his gaze pass up and down the beautiful blonde host. “Only if there was some way we could come to an arrangement that would let some of the contestants go back home. Nothing I can offer you in exchange?”

Terra looked at him like an entire cabinet full of deceased cookware. “That’s going to be a no, Master Porter.” She then smirked. “Besides, you can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy some of those transformations. Nothing running through your mind about how to play with a few of your new toys.”

“That’s not true. They were horrifying,” the Master protested.

With a sarcastic lilt, the Host responded. “I’m sure. Did you at least like the paintings? I was pretty proud of them.”

“…They were a bit gaudy, actually,” Franklin muttered.

Terra held back a laugh. “Well, they were only to commemorate the transformations. We’ll keep it a bit simpler from now on.” She looked down at Franklin’s hands, still holding the small plate with his espresso. “You know those are best when they’re still a bit hot, right?”

“It’s late. I’m not going to drink this now,” the Master stated as if it was obvious.

“Perfect,” the Host replied as she took the cup from his plate and turned to leave the room. “Get some sleep, Master Porter. Busy days ahead.”

---

While the Master was receiving his tour, the contestants were settling into their rooms for the night.

“You remember what Dara said, don’t you!” shouted Trudy. “I’m not going to let you attack Evie or me just because of Terra’s stupid joke.”

Adrienne’s ears were out and perked up, and her tail was pointed straight at the floor. “I’m still in control. You don’t have to treat me like a wild animal.”

Crossing her arms, Trudy replied, “Excuse me for worrying after what happened when you transformed.”

“I’m sure that was just because it was the first time it happened, or that bitch wanted to make me look bad,” the lawyer growled.

The room was definitely cramped for three people. A full-length mirror stood to one side of the pair of wardrobes, a third of which took the place of the other unique item that had been present in the other rooms. Unless the dog bed counted for that.

“I’m not sleeping in that thing,” Adrienne insisted.

“No one expects you to,” Trudy answered back. “Right, Evie?”

After some silence, the two older women turned to look at their teenage roommate, who sat on the edge of the bed and was looking down at her wringing hands. “What do you think they’ll choose to do to me?”

Concerned, Trudy sat next to her employer’s daughter and put an arm around her shoulder. “Hey, whatever happens, we’ll deal with it. I didn’t expect to have an extra set of ears when I woke up this morning, but it’s not the end of the world. Right, Adrienne?” The newly minted Horse girl looked sharply at her canine counterpart.

The grumpy pet play enthusiast sighed. “Sure, I don’t think there was anything left that was as bad as animal parts.

Evie looked at the older woman incredulously. “Didn’t one of your losing options also involve animal parts?” The dog girl looked away sheepishly.

“Maybe the audience had their fill? Your other option wasn’t bad, the one that just made you a little taller and hotter,” Trudy said, trying to reassure the young heiress who had suddenly lost all the confidence she was used to seeing. “I wouldn’t have minded that one instead of actual horse bits.”

Evie giggled to herself. “I guess you’re right. For what it’s worth, I think you both pull the look off well.”

With that, Trudy playfully pushed the younger woman away. “Alright, since no one is sleeping in the dog bed, who’s taking the middle of the bed?”

---

Ira had changed into her pajamas and was sitting on the bed, trying to give her roommate as much privacy as possible despite the bathroom not being large enough to change in without having to keep the sliding door open.

Kennedy turned away as she pulled up the pink pajama bottoms, ever conscious of the space she inhabited, even with the dark-haired girl facing away.

“It looked like you were really happy with your transformation,” the shorter girl offered hesitantly.

The gangly redhead blushed. “I can’t say I’m not. It’s something I’ve dreamed about for a long time. Something that I didn’t dream could be possible.”

The older college girl sat beside Ira on the bed, and the younger woman asked, “You never thought about medicine to… help?”

Kennedy let out a bitter laugh. “Sure. I also grew up in Idaho. Not the most friendly place for discussions like that. When I went to college, I looked into it. Could probably afford hormones and monitoring, but I’m going to need an actual job before thinking about surgery.” She blew out a slow breath. “So this transformation is certainly cutting through a lot of bullshit.”

“I’m glad.” Ira looked down at her hands. “I don’t know how to feel, really.”

The freckled social work major realized she was dominating the conversation. “That makes sense. I know most people don’t roleplay with the hope that it could be that real. I’m sure that Franklin won’t use your crown if you genuinely don’t want him to.”

Ira flopped back to lie on the bed. “It’s not like I wouldn’t like to change some things about myself, obviously.” Kennedy winced as the other girl vaguely gestured to her entire body. Ira raised herself on her elbows and continued, “But purple skin, white hair, and long ears? Not going to help me fit in better.”

Kennedy nodded in sympathy. “I suppose it depends on who you’re trying to fit in with. You saw the two animal girls and the redhead who grew antlers, right?” She shook her head and added, “Maybe there’s a way for Franklin to control which changes happen first, or prevent some from occurring at all?”

“Maybe,” Ira responded. “You really trust him even though you’ve never really met?”

Her roommate hesitated. “I feel like we did really meet. We talked a lot before and between any play. He wanted to know how I really felt and make sure it was a good experience. It’s why I…”

The redhead trailed off before completing her thought. “I guess it was different for you?”

Ira nodded, thoughtfully. “He was great, and I can tell what you mean. I did some play with other users, and most were one-offs. It felt like we were both telling our own story and trying to get them to rub together enough to be hot. Frank was the first one who made it feel… collaborative, I guess.”

Kennedy smiled, “Yeah, definitely. I’m sure the transformation will have elements of that too. Just have to be sure you figure out the ground rules before rushing in.”

Ira gave a small smile back. “Thanks.”

---

Lyra stood in front of the empty display case, trying to catch her reflection in the glass to examine the antlers on her head. Ridiculously, her room apparently didn’t come with a mirror, not even in the gas station stall that apparently passed for a bathroom.

“Any ideas so far?”

The playful lilt of the Italian thief’s voice grated on Lyra’s nerves. “I think I know how deer feel when they end up running into a bar.” At the blonde’s silence, she continued. “I kinda want to destroy everything in this room while frantically looking for a way out.”

Claudia smiled sympathetically and placed a hand on Lyra’s shoulder. “It’s definitely a tough place to be, but remember the big picture. You can get gifts by figuring out the puzzle, and it sounds like you know a lot about mythology. So, what’s the first ones that come to mind?”

Lyra rolled her shoulder to buck off the seductress’ hand. “The obvious one is the Golden Hind.”

“Drake’s ship?” The blonde replied.

“No, the Ceryneian Hind. The Golden Hart from Greek myth; it had golden antlers,” explained the mythology buff.

Impressed, the thief nodded. “Makes sense. Do you think il tuo benefattore can be an animal?”

“Maybe? Plenty of mythological figures presented as animals, but the Hind was always treated as a beast. Sacred to Artemis, but not a God itself.” Lyra tilted her head like the answer would be written on the back of the golden bones.

“Hmm, the Goddess of the Hunt? Protector of Chastity? A simple one to start you off and encourage you to play the game? That seems like a good candidate.”

“Is that too easy, though?” Lyra answered back. “Capturing the Hind was one of the labors of Heracles, could just as easily be him.”

“Oh my. Do you think it’s a jest about you wanting to be captured by a strong man?” Claudia held back a giggle at the thought of Franklin in a toga.

“Ugh, disgusting, but wouldn’t put it past them. I’d rather run and hide than be forced into that.” The would-be archaeologist looked at her roommate. “Are you not at all freaked out by your transformation? Looked pretty intense to me.”

“Of course not. I’m already a bright and carefree girl on the inside. What’s a compulsion to show it a little more honestly going to hurt? Plus, I always did like blonde hair when I could have my pick.” The thief’s smile was smooth and free of any cracks.

Lyra huffed, “A con artist through and through. This is going to be exhausting.”

Claudia smiled, “Should be fun though.”

The redhead glared, “Don’t think a little talk about myths and art is going to make me like you, thief.” She turned to claim the right side of the bed.

The blonde followed shortly after. “That’s probably for the best. The audience chose us to room together, so they probably liked the vitriol and teasing. If we keep that up, it should keep us entertaining.”

Lyra flopped her head back onto the pillow with an exasperated sigh. As the Italian minx slid into the other side, the redhead’s face turned to a mix of worry and annoyance.

“What’s that look for?” Claudia asked.

Lyra replied, “… I usually sleep on my side.”

---

Dara puttered around the room trying not to make too much noise as Zelda slept soundly in the bed. She knew that the transformation the younger woman received would let her sleep through almost anything, but it still seemed like the logical thing to do.

At least I’ll have time to think at night, and I’ll only have to deal with her resentment for a little bit of each evening.

Dara didn’t blame Franklin’s sister for her frosty reception. The girl had been twelve years old while Dara and Franklin had been together and thirteen when their circumstances had resulted in heartbreak. From the time she had spent with Franklin’s family, she knew that they were tight-knit, with his older sister and younger half-sister being particularly close.

After changing into her sleeping clothes and brushing her teeth in the tiny bathroom, Dara sat at the writing desk their room came equipped with and took advantage of the loose papers to start making some notes.

Contestants can be eliminated for finishing last in the VIP poll twice consecutively or three times overall. First impression results are mixed. Trudy is a good friend while Adrienne is a veritable stranger. Claudia came in third despite having the most negative presentation of her relationship with Franklin, with the exception of myself. Claudia is very playful and boisterous, though Adrienne was noticeably hostile and perturbed during the entirety of introductions. Further observation needed to determine strategies for appeal?

The scientist sighed aloud. The conclusion was obvious, but her date with Franklin was in less than 24 hours. She needed a plan in place before she went to sleep, and would likely have limited opportunities to speak with the other contestants one-on-one in the morning.

Options for locations?

The Pool (Repetitive? Would need a swimsuit. Does the room magically transform clothes into swimwear, or was that specific to the icebreakers game?)

Attempting to open one of the Multipurpose Rooms? (Means unknown, as is the selection process for the result itself. Could ask Adrienne to use hers first thing, but would likely be seen as demanding or entitled.)

The Master’s Apartment/Bedroom (Would it be viewed as bold? Would tackle Chemicals Between Us transformation head-on. Did the audience vote to see the intelligence drop rather than prod for increased contact? More appeal in allowing symptoms to worsen before treating, but then why the first date spot…)

“You’re lucky we do close-ups on the notes. Certainly wouldn’t be entertaining if the audience was just watching you at your desk writing.”

Dara jumped in her seat. The voice behind her was odd. Higher in pitch, but gravelly. Like a chain-smoker had just inhaled a lungful of helium. She turned around, not knowing what to expect.

A floating, blue, bat-winged figure in a business suit would not have been on her top 10 guesses list.

“Salutations,” greeted the miniature devil. “I’ve come to offer you some assistance with your current issue.”

Dara managed to keep a straight face despite the absurdity. “And you are?”

“You may call me Dee. I am one of the two parties responsible for the behind-the-scenes work on this season of Harem Hotel. However, my brother and I have a bit of a side wager going on, and so in a very limited sense, we can interact with the contestants to nudge their progress along.”

“And you’ve chosen to help me, specifically?” The biochemist was obviously suspicious, but couldn’t ignore the opportunity for additional insights about the ones in charge of the madhouse she was trapped in.

“Hmm, yes and no,” the Cerulean Imp explained. “My side of the wager is that I can help the lowest-ranked contestant in the VIP Poll to have the most interesting arc of the round. You happened to fill that particular position. I’m a big supporter of the underdogs, you see, watching those who are struggling try to scratch and claw their way back into the game by whatever means necessary. Unlike my brother, who simply wants to ride the coattails of whoever is already set up for a happy ending.”

Trudy then. I’ll have to ask her if she got a… visitor too.

“What are you offering, exactly?” Dara inquired.

The blue Imp’s tail moved into one of his pockets and returned holding a silver key. “This. A key to one of the Multipurpose rooms, and unlike Ms. Ainsleigh’s, I can tune this one to specifically present three options for date locations. No worrying about unlocking it only to be given the choice of Coat Check, Utility Box, and Boiler Room.”

Dara considered the offer. If that risk existed for the Multipurpose rooms, she would possibly be seen as pressuring Adrienne with no real payoff. She wasn’t stupid yet, however. “What would you want in return?”

“Apart from your promise to try and put on a good show? Not much, though I would have to create some kind of imposition. Let’s say the audience can choose between a high BP cost, a temporary transformation, or hidden challenge you’ll need to complete with Franklin’s help.”

Ambiguous. But the audience choosing would provide another data point for what they find interesting…

“OK, I’ll take it,” the worried researcher decided.

Vote here for the price of the Dee Key!

---

Terra let the door shut behind her and breathed a sigh of relief. It had certainly taken longer than expected, but the season’s “Day 0” was officially ready to be put to bed. Tomorrow, the dates, exploration, team-ups, backstabs, and random tangents would begin in earnest, but that was a problem for tomorrow.

Tipping back her coffee cup to savor the last sip of the second espresso, Terra wondered if she could use her host magic to install her own. She shook her head with a chuckle. Don’t get used to it.

She set the empty cup on her nightstand, then turned to look at her desk. The Inbox and Outbox trays were both empty. Thankfully, any correspondence or welcome gifts will probably get sent to, or snapped up by, the Imps, the beleaguered archivist-turned-Host thought.

She set down the feather pen and let the mask slip, returning to her normal look. The now much shorter and slighter blonde went to change into her pajamas, even with the window in her office still open to a view of one of the empty white voids that should eventually be a room in the Hotel. Ridiculous idea for a set. No viewer is going to keep track of all those numbers.

Returning from the walk-in closet, Terra stopped in her tracks as she spotted a singular postcard in her inbox. Great…

The bespectacled blonde picked up the small card, looked over the spiral galaxy design on its back, and then flipped it over.

…Hypocrite.

The officially reprimanded office lady clipped the notice to the bottom of her clipboard as a reminder before falling heavily into bed.

---

Poll will be open through Sunday, October 25th.