Crepes Suzette

The last few hours had gone by peacefully in the corner of the entry hall where Caleb and Eliza were perched, making their way through the small pile of texts that they had collected. They had grabbed anything that felt like it might provide a clue to the inner workings of the show they were on. Unfortunately, while many of the works displayed information likely never printed in any earth library, the usable information, distinct from anything that Amy had already provided, was slim to nil.

Caleb heaved a sigh, flipping through the thin book he had labelled “Tempus Fugit: Of things to come”, “Nothing of real value here, just seems to be a collection of verbosely labelled ads for seasons stuck in production. At least it made me grateful for what we have going. They were advertising things like a harem made from a vet’s patients.”

Eliza didn’t look up from the dusky pink tome in her own grasp but raised an eyebrow, “A vet? So they’re all…”

“Animals, yeah, but turned into women, regardless of the animal's original gender. Even the ones including humans are worrying. A whole season where everyone, including the master, is a criminal? Jeez, if I didn’t already have a low opinion of the audience…” Caleb set the book down and looked over to Eliza, “How about you, anything useful?”

Fully turned now, the master could make out the title on the lace-trimmed tome in the professor’s hands as “The Esoterics of Estrus”. Eliza smirked, “Depends, fancy dabbling in witchcraft? Because this book details the inner workings of sex based magic. You’d need to be a woman first, though it seems.”

“Magic? Magic could be useful; we’re dealing with a demon after all.”

Eliza merely chuckled as she closed the book, “Unfortunately, the book is only describing the framework of the magic system, no actual spells inside.”

Unfortunately, that had been the sum of the experience they had since starting to read. The books that were clearly not of Earth ranged from nonsensical to perverse, but very little in the way of useful information. Caleb had hoped, given the book that detailed the rooms, there might be something, anything that might prove to give them an advantage in the competition to come. Instead, he now just had a bunch of useless trivia.

Seeing the Master’s downturned expression, Eliza closed her book and set it on the ottoman. “It’s getting around lunchtime, and I need a pick-me-up. Join me for coffee and a sandwich?”

It took a moment for Caleb to swallow his frown and nod, “Yeah sure, let me just grab my umbrella.”

It wasn’t long for Caleb to retrieve the umbrella from his room, with Eliza waiting by the elevator for when he returned. She gestured with her head towards the folded rainshade.

“Is it still working? To go outside?”

Caleb got a brief nod. “Yeah, can’t thank Noemi enough for the idea.” They began to make their way to the exit. “I still tense up; I can still hear my heartbeat and feel my chest tighten. So I’m practically one startle away from a panic attack, but…I can go outside.” He pushed open the doors into the bright sunshine of the faux Venice afternoon.

Making their way down to the dock, Eliza smiled, “Well, I’m glad it doesn’t seem to be temporary. Part of me wondered if it might be a trick Lucian might be pulling on you, just to make things worse later.”

“I…I hadn’t even considered it as an option.” The master frowned as he climbed into the boat. “I guess it’s still technically possible.”

Eliza instructed the faundolier, who pushed off the dock; she then turned back to Caleb, “I honestly don’t think it is at this point.” Seeing Caleb’s head raise in confusion at her certainty, Eliza smiled, “Do you think if this was Lucian’s doing he could keep a whole round without rubbing it in your face?”

“I-” Caleb started and shook his head, “No way, no possible way he could help himself.”

“Right? So no need to add extra worries.” Eliza looked out onto the water and smiled.

The master focused on her face and, before he could stop himself, said, “You look like you’re doing better.”

Eliza closed her eyes, and her smile twitched but didn’t vanish. “I’m not. Not really. I’m still angry. I’m still…shaken about everything but…” She leaned on her arm, “I don’t want that to be all I am…not to others, not to myself.” She gave a bitter chuckle. “It was Mira who got me to snap out of it, actually, made me realise I was so afraid of appearing weak I was doing what everyone else was doing and letting this one event…traumatic as it was, define me and be me. But that’s not who I am.”

Leaning in with interest, Caleb asked, “Who is Eliza Dawson?”

“A 57-year-old professor trapped in a 21-year-old's body, who loves musou games, coffee, and harlequin romance. Who spent so much of her life devoting herself to living through young people that now that she is one again…she’s going to try to live it up a little.” She turned her head to Caleb and gave a wink, “So try and keep up, ok Caleb?”

Caleb didn’t have much time to respond as Eliza crawled across the boat to him and placed her hands on his chest. The blonde smiled up at him, “You know, when I was young I missed out on a lot of experiences…never got to make out with a boy in the back of a car, but a boat will do.” Before Caleb could say anything, the professor had pressed her mouth to his and was sliding her tongue into his mouth as she wrapped her fingers into his hair.

Eliza- Hugged the Master! +1 VP

Caught off guard, Caleb took a second to respond, but only because it took a second for the neurons in his brain to fire the alert for full steam ahead. He wrapped his arms around the professor’s waist and pulled her against him, something she was only too eager to oblige as she pressed the heavy weight of her chest against his, her nipples visible and tangible through her shirt as she rubbed against Caleb seeking any friction she could find.

Caleb adjusted his legs, laying one flat and raising one up, and Eliza swung her leg over and began to grind against it as Caleb’s hands found purchase on her round, enhanced ass and gave it a squeeze, pushing her crotch against his thigh harder as their tongues danced together.

Moaning into his mouth, Eliza hiked up her skirt with one hand, revealing the trail of moisture descending down her thigh, the dampness in her black lace underwear as she dug her cameltoe against the musculature of Caleb’s leg.

Even without direct contact, Caleb could feel himself throbbing hard in his pants. He could feel the hot, sticky, and wet sensation of her concealed pussy as she desperately sought to get off against him. Her tongue searched every corner of his mouth like an archaeologist looking for the remains of an ancient civilisation. The sweet smell of her shampoo mixed with the slightly acrid and dusky smell of her sweat and arousal. Everything his brain picked up from each sense screamed SEX even if none was happening. But the lack of actual intercourse didn’t make much difference as the professor humped his leg and Caleb found his own hips bucking as he reached up to fondle her chest through her shirt.

They had grown since the last time he had touched them on their date. Back then they had barely fit into his hand; now, through the fabric of her shirt, her titflesh spilled out as she gave a husky exhale as his fingers gripped her.

In all this time, the kiss hadn’t broken; every strained breath through his nose was hot and made his chest feel tight, yet somehow that only made it hotter, as if every fibre of his being was devoted to this one moment together with Eliza

Suddenly Eliza broke the kiss, letting out a silent gasp before following with a series of high-pitched yelps as her body shuddered. Leaning in, she bit Caleb's shoulder even as husky moans surged through her teeth, sending Caleb over the edge himself as his own hips bucked upward and he was met with the shameful sticky sensation filling his pants

Eliza- Marked the Master! +2 VP

Eliza- Dry Sex! +3 VP

The two of them were left breathing heavily; Eliza collapsed on top of Caleb as his open umbrella floated upside down in the water next to them. Reaching up to brush some hair out of her face, Eliza gave Caleb a sly grin before lightly pushing off and going to turn and stopped as she saw the intent, leaned-in form of the Faundolier, one hand down their skirt, the other giving them a thumbs up. It then occurred to the two that the gondola had at some point stopped mid-session, and the absurdity of everything sent both of them into barking laughter as Eliza reached out to reclaim the meandering umbrella.

In the few hours that Amy had been searching, she had already hit up the spots she thought Stella was most likely to be hiding. The painted houses that Caleb had described from their date, the private beach where all she had found was a discarded beach chair, the Asterium; she had even dipped into the Sabotage shoppe and left quietly as to not disturb the sleeping Arietta.

Now that she had made her way to the restaurant aisle to find something to eat, she stood outside the dive bar that Eliza had taken them to. Surely not. Surely not even Stella was depraved enough to be drinking alone at noon. Yeah, Amy wasn’t convinced either as she swung open the doors and headed inside and sure enough, hunched over the bar, surrounded by glass tumblers, was the shrimping form of their resident imp.

A quick glance at the number of glasses told Amy everything she needed to know about Stella’s intoxication levels, but as she stepped forward, the slurred tone of the imp's voice solidified it: “Go homen, Amy, I don want to talk to anybody.”

The well-muscled faun behind the counter shook her head and tried to clear the glasses only for Stella to reach out with both arms and drag them towards her, “Nooo! Mine!”

The faun just rolled her eyes behind the pince-nez frames they were wearing and stepped away. Stella shook her head, “You, you know the fauns won’t let you fuck em? What’s the deal with that?” She stared off as the faun walked away, “Crush my head like a watermelon with those those thighs.”

Amy didn’t say anything, just grabbed the seat next to Stella and sat down, earning a growl of disapproval from the imp that she ignored. “What are you doing, Stella?”

Stella clicked her tongue in annoyance and sat up. “I thought you were smart, Amny” She gestured to the glasses. “I’m getting drunk.”

The oni sighed, “No, I mean why are you getting drunk? You weren’t at breakfast either. What’s going on with you?”

“What? Are we all p-pals now? Fuck I didn’t know I had to tell everyone my fuckin business. Jumping gehosafet, all I’m required to do is let Caleb plow me, and maybe plow some of you girls on the way. Anything else? Fuck it.” Stella knocked a glass over with a clumsy sweep of her arm, earning an irritated glance from the faun who moved to begin cleaning it up.

Keeping her expression neutral even as she swallowed her irritation, Amy pushed on, “I know you aren’t as dumb as you pretend to be, so if you’re acting like this, something must be up.”

“You think you know me? Bitch we were roommates for all of a week.” A manic smile cracked on Stella’s face, “Besides, what happened to the ‘No feelings’ rule? That was your thing, right?”

Wincing, Amy stood up from the chair, “Stella, that has nothing to do with this. Fun is one thing, but as much of an asshole as you are, I consider you a friend and care about you.”

“-ou don’t” Stella muttered, head hanging down with her hair obscuring her face

Amy tilted her head, “Sorry, couldn’t make that out?”

“You don’t! You don’t fucking care about me! You don’t even fucking know me! None of you do!” Stella’s face was flushed red with anger and something else as she turned on Amy like a cornered animal.

“Oh come off it, don’t act like you have some baggage that no one could understand.” Amy got into Stella’s face. “Despite your best attempts, you are funny and smart and easy to talk to because I don’t have to worry about being judged.”

“Oh, is that right? Maybe I’m just avoiding saying how pathetic you are to your face; ever think about that?” Stella sniped back.

“Oh please, like your mesh brain filter could hold any thought back!” The oni and imp were almost nose to nose at this point.

Stella pulled back, “Pssh, shows you how much you ‘know’ me. You are pathetic, always focusing on everyone else, “saving” the harem? This whole grand vizier schtick? Please, just because daddy didn’t love you, you pretend like you don't need affection but try to make yourself indispensable. Might as well run around with a sticker on your forehead that says “hug me”; it's big enough for it!”

Amy shook her head angrily, “You know what?” She flipped Stella off, “Fuck you. Fuck you for acting like you don’t fucking care. You want to drown your sorrows, fucking fine.” The oni turned to leave as Stella shook with rage and unspent adrenaline, reaching over to grab a glass.

“No, fuck you!” The imp tossed the glass and aimed for the Oni’s shoulder. Unfortunately, the problem with being intoxicated is that you don’t have a good sense of your body or your own proprioception, so instead of Amy’s shoulder, the glass went straight to her dome. There was a sickening cracking sound, and Amy fell back onto the floor.

Stella’s face went pale. “Shit, no fuck, Amy!” The imp rushed over and looked down, looking for blood or any other sign of injury; what she saw defied all expectations.

On the ground, actively spasming, thrusting her hips into the air as she made a puddle on the ground was Amy. Her face was dazed, and her tongue hung limply out of her mouth and above her eyes, only one full horn, as the other had snapped clear off and was discarded on the floor to the side.

Stella stared on, recognition slowly filling her mind, “Fucking shit.”