Day Five, Gathering Hope

It wasn't very long before Candy called for us to buzz her in, and the redhead came up with her girlfriend holding fat stacks of pizza. Interestingly, they both stripped down as soon as they set the pizza on the table. No telling if my mental command was still in place or the dancer had just gotten used to it, either way, I wasn't complaining.

The pets got slices put in their bowls for them, though they were able to use their hands after the mess Bitch made last time. Brenda thought it was novel but didn't really complain. Jenn, of course, didn't say a word.

The rest of us crowded around the table, taking up all six seats, so it was a good thing the pets had bowls, and even more reason Alex wasn't here. Four people had been enough to make her itchy in the past when she hung out, so nine was way past her social limits. Maybe I'd do more than call and swing by in the morning. She'd seemed more than fine about her changes earlier, but maybe a night's sleep had given her some perspective change that she'd be more comfortable talking about just us two.

Candy had brought a lot of pizza, and good thing too. Mell put away enough to show she still had her pre change appatite, and made me wonder if those monsters were going to get bigger. Jenn put away a lot too, which I put down to milk production. I imagine that took a lot out of you. Literally. Patricia was milky too, but had nowhere near the output of the drone I'd basically turned into a cow. Part of me thought I should really feel bad about that.

In good news, Vicky was acting a lot more animated than I'd seen before, hanging on Candy and being generally affectionate with the occasional hug or kiss. A lot like Kate had shown her second day with me, which was a great sign. The exotic dancer seemed pretty ecstatic about it too. "So are we any closer to a cure, Professor?" She asked Cathy, but there was no bite to it, more a light-hearted inquiry.

The occultist shook her head while she chewed, then finished with a sigh. "After the breakthrough, I've found nothing. I'm banging my head on a wall now, but I'm really loath to call in a second opinion. We may have gone unnoticed, but even contained, I'd really hate to shine a spotlight that might get us worse than dead."

That got a lot of reactions around and under the table. "This could get us killed?" Patricia cried from the floor.

Cath tried to wave off the concerns. "As I said, things are contained, and that's good, but normies don't know magic is real cause the Powers That Be come down like a hammer on people that might expose it. We're probably fine now that things are under control, but asking the guy who thinks with his flamethrower to help with your pest problem is a good way to get your house burned down if you know what I mean?"

Candy snorted at that. "Can't you talk to someone that doesn't have a flamethrower?"

That was a good question. Cathy wasn't the only one in her weird classes. "What about a teacher? Aren't they supposed to help with situations like this?"

Shrugging helplessly, Cathy snagged another slice of pizza. "This isn't like anything we've covered in my classes. Rituals aren't supposed to grow stronger or be contagious. And it's not like the kind of people that take Occult Studies are the sort you show vulnerabilities to." I raised my brow at her, and she blushed. "I, of course, would never seek to **** power like that." Candy snorted again, but smiled after, and Cath smiled back in good humor. "As for my professors, theoretically yes, they should be the first people I run to, and that's why they'd be the perfect tools for the Powers That Be!"

Well, that did make some sense. People getting away with teaching magic had to have the approval of these Secret Masters, if they existed, or they'd be crushed themselves. "What about just asking theoretical questions without giving away the mess we're in?"

Cathy looked at me and shrugged again. "That's probably the safest option. Probably starting with asking about these online AI rituals. One of my professors doesn't even own a computer, claims his magic shorts them out, but that sounds like a bunch of bullshit cope from an old fart to me, he'd probably have a fit over robots writing spells. Still, opinions there could lead to more 'theoretical' questions. Like what to do if one of these rituals actually worked. Of course, I don't know if I can get ahold of anyone during break, and going all the way to campus to see Professor Ludite is probably not a great idea."

"He sounds like the last person to ask about something like this, really." Though if he was still teaching with no technology, just how old was this guy? Maybe it was all affectation though, he was teaching 'magic' at a modern college after all.

She just shrugged while wolfing down more pizza. "He really does know his stuff, even if he pulls some goofy stunts. Did I tell you he actually walks around with a staff? No, really. But seriously though, if the fossil had an email, he'd be on my list to contact. As is though I don't even know if he's keeping office hours during the break. He could be off in Tibet collecting crystals or some shit."

"Don't you have a Tibetan crystal in your collection?" I had to rib her, remembering how excited she was when she got it.

"Shut up!"

Candy laughed. "I swear if I didn't know better, I'd think you two were boyfriend and girlfriend the way you go on, though I guess you are now for real. I have something else to bring up though, that might be just as problematic." I waved her to go on. "Finances. Victoria can't go back to her job. No way her eyes and not being able to talk go over in the hospital without a whole lot of questions we don't want to answer. I can't go back to stripping or risk triggering any lesbian I touch. Kat maybe could if she played up a Goth look and said she wore spooky contacts, only she can't talk and would need to switch to a club where she isn't known. I don't even know what Mel does for work, or where she lives, for that matter, but at least no one is likely to recognize her. Your new doggy just left her job and old life behind, which is also its own nest of problems. Bitch can work from home, which may make her the only one of us bringing in money aside from the shopkeeper if she can keep from touching people. And last, you students. No way your cow can take classes, or work a job if she had one. You and Cathy might be able to continue your scholarships, or however you're paying for stuff, but also risk touching people if less than me. So how are we going to manage?"

Shit. Candy made some really good, damning points I'd been trying not to think of. Mostly I'd been clinging to the idea of Cath fixing this mess. "Those are some really good points. My parents are paying for me and my sister's school plus bills, but they won't spend a dime for me to be a bum. I'd have to risk class to keep my grades up."

"No way I can drop out." Cathy said, looking worried. "The people behind my scholarship are not ones we want looking into whys." She had always been elusive about that. I'd been shocked you could even get a scholarship for an Occult Studies degree. "And we're going to have to worry about Stace and Beth when they get back, but they shouldn't have problems with going to class at least."

My sister and her girlfriend were definitely a ticking time bomb, especially with Candy and Vicky staying in their room. Candy nodded her head, like she'd expected these answers. "Look, I've been thinking about this. We're not on break like you guys, we've been missing work and living on Victoria's savings. I've got an idea that might see us through however long it takes for another breakthrough or some help that won't end up worse than ****, and no, I don't want to know what you mean by that." Candy took a deep breath and looked at me and the other betas, even Kate, with a serious expression before she went on. "We start doing online porn." I was speechless, porn? Candy raised her hands to Cathy and Patricia's protests. Interesting that Brenda didn't say anything. "Hear me out! There's all kinds of fucking going on." She pointed at me. "He has to, to help the drones anyways. Mel and Jenn both have tits that stand out, and thanks to this curse we're all good-looking now. The drones can play up the hypnofetish crowd, people pay for hucow shit too, and you can actually milk Jenn. Petplay is its own niche. The best part is, we don't have to touch anyone else. We can do videos that people pay to watch online between us right here. Victoria and I move in here and close our apartment if Cathy's bed is big enough for three, and that saves us cash as well as avoiding the dangers of commuting. The only problem is we'd need some cash for starting up, buying equipment, and the like."

Taking my cursed harem online would have never crossed my mind in a million years, but this could have worked even if we had had to move out to the middle of nowhere. "That is not the only problem." Bitch spoke up with more fire than she'd shown in a while. "Brenda still looks like herself. Our parents get word that either of us is doing porn, and they'll burn this place down." That was a good point.

Lady was shaking her head though. "I don't think anyone who knows me would be watching, but if it's a worry, I could always be the one with the camera, no? Or in shots that don't show my face. Wearing a sexy disguise, maybe?" She was looking at me and blushing, I think the idea of people watching us have sex was actually turning her on. Damn.

"Equipment isn't a problem, Alex has a whole section of the store dedicated to stuff for home movies, and some of the stuff is absolutely professional quality." And Alex herself looked like a porn star now, for that matter. This was crazy, but maybe Candy was on to something. "Cathy at least still needs to be going to classes even if we do this, if only to make contacts that might help."

"And to not be turned into a toad." She muttered under her breath. I'm not sure she was joking.

Candy lifted her glass. "So, we're doing this then?"

I clinked my glass to hers, and Cathy tapped hers to both. I guess this was going to be a thing, though Patricia still didn't look happy about it.

From a single virgin to a harem porn studio head in less than a week. Stacey was going to laugh her head off when she found out.