Interlude Round 2

Boudica's cellphone, buzzed, and buzzed, and buzzed.

The red head had no desire to pick it up. She was too busy sleeping in that big ol' heart shaped bed all by herself. The silk sheets, were just so cool and wonderful. In fact, she didn't think she was ever going to wake up. She'd just let Skylar drag her out when the next Challenge came around. Yeah... that sounded nice.

Bzzz bzzz bzzz

"Fuck me." She groaned. "This little magic rock is pissin' me off." She finally slapped the phone and brought it up to her face.

"Good morning Boudica." A happy little voice sang... it sounded suspicoiulsy like Skylar. "Your Orgasam Quota for today is... Six! Enjoy!"

"What the hell?" She sat up in bed, and looked at the big black six floating in the middle of her screen. "What have these freaks been up to?" She let out a groan, and collapsed back in her bed. Reluctantly she slid her and down into her boyshorts, and started gently rubbing her lips. "It's going to be a busy day."

"Is she awake yet?" Wang came out of the closet, and adjusted her tights as she did.

Xi just shook her head. She was watching Nzinga's chest raise in gentle inhales. "Nope, she hasn't moved all morning. What do you think Eve did to her?"

"Hard to say." Yang pulled herself out of the closet. "We haven't spotted anything like these fruits in the other seasons. Though I hope it's nasty, if Olympias and Nzinga are both experiencing it."

"Agreed." Diaochan nodded, and the four wraths were assembled. "I think our relationship to The King has run it's course. Our information gathering was successful last week, for the most part." Yang hung her head in shame. "Now let's focus on destroying Nzinga."

"Gladly." Xi smiled. The short haired beauty had been holding a grudge against the king since day one.

Wang wrapped her arms around Yang, and kissed her neck sweetly. "She's turned Cleopatra and Erica against her the most. Should we approach them for help?"

Yang nodded, and sniffed dowrly, putting on the performance of a wounded woman. "She's making us sleep in a closet, please something must be done about her."

Wang smiled. "I think they'd buy it."

Diaochan nods. "Cleopatra should be your target. If she can be convinced to buy an upgrade for Nzinga's punishment, that'll be ideal. But the only sure fire way to get her eliminated to cutting her off in this upcoming challenge. We need her to lose." Diaochan felt tingles on her neck as Wang kissed Yang. This new trait certainly was enjoyable but distracting to say the least.

"If only there was a way to know what the challenge will be." Yang moaned.

"I barley even recognized you!" Molly laughed as she kicked a soccer ball at Erica. "Look at you."

"Oh god." Erica whined, she couldn't believe Molly was going to see her like this. Covered in makeup, and spikes, she looked so stupid. "Hey Molly, you're still here?"

"Ouch." Molly giggled, and the two stood in front of one another. "Ready to get rid of me already?"

"No of course not!" Erica clamped her mouth shut, why did she have to sound so eager? "I just thought you were her for winter vacation."

"It's a long vacation." Molly said airily. "So we've got a little bit more time to hang out. If you're not busy."

"No." Erica smiled. "Not until the next challenge starts."

Molly nodded knowingly, and together the two of them went up to the front desk. "Are you going to see if your spy left you another letter?"

"Exactly." Erica winked. The red head at the front desk gave them a big smiles. "Can you see if I have any mail?" Erica handed him the key that had been placed in her gift basket the very first night.

"You're in luck." The front desk man said with a majestic wave. He handed Erica a post card.

"There and back again?" Molly read the words written out in a cheery yellow script. They were plastered over a picture of a mountain top.

Erica turned it over. There was a message on the back, written in a messy script. It looked like a boy's but she couldn't be sure. "Physical Challenge. Contestants race to top of mountain. Fruit Summons Loved One."

"Fruit?"

"Yeah." Erica nodded eagerly. "They even listed the prize on this one." She turned the picture back over. "Do you recognize this mountain?"

"Sure, I know it." Molly nodded. Then let a sly grin form on her face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Erica nodded. "Meet me outside in twenty. I've got to get some gear."

"You didn't sleep at all." Lucifer had a sleepy, yet chastising tone to his voice.

"Must have been the company." Helen sighed, and now that the man was finally up she could move her body again. She'd been trapped in the bed all night, and no amount of struggling got her free. It was like she was tied down with invisible ropes.

"If you have Insomnia, they have meds for that." He yawned. "I have no problems with my wife being a pill addict, just so you know."

"That's very open minded of you." Helen rolled her eyes. "They serve breakfast in your room in the morning." She said heading out to the dining room where porridge and a poached egg already waited for her.

"Now that's class." Lucifer pulled himself out of bed, and joined her, he was shirtless but his pajama pants went all the way down to his feet. Fuck Skylar made him gorgeous. "Besides if you're an addict I can hide your pills from you, and make you do all sorts of nasty shit to get them back." It's too bad he was sooooo ugly.

"So what do you dream about?" Helen asked. All she had to do was get through breakfast and she was free. Better to guide the conversation along, than let him torment her with those little jabs. He wasn't even trying to seduce her. It's like he knew the show would drive her to him eventually, and was getting off on being as mean and nasty until then as he could. It madee sense, the devil wasn't know for being a nice guy.

"Demonic Sheep" He sat down at the table across from Helen. The dining room looked like it could hold twenty people at the table, so even just two made the whole room feel empty. "Day two of being human, no dreams to speak of yet. I'm hoping for one where I show up for the production in nothing but my underwear."

"That's a classic." She smiled at that despite herself. "Do you know anything about the fruit they're giving out as rewards? It sounded like it had something to do with them going to sleep last night."

He shook his head. "Maddening as it is, I'm just as in the dark about most of this show as you. The producers have seen to that."

"But you've watched the show before, right?"

"Yes, but the contestants aren't usually damned souls brought back from the dead. We're on a fairly unique season Helen."

"Lucky us."

"I'm gonna need some help with this." That's what Boudica had said after Orgasm #1, she didn't want to waste any more time so right after that one, she started rubbing again for a follow up performance, but she just wasn't in the mood and it felt like she was forcing the whole thing.

"Boudica!" Randy flinched as the fully clothed queen came around a corner to confront him.

"Mornin' Randy yer lookin' good today." She smiled, and batter her eyelashes, and tried to do all that girly seduction crap. The lobby was it's usual busy self, and she could see Erica and some girl giggling, and running out of the lodge together.

"No." He stepped back from her like she was radioactive. "I'm not getting involved in this. You're clearly crazy, and I'm sorry I ever stuck my dick in you. I'm not going to put up with your mixed message **** shit."

Boudica didn't seem to be impressed with his resolve. "I need to have sex five times today."

"Okay yeah, let me just show you to my room." He placed his arm around her shoulder and started to lead her away.

"Are you the coolest person ever?" Erica looked on in awe as Molly sat casually on her snow mobile.

"It's possible." Molly beamed. "I've never met Billie Eilish." The athletic young lady looked Erica up and down. "I seriously didn't take you for a goth."

Erica looked down at her jacket, which was emblazoned with a cackling skull. There was no way it belong to the shy little nerd Erica had been in highschool, or even just a few days ago. Now... her closet was full of shit like that, and more. "There's a lot you don't know about me."

Molly's eyebrow raised up, very intrigued, and eager to find out more. She whipped her pony tail around, and motioned for Erica to join her. "Well you can fill me in on the way."

"Where are you dykes going?" Xi Shi, was sat like a cat on the edge of a Balcony above the two of them.

Erica craned her neck up to look at the sky. "Isn't your trait path, literally labeled butch?"

"Yeah, yeah." Xi Dropped from the second story, and landed her feet no problem. "So where are we heading?"

Molly spoke up. "Erica and I are going for a ride on my snow mobile. You're gong to fuck off."

Oh man, Erica swooned, and stepped closer to Molly. She was so cool! So protective!

Xi was unphased. "That's cute. Erica are you going to let a mortal speak for you?"

That familiar meekness that once consumed her life, was rearing it's head again. All Erica could do was nod her head, and look down at the snow.

"No problem." Xi took a few steps forward, her feet left a trail in the snow behind her. "Just show me what you got in the mail, and I'll let you go."

"What..."

"Don't even try." Xi held up a cell phone, which had a picture of Molly and Erica excitedly reading their mail. "These phone's are pretty handy. Wish I had them back when I was toppling kingdoms."

Erica flinched. How was she supposed to resist that? She was just a highschooler. She brought the post card out of her jacket, and showed it to Xi.

The spy beamed ear to ear, and it was one of the most beautiful smiles Erica had ever seen. "You little bitch." Xi laughed. "You've got a plant inside the show!" She laughed, again and clapped her hands. "All this time I thought you were a goodie goodie, but that's some buttery shit!"

"Can we go now?" Molly Reved her Snow Mobile.

Xi nodded. "Oh sure. As long as you keep my side informed on upcoming challenges, I see now reason Skylar has to know." Her eyes turned cruel for a moment. "However..."

"Non." Joan's voice called from the same balcony Xi had been sitting on. She looked so bad ass and casual, Erica couldn't handle it."There is no 'however'. You have to remember Petite colère, I am no contestant in show. If you threaten to go to Skylar, no rules or contract stop me from..." She gestured over to the frozen lake. "Making your vacation feel a little bit more like your home in hell."

Xi shivered, remembering well the frozen depths of Treachery, and her prison within's it's icy lake. "Well this conversation got unfriendly in a hurry." She shrugged and started retracing her steps through the snow. "I think this mutually assured destruction thing we have going on here, means it's only logical we be friends. You've lost Boudica, a few more stable heads might be what you need. Think about it." She gave the three women a smile, and bowed. "I'll send Diaochan your warm regards."

"Oooooh yes! Oooooh yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! You got it! Oooooh baby!" Helen moaned in delight as the masseuse's magic hands melted the tension of the last night, right out of her. She was practically putty, and dribbling out onto the floor. Meanwhile two women were buffering her nails, and wringing whatever tension they could out of her hands.

Visiting the spa hadn't been her idea, not that she could have. It took 1 BP for a Spa day, but when she'd returned from her night with Satan, there was an envelope waiting for her. Apparently Olympias had set this up to help her recover from the night.

"I gotta thank Cleopatra, this is the best trait eeeeeeever, oh fuck!" She gasped as the masseuse twerked something, and her whole spine seemed to pop into place. "Wooooow."

"That should do it." The masseuse slapped her on the ass, and started drying off his hands. "You rest here for as long as you need, the ladies in the salon will be ready for your makeover whenever you are."

Helen sat up, letting her towel reveal every bit of her perfection. "Makeover? Have you seen me?"

He placed his hands over his crotch to hide his erection, he was obviously familiar with her. "Well I think you're beautiful, but it's already been paid for by your benefactor." He pointed over towards the wall. "And she got you that dress."

Helen turned, to see the cutest little puffy dress she'd ever seen in her life. It was pink, with flower, and place, and oh my god she was going to die! "Mmmm." Helen purred, sinking back down onto the table. "Am I going to get a shampooing?"

"Of course."

She purred again. "Alright, wheel me in girls."

"I didn't realize your game was so cut throat." Molly yelled over the roar of her vehicle.

"What?" Erica screamed back.

"I didn't realize, you were competing with such dangerous people!" Molly said.

"Yeah! They're awful! But don't worry I got my sister looking out for me."

"You got me too!"

"What?"

"I said you got me too!" The Snow mobile came to a petering stop, at the top of the slope, or as near to it as the vehicle could get. The vibrating seat purred underneath them. Erica kept her arms wrapped around Molly even as they stayed stationary. "I'm here for you too."

"Mmm." Erica buried her face in the girl's back. "Do you like anime?"

Molly gave a nervous laugh. "Not really."

Erica returned the laughter. "Dang, you were almost perfect."

"Shut up!" Molly turned around and shoved Erica off and into the snow. "I am perfect, okay?"

"No yeah." Erica grinned. "Now I get to hook you on it. Oh yeah molly, in about a year that ponytail's going to be blue, and your going to trade in that snowmobile for a body pillow." Her mind drifted lustfully back to last week when she'd hooked her partner on hentai. They'd masturbated to series together, and now she was imagining doing the same with Molly, wouldn't that be hot?

"You got this all thought out huh?" Molly grinned, but who knows? Maybe I'll have you in a ponytail and cleets instead?"

"Just that?" Erica waggled her eyebrows. "Pretty kinky."

This time it was molly who was blushing. "Maybe this punk style does suit you. Ever think about getting a side buzz?"

Erica gasped. "No way, my mom would kill me."

"C'mon you're an adult, you can do whatever you want with your hair."

"Well i'm not buzzing it thank you very much."

Molly shrugged, and finally unsaddled her snow mobile. "Your loss." She offered a hand to help her friend up. Erica took it, and jumped around to get the snow out of her panties.

"How long did it take for us to get up here?" She watched the ski lift of the lodge take people up to the gentle parts of the mountain.

"Maybe forty minutes?"

"Fuck, that's going to be forever on foot, through the snow."

"I wouldn't take it." Molly agreed. She waved her hand so Erica would follow her through the snow for a little bit, where a jutting rock promised a nice view of the valley. "You'll freeze your buns off."

Erica began to follow. Her boots crunched, and crunched the fallen snow beneath them. "There's gotta be a way to swing this to my advantage."

"Maybe if I hid the snowmobile somewhere along the way. You could jump on and zoom up to the top."

It was so sweet Molly was getting in to this. The girl was game to play along with all of this, and that was so cool. She may have had no clue exactly what she was dealing with, but it felt like she was a true friend. "They'll have Cameras all over me I'll get kicked out for sure if I try that."

"Damn, we'll if we've got time we can always look for the best route. These trails have all kinds of offshoots, and short cuts. We'll find you something." Molly climbed on top of her rock, and held her hand out to Erica.

The goth took it, and allowed herself to be pulled up. "Two of the contestants are these crazy like, athletes. They're going to beat me for sure, even if I find a way to beat the other five, I'd be working for third place."

"Better than nothing." Now that they were atop the rock Molly gestured out to the valley below them. The mountains were gorgeous, snow capped towers. The town below sparkled with light, and life. Then there was that otherworldly tree that stretched over all of it. Six more fruits shone from it's canopy like stars in the sky, or jewels in a crown.

"Now that's a view." She looked over at saw Molly staring at her, affection painted on her faint as if by an artists. "Don't even say it." She warned, feeling the corny line bubbling up in the girls mind.

"Then kiss me if you don't want to hear it."

That sounded good to Erica, who leaned forward to let her cold lips touch Molly's The two smiled, and held each other in the bulky embrace of winter gear. This was nice. "Ah!" Erica squeaked, and giggled and pulled her mouth away before burying her face in Molly's chest. "Was that your tongue?"

Molly giggled back. "Yeah. What, they don't use tongue in catholic school?"

Erica burned with embarrassment, and giggled some more. "You make me so bashful sometimes."

That was sweet, and sent a shiver up Molly's spine, though maybe it was just the cold. "I'm sorry, my little church mouse, we'll kiss as slowly as you like. So long as we're kissing."

"I know how I'm going to win." Erica's eyes lit up. "You're a genius."

"I've always suspected." Molly rubbed her chin playfully. "What's the idea?"

"I can go as slowly as I want, I'm sloth! I'm not even going to play!"

She pulled out her phone, and brought up The Lodge's App.

Upgrade!

Under Acheiver + Unlocked!

7th Place now rewards the same amount of VP as 8th for Sloth. Furthermore other's will come to see Sloth as a lazy under-performing member of the harem, and will nag and berate her to try harder for the master.

Erica nodded her head. Since this trait had upsides and downsides it looked like upgrading it would increase both of those. She hesitated, fearing what a greater punishment could be, but it was like Joan said, she would have to endure. This trait was her best shot at Victory, and those bonus points weren't doing her any good just sitting there. "This one's for the audience." She mumbled, tapping again on the upgrade button.

Upgrade!

Under Acheiver ++ Unlocked

8th, 7th, and 6th place all reward the same amount of VP as if Sloth had won first place in a challenge. Furthermore Sloth's bad work ethic has become infectious. Each round Sloth can choose one other contestant as the target of this trait. This target will become susceptible to Sloth's influence and can be convinced that trying to win upcoming challenges is a waste of effort, all but abandoning their attempts to win. This effect can be negated by another contestant disciplining the target and returning them to work for The master.

That... was huge.

Erica giggled some more, and then looked over to Molly who was peering over her shoulder. "Oh I'm sorry." She Grinned. "I believe you said something about... kissing was it?"