Pen Pals, Part 2: Porn Book, Fish Caricature, and Tea

Scarlet

Being asked to answer everything in private, Scarlet heads to the dance studio in the gym. She turns on the 5th Avenue soundtrack and starts to read the first letter:

Dear Scarlet,

Thank you for writing. And thank you to Harper as well, for the gift. I don’t usually know how to respond to kindness from strangers, but I do appreciate it.

You said you’ve been sworn to secrecy about my season. I don’t really understand what that means. Why tell me at all if you can’t tell me what you know? It makes me want to ask more questions, not fewer. If there is something I need to prepare for, I would rather know it directly. Secrets only make me anxious. I hope you understand.

About the ears, I don’t know if I want them touched. People talk about pleasure like it’s always good, but for me, too much sensation can feel bad, even if other people call it good. But I will think about what you said.

You wrote that when you were turned into an oread you developed a compulsion to set the world ablaze. That confused me. Do you mean literal fire, or was it a metaphor? If literal, how did you stop yourself? If metaphor, what did it make you do? I want to understand because I worry about what parts of me might not be “me” anymore.

Please tell Harper I am grateful for the Scroll. I am curious to try it. Thank you again for the letter. I don’t always know the right words for this sort of thing, but I do mean it.

Sincerely,

Claire

I apparently wasn’t given enough information about Claire. I may have handled things different if I am interpreting this correctly. Maybe I rushed too much? Trying to get 3 letters out in time may mean I didn’t spend enough time on any of them.

Scarlet thinks before addressing the letter:

Claire,

Thank you for reading and considering, Claire. I will pass on your thanks to Harper. I’m sorry if my words were chosen poorly. I will try to be more precise this time.

I told you that I have been sworn to secrecy for a couple of reasons. First, it was and is true. While I tried to avoid discussing the particulars with you, I felt it was important to mention in case Arabella found a line of my letter too problematic to remain. If you feel anxious knowing that I have a secret, I imagine the anxiety of seeing an unexplained redacted line in my letter would be so much worse. Second, I was hoping to spur you into finding said secret. You seem to be the one who is most willing to dig for it. So, please find what I cannot name. Revealing that secret is important to me. Not dangerous for you. Just important to me.

I understand how a sensation can be too much. If you are not ready for it, you are not. Just, if you trust Andy, both of you may enjoy the ear play.

About my compulsion, my answer is, unfortunately, ‘yes.’ If my emotions run too high, especially anger, I (and things around me) literally catch on fire. Our season’s producer actually doused me down with flame retardant when we reacted to the last set of fan-mail readings for – reasons. My compulsion is also metaphorical. My new kind are oreads, volcano spirits. We dance, following the lava floes, helping to spread the destruction during an eruption. We take glee in watching civilization burn. I haven’t given in to said compulsion yet. When I am angry enough, I may say or do things that I shouldn’t, but calming down helps. I picked up a breathing technique that Harper uses when she is overly stressed. And, as I mentioned in the letter, regular romps in the bedroom helps. One of my girlfriends (let’s say life is a little more complicated when everyone is physically attracted to everyone else in the harem) has a wolf-girl transformation that causes similar issues with rage. The flavor is a little different, but the result (lashing out with excessive anger) is the same. She gets noticeably more irritable when she hasn’t had sex in a day (and she was already a little prickly in the first place). Another one of my girlfriends has a bunny-girl transformation that makes her hypersexual. She literally cannot sleep without several orgasms first. I would hate to see what would happen if we denied her the ability to get off.

As far as identifying what parts of ‘you’ are no longer ‘you,’ your personal perception is important. What do you view as ‘typical house cat behavior’? What do you view as cat breeding behaviors (it is important, given the nature of the interdimensional smut show we are on)? What parts of those behaviors do you observe showing up in your behavior more strongly or more frequently? I’m sure that, once you take the time to evaluate your behavior since getting the transformation, you can have a list of things to watch out for. Dr. Holt may be able to help.

I wish you and yours well from afar.

Scarlet

Scarlet checks out the title of the book accompanying Claire’s letter. Divine Cumedy, huh? Gross. I’ll give it to Harper when I see her next.

The note from Norah is obviously much shorter. The doodle of a sexy trout makes her snicker. Daph is gonna hate this. Scarlet reads:

Scarlet,

Thank you for the upgrade idea about my second transformations. I can also just win each time. Don't mind the boobs, though. The height bugs me a little, but I'm getting used to it. As for getting Andy to fantasize about realistic proportions: have you seen Marissa and Erin? I thought so. Also, pardon my French, but what fucked-up show has a fish as a girlfriend?

I'll think about your comments and wish you well.

Norah

Not particularly feeling like that deserves another letter, Scarlet just addresses the camera, assuming that, if Norah cares, it’ll get to her somehow:

“Norah, I don’t like talking about this part of my past, but I became a stripper to pay for grad school when my mom got cancer. I worked at a ladies only joint. Some of the girls there got the big fake beachball boobs. Sure, they got better tips, especially the ones that would go dance at strip clubs that allowed men in, but they constantly complained about back pain. I would not wish for that on anyone.

While I haven’t seen Marissa or Erin (I had to request some photos of you from the producer over here after seeing the factoid that described your fantasy body transformation), I understand Marissa has naturally large breasts and Erin has extremely unnaturally large ones. While I assume Marissa is both used to such things and they are within the realm of reasonableness, I do pity Erin’s plight. It’s just that I cannot suggest an easy way to fix hers.

Honestly, I’m generally a ‘dancers legs’ gal, so, while the boobs are a more obvious place to register my complaint, you being **** to exchange your height for flabby bimbo legs also makes me feel sad for you. Again, before that first transformation, I found you to be gorgeous. Seriously, the prettiest girl in the harem. If you truly like having large breasts, I will keep that in mind if I try to help you in future.

I do understand the confusion, but I’d appreciate a little more courtesy towards my fish-girlfriend next time. Life is complicated over here. In addition to my Mistress, I am dating three other women in the harem. It helps to specify. Daphne is a mermaid that got a little more human-like with a transformation or two. Fish-girlfriend fits. Not my first choice, mind you, but it fits.

Good luck, Norah.”

The third letter is from Dr. Holt. The accompanying tea is nice. After pulling out the tea set Dinah got her from her inventory, Scarlet brews herself a satchel of it from the packet, grabbing some water from a nearby bottle refill station and using her own firepower to set the water a boiling. The floral scent of lavender and chamomile fills the air as the petals and leaves unfurl. Steeping for 5 minutes, Scarlet pulls the satchel out and takes a sip. Lovely.

She sits to read, sipping tea all the while:

Scarlet,

Thank you for your letter. I want to start by saying: please don’t apologize again for mentioning Dr. Petrov. You didn’t cause me pain. On the contrary, you reminded me of someone I respect very much, and reaching out to her has been one of the bright moments I’ve had here. So don’t carry that guilt.

That said, some of the things you write about leave me a little uncertain. You talk very freely about caring for your Mistress while also being sexually involved with her. I don’t know your circumstances, and I don’t mean to judge, but in my training that kind of dual role would raise some serious ethical questions. Maybe things work differently in your setting, but it makes me pause.

I was also confused by your comment that your “insides are mostly lava.” I don’t know if that’s a metaphor, a transformation effect, or if you’re being literal. It’s hard to tell from a few lines on a page. Either way, I’m glad you came through being shot.

Another place where I tripped up reading your letter was your assumptions about sex. You wrote as if the natural thing would be for me to chase catgirls, or to wait for Andy to be in his female form before sleeping with him. As if it would be unthinkable to be attracted to him as a man, instead. I’m not sure how to explain this, but I don’t think attraction is that simple. Some women want women, some want men, some want both, some want neither. I hope you’ll forgive me for being blunt, but it felt odd to read.

That aside — thank you for the mushroom wine. I will try it carefully, not straight from the bottle, though I admit your tasting notes make me curious. I’m not sure what I’ll make of it, but I’ll let you know.

I do appreciate your concern, and your offer of help. Massage oil sounds a lot gentler than mushroom wine and lava, and I won’t say no if the chance ever comes.

Take care of yourself, Scarlet. You sound like you’ve been through a great deal.

Sincerely,

Marissa

Scarlet takes the hopefully gentle chastisement at face value. This deserves a thoughtful reply.

Dr. Holt,

I’m glad that I didn’t hurt you, Dr. Holt. I saw your immediate response to my first letter and assumed I did so. And then I was asked to respond to you the next day and a week passed by for you? I am not wired to handle time travel nonsense.

Yeah, I know what I’ve done and am doing to help Harper is unethical. While I just got the diploma, that was earned via magic, so I suppose I’m an ‘All But Thesis’ dropout practically. I definitely haven’t even started to get certified to be a proper counselor. And, yes, sleeping with a patient is highly unethical and I told her as much before we started my ad hoc treatments. Please understand that the premise of our season and our hosts are all much crueler than your own. If I had the luxury of just being one or the other, I would happily just be the supportive girlfriend, fiance, whatever I am to Harper. We should really talk about defining the relationship a little more firmly, but, beside the point. I hope and pray that my Mistress has no need of a therapist when we get out of here.

Would it help to know that both issues I addressed were ****, life crippling mental issues triggered by magic? Storytime for the first. One of my harem-sisters, Skye, has a transformation that makes her utterly disgusted by the concept of clothing, especially when worn by Harper. Our first challenge was to play dress-up with a doll shaped like how Harper was at the time. And Harper kicked our first host, Beckie, off of a several story tall balcony to stop the hag from eliminating Skye for not participating in a challenge she physically couldn’t do. For that kindness, Beckie cursed Harper with a form of overwhelming magic gender dysphoria. It got so bad by my next date with her that Harper could not think or speak in English anymore, as the transformation induced thoughts became so overpowering. I got her through it and then helped her with the aftermath.

For the second, I don’t know how much I’ll be able to tell you right now. It concerns the things I have been sworn not to divulge until they have been revealed to you. Let’s say that Harper’s soul was permanently damaged by a particular magical event, and, especially in this time of initial healing, she needs extra emotional support beyond what my personal relationship with her can provide. Hopefully, all of that will make sense in time.

Finally, I will say that a transformation I received denies me the ability to use traditional therapeutic treatments. I know that, if she needs therapy after all of this, I shouldn’t be the one to provide it. I will drag her to someone qualified for therapy if I have to. I’m planning on becoming a masseuse first and a good ear second when we get out of here.

I’m sorry that, in my rush to get everything written, I was too glib and I did not mean to imply you were not attracted to him as a man. The factoids I have been provided did note that you rode him pretty hard before the first challenge, so I felt that I didn’t need to ask about that. Good job, by the way. Please be aware that I haven’t actually watched any of the seasons I have written to, outside of watching people respond to my letters. Harper has watched a little more, but she is the only one with access to other seasons. On our end, Harper knows that she is only one woman. There are 8 of us in the harem right now. That means that less than one night a week is ours if Harper tries to split things up evenly (like I expect her to). She encourages us to find companionship and love with each other, in addition to her. Perhaps it is easier for us, since we are all naturally inclined that way. Another season I have written to is much closer to yours than mine. Male Master (that can change to female at will), with like a dozen women. That Mark guy is one man. His harem also seems to be on a trajectory to grow. Imagine only having a single night every fortnight with the one you love. Seriously, half of the girls over there voluntarily bought transformations to become bisexual by the end of the second round. And most of them have paired up (or thrupled up) too. Frankly, I’d be listing something similar about Dr. Petrov’s harem, except like half of the girls over there just want something platonic with the Richard guy currently. If I understand their theme correctly, he’ll run into the same problem as my Harper and that Mark guy has. Too many women you love, not enough time.

I will note that Andy is also only one man. If I understand the nature of your season, his harem is going to keep growing. He won’t have enough time to devote to all of you. It is natural for me to assume the girls over there would at least consider making the same arrangement as we and Mark’s harem has. It would suck that only Sam and Liesa would be able to find romantic happiness outside of in Andy’s arms, you know.

And the catgirl line may make sense in time, too. All I will say that I wasn’t thinking of Claire when I wrote that.

Your final concern is the odd one out, as it were, so I left it for the end. I am being literal and it is a transformation effect. As Harper would say, ‘we are on the wackier side of the transformation spectrum.’ I got turned into an oread, you know, from obscure Greek mythology? Volcano spirit. My insides are, I guess, technically magma instead of lava. These hands I hold this teacup with are more chunks of supple obsidian than flesh. Thank you for the tea, by the way. Very calming. And, when I lose my cool, I literally combust. Silver lining: I can give the best hot stone massage you will ever have.

Thank you for your concern. If you think I went too far, I will respect your wisdom, provided you can tell me what I should do instead. Good luck, Dr. Holt. Look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Your fiery friend,

Scarlet

Sighing, she finishes the tea while listening to Shirley Temple belt out some show tunes. She cleans up her tea mess. Shuddering at the cat-girl provided porn parody book, she pops it in her inventory. I suppose I should figure out a way to help Norah, too. She’s like a less tactful version of Josie. Didn’t think that was possible.