Extradition (H,T)

A warning before reading: This is the darkest chapter so far, and I plan on it being the darkest chapter my branch will offer. While it isn't on the scale of how dark many branches have gone, it's an aberration for me. Please be patient if something upsets you

It should have been darker. The Christmas tree was lit up in the corner. The dim lights of the hotel buzzed, illuminating the lobby. The entryway was quiet, and whatever guests might be staying here were absent, leaving the place calm. It should have been darker while Helena was caged.

As she awoke, she felt the wrongness of where she was. That was followed by the wrongness of her, as she looked down at the cage and caught a glimpse of herself. She looked down and her armor was gone, the black pantsuit she’d put on this morning missing. In its place, was a schoolgirl outfit. Not a proper school uniform like she’d worn at St.Mary’s growing up, but an abomination. It was a pornographic parody of a catholic schoolgirl costume, the red tartan skirt not even long enough to properly cover her ass. Forget being dress-coded, this was likely to get her arrested back on Earth. The sheer dark stockings clung to her firmly, like they weren’t letting her go.

The top showed… too much. It was just a tiny white shirt tied at the middle. It revealed her entire midriff and no matter how much she tried to pull and tuck, a sliver of each breast peeked out. She leaned forward to adjust more easily, and learned the worst part.

Her hair was falling over her eyes. How? She felt her hair. It was longer than it’d been in years. It hadn’t been this long since before she’d hired Hazel. I need to fix this. She scrambled for anything to use. Glass to break, wood to splinter, anything sharp enough to hack it off. But there was nothing within reach of the cage in the middle of the lobby. There’s nothing left to try.

She was left to contemplate things as she sat in the quiet lobby, light of the tree gleaming in the corner. She knows about us now. That monster, Yuki, said she wanted to take the rest of Richard’s friends with the two of us. And it’s my fault. She thought about Hazel and their ally Felicia, who were off exploring Genet’s temple. That won’t matter. What would Yuki do if she tried to rescue me? She thought of Aubrey and Stella. They’ve both been through so much. Aubrey was getting a second chance. She looked down at her clothes, an intrusive thought slipping through the rest of her despair. Everything here seems designed to be personally unpleasant. Maybe she’ll be forbidden from drinking? But that glimmer of optimism faded as it deserved to. Her mind then went back to Richard. She said that she’d make him a proper master. What does that mean to her? If she had to guess then she assumed that would mean breaking him. I just wanted to protect him. What have I done?

She heard footsteps coming from the stairs and saw a glimpse of Yuki, walking down in her white yukata. “Finally awake, I see.” Yuki said as she looked into the cage with an icy smile.

“What did you do to me?”

“Just a few things to help you accept your place once I’ve reunited you two.”

“Making me look like one of his high school wet dreams won’t do anything, I would never do that to him.”

“The clothes? No, that was so I could savor your reaction. The fear I could smell when you woke up was… delectable. I’ve given you a few triggers to help you present yourself properly for your master.”

Now that she had an enemy to point herself at, Helena was able to catch herself from falling further into despair. “He wouldn’t take advantage of me. Even if I was compromised, he’s too good for that.”

Yuki almost looked pleased at the pushback. “If neither of you bend, then you’d simply be eliminated before the challenge. I already set the timer you know, without having at least ten VP by then he’ll have to say goodbye to you. That would be tragic, wouldn’t it?” Yuki watched the trapped woman’s face, like a predator looking for weakness to clamp down on.

No. As much as Helena was having trouble believing it, she wished Genet was here.

As if summoned, the woman herself stormed in. The door into the hallway slammed open as Genet invaded. Perfume was wafting off of her like a thick smoke, the scent of rosewater and vanilla flooding into the lobby.

“Yuki. What have you done?” Her voice was thundering through the space.

The cold woman glanced at her, unimpressed. “Getting your lost bitch to behave. You’ve got a runaway problem.”

“I’m here to collect her.”

“Not yet.”

Genet teleported across the room to Helena in her cage. She stuck her hand as far as she could through the bars. “Hey kiddo, how are you feeling?”

Helena took her host’s hand, not believing that she was grateful for the pet name she’d described to her step-brother just the day before as creepy. The bars were so cold as Genet supported her, it felt like they were trying to rip away all the warmth she was being offered. “I think I made a mistake. I’m sorry.”

“That’s ok, I’ve made plenty of mistakes myself. Why don’t you rest while I take care of this. I’ll wake you once we’re out of here.” She poured out perfume from the arm she was holding her contestant with. The aroma of roses, vanilla and almonds washed over Helena, putting her to sleep. The familiar scents for her faded once she was no longer conscious to need them, leaving just the roses in the air. Once she was satisfied that it was just her and the other host she asked: “But seriously, what did you do?”

“What you asked for. I changed her clothes, gave her a few compulsions the audience will enjoy, and added that condition to end it. I was surprised you requested that, I didn’t think you did eliminations anymore.”

“I know the elimination won’t actually happen, she’s creative under pressure and she’ll find what she can handle. I’ve designed a lot of ways to earn VP. But I need details on the rest. What were the compulsions?”

Her least favorite host stared at her. “I’d tell you that, if I didn’t know you’d feel guilty after you left here and wipe most of it away.”

Genet didn’t have a great argument against that. It was probably true, she already felt awful about the arrangement.

“Why did you choose this outfit?”

“You told me she was catholic, it seemed like the obvious choice.”

“Yeah, I was complaining about how she had the stereotypical catholic guilt I needed to solve. When I said to change her clothes, I was thinking of a nice dress.”

“Then you should’ve been more specific that you wanted something pointless.”

“I guess this is technically what I asked for.” Genet quietly grumbled.

“Now that we’ve agreed on that, can we discuss my fee?” Yuki demanded. “This has gone on longer than most of my cameos.”

“Right.” Genet pulled her leather bag from the air and slowly retrieved a set of thermoses, each of them labeled with the name of one of her contestants, setting them down on a nearby table. “Why do you need this again?”

“I like trinkets. You didn’t want to do the Maeve body pillow, so we agreed on bathwater instead like most of the others do. Now which one is from the chef girl?”

I’m not betraying her. She won’t even know about this. Genet pointed to one thermos filled with bathwater. She’d tried to hide it so Yuki wouldn’t notice it until after she left. “Her name is Stella.”

Yuki immediately slipped the one pointed out into her sleeve to make sure her weaker counterpart wouldn’t run away with them. “I wonder how Hazel would react, looking at her as she is now.” She took Hazel’s thermos and cracked it open. As she stirred her finger in the cup, ice crystals formed inside making it like a bathwater slushie. She took a sip and slowly savored it in her mouth like wine.

Genet thought about Yuki’s choice, and her comment about Hazel’s reaction to seeing her boss reduced to this. I remember how angry she was, how angry they both were when I first brought them on stage. She’s treating my girls as toys after how far they’ve come. She gripped the table, trying to stop herself from acting out on another set. They both deserve for me to be that angry for them, but I can’t give them that for this to work.

Yuki finished her first sip. “It’s real. You know, I don’t usually do second appearances but I’d consider it if you brought… you said her name was Stella?”

Genet bristled, and the smell of rosewater in the air became noxious. “You will never get Stella. You shouldn’t have been able to lay a hand on her.” She pointed down at the sleeping woman she’d come to retrieve.

“You asked me to do this.” Yuki pointed out, getting annoyed.

“I asked you to be the backup, and only because my producer insisted. She was supposed to end up at Shar’s, so I made sure to only unlock her door. I hid your key so she’d barely have a chance to end up here like he wanted.”

Yuki’s face grew stern, as her words became rapid and biting. “And things have a way of working out like they’re meant to. If she was at Shar's neither of you would have had the spine to discipline her. You’ve already proven she needed more than a weak-willed therapist or a Twilight reject.”

“Shar would’ve been careful to reduce fallout, to only do what Helena needed. She wouldn’t bludgeon her, treat her like a tool like someone would. Now open the cage, I feel gross doing this.” Genet could see her breath as she finished speaking. I need to stop pushing her before she makes it much colder.

“I wouldn’t want to make you act like a real host for a moment longer.” Yuki said sarcastically as the cage lock clicked and the door creaked open.

“Whatever. I need to get her to Shar’s to make sure she’s stable enough to do what she needs to tomorrow.” Genet bent down and picked up Helena, carrying her in both arms.

“You’re still taking her there? How many sets do you plan on visiting for people to do your work for you? Then again, maybe you’d make a better uber driver anyways.”

“Better than a TV addict.” Genet slipped in as she was leaving.

“That is for research.” Yuki snapped. “The things I do for these crossovers.” she said quietly to herself.

***

Genet stepped into the hallway, the door to Yuki’s Lobby collapsing behind her. She was holding Helena in her arms, and used a kiss on the forehead to pull her out of the enchanted sleep she'd put her in to negotiate with the dark host.

The woman in her arms awoke violently, and would have fallen if Genet had not been prepared. "You won?" Helena asked as she came to her senses.

"I got you out, and that's what matters. Yuki taunted me with some of what she did that was less obvious than the outfit she put you in. We'll figure out a way through the timer, ten VP is a lot easier to get than you'd think. After what happened, I want you to have some support to gather yourself." Genet promised her.

"You're taking me to Dr.Petrov?"

"Better. I'm taking you to someone who's been through things a lot like you have." Helena looked around, trying to figure out what her host was talking about, and realized in horror that they were heading for the door to the only host who might be darker than Yuki.

Genet pushed open the door to Shar's with her hip.

***

Shar looked at the time again, Helena should have been here long ago by the plan. Had she decided not to make a run for it? That would be the smart thing to do, but she was doubtful about the woman picking the smart choice with what she'd seen on the season so far. "Do you think she changed her mind after all?" Shar asked the blue skinned woman who stood calmly by her side.

Nimue looked at the door that still stood improbably in the outer wall of her lovers office. "The enchantment still holds. I'm sure Genet would have released her end if things had changed."

The two of them were still patiently waiting when the door finally opened. Helena was here, just in a way that neither of them had expected. They had been told to expect her in one of her pantsuits, confident and trying to negotiate. Instead, she was in a tiny little skirt and tied shirt that looked like a catholic schoolgirl fetishwear set, with hair twice as long as either of them remember seeing on TV. She was clearly shaken, and Genet was holding onto her tightly.

"I'm so glad you're both here. We need your help." Genet said, relieved to see one of her best friends.

Helena pointed at the host they'd come to see, confused. "How are you both here? I thought that Shar was going to eliminate you."

Genet looked down at her charge, just as confused.

Taking a moment to parse Helena's mind, Shar pinched the bridge of her nose. What a mess.

Nimue laughed, the musical sound loud in the small room with the window sealed. "Sharron was in my season, but she was never eliminated. She won."

"She won? I don't understand. Does she still let you host, even after what you did?"

Did you never explain to her which one of us is Shar? The host asked Genet.

I thought I did? I’m just as confused as she is right now.

Shaking her head, Shar knew one sure way to clear the confusion. "Helena, I will make a deal with you, watch the rest of the season you blew off so you can understand the lesson Genet was trying to teach you and I will give you something to make your burden bearable."

Looking at both of them and having trouble not making more accusations at the blue woman, she reluctantly agreed. "Alright. I was hoping you would win anyway. I don't know where the guy that she made the Master of your season is, but hopefully he doesn't come in later. He seemed like a piece of shit from what I saw earlier, if you don't mind me saying that."

Shar sighed. "I don't mind. Steven became a monster by the end of the season, but you really shouldn't hold Nimue responsible. Hosts had very little autonomy back then. And even then she more than paid the price." Thinking about how much time this would take, Shar had another idea, though she wasn't sure if the stubborn woman would accept. "I can also just implant the knowledge in your mind and save us watching it again."

Helena looked up at Genet, who was still carrying her. "You people can do that?"

Genet shook her head. "She and I have different gifts. Memories are hard for me, I deal more in emotions. Why don't I get you on your feet so you can take Shar's gift, I'll get you a change of clothes while she does her thing. I'm sure you'd want your armor right now." She helped her contestant to her feet and opened her purse, slowly pulling out a new suit and clothes to change into.

"I am a gifted telepath, part of what was done to me that I'm about to show you." Shar took Helena's hand to steady her. "Now this will be mostly from my perspective, so it's a good thing you're attracted to women." She joked, and before Helena could protest images flooded her mind. In mere moments she experienced the rest of the season. She gasped, shocked to find that she wasn't actually covered in blood.

"Dear God." She took a deep breath, returning mentally to her surroundings. "That was... so much. How did you keep going? How _do _you keep going?"

Genet looked up from the outfit she was putting together to lend a word of support for her friend. "Most wounds can heal with enough time and love, and Shar has had a lot of time to fight for what she loves. You see why we're friends now?" Helena nodded, still looking up at the vampire in horror at what she’d seen.

Shar nodded back. "And now you see why you must stay. To protect Richard, not from Genet, but from becoming a monster. Something I was not able to do with Steven. Help him, and help the others as well. Find happiness within the harem, it may be closer than you think." She smiled over at Nimue before looking back at the strong willed woman. "And now my gift." She held up an open hand with a small golden card on her palm. Tentatively Helena reached out to take the card that then disappeared in a flash leaving her with a momentary impression of golden words hanging in the air before her. Walkies: From now on moving on all fours will no longer be uncomfortable, in fact Helena will find she is very agile this way and will feel minor pleasure in doing so. "Weaknesses can become strengths if you have the courage to learn how to use them."

Helena frowned. "Thank you for both gifts, but I can't do what's needed to stay and I don’t really plan on crawling more than I have to. The only way to stay is to violate him, and doing that would push him along the wrong path. I promised to keep him safe, and good, I can't break that pledge. Hazel would take my place if I was gone, and he'd still have his therapist."

"No." Genet said in shock.She'd been so sure Helena's drive as a survivor would help her figure out a way.

"It's alright. You're both doing what you can for me, even though I tried to get Yuki to kill you."

"I never touched Steven sexually, and won. You can serve Richard the same way. Just find a way." Shar told her sternly.

Nimue laughed again, trying to break the tension. "And I can help you with your other problem. The audience may not like you now, but I know one sure fire way into their hearts if you will accept my gift as well."

"I know you were **** into some of the stuff you did, but after watching Agnes twice I'm having trouble accepting anything.” Helena rejected her. “I've never really cared about what the audience thinks anyways, the only people that matter are back on the island."

"I did not choose the eliminations I was **** to do, nor any of the transformations." Nimue said in a subdued voice. "As for the audience, you really should. You will be in for a tough enough time avoiding elimination with not having sex with Richard, something that I have seen happen far too many times to count. Think for a moment about what your fall would do to your brother who has already lost so much before you spurn my help."

Shar spoke up, hoping to tip the scales. “What kind of elimination do you think waits for you, if you let it happen?"

Helena glared at them both, her appreciation reaching its limit as they became one more threat to him. "He'll have Dr.Petrov, Hazel, and six other people that care about him that weren't around back then. No matter what happens to me, he'll have people to support him." Whatever kind of elimination it is, I probably deserve it at this point.

You do not. Intruded into the woman's mind. No one does.

Mother Mary. Helena swore internally. You're like that blonde from the comic books Richard used to read. "I won't touch him."

"There's plenty of ways to earn VP without touching him." Genet tried to explain. "Just by both of you undressing, that'll get you seven points."

"I will not violate him unless one of you seizes my body and forces me to, and I've seen now that none of you would do that. This is the one line I won't cross."

"Do you at least want to get changed while you're thinking about it?" Genet offered, holding up the fresh suit. Helena looked down at her clothes, remembering that she was still stuck in the schoolgirl fetishwear and her old hairstyle from a decade ago. Feeling her hair against her neck was setting her on edge, like she was back to when Hazel could barely keep her alive and Richard was still in the hospital. "Thank you for that, I honestly wish we didn't need to fight. Is there somewhere I can get changed?"

"There is another thing I can do for you before you change." Shar told the frustrated woman. Suddenly the vampiric woman was no longer sitting in her chair, but standing next to her as loose hair tumbled down about her.

Helena flinched and took a step back as she realized what had been done. She could already feel her heart slowing down

Shar reached out and steadied her before Helena could fall. "I could see that your hair bothered you, and that this cut is much more to your liking."

The strength in the woman's cold grip steadied Helena as much as the image of her freshly shorn hair placed in her mind. "There is one more person you should talk to before you go. Someone that knows far more about the risks you are taking than you could imagine. Come with me and I'll take you to see her and a place you can change."

"Alright, I need to get out of this before I go back to the Arrow House. Where are we going?"

"To my bedroom of course." Shar told her matter of factly. "But first you'll need this." Helena gasped as a silver bracelet was placed on her wrist before the tall redhead stalked forward and breached the seal on the door causing the trapped atmosphere to escape. Shar led the small group of women down the short hall to another black wood door. The door opened itself at a gesture and the tall woman waved Helena inside.

The auburn haired woman faltered as she started to consider who could be left for her. "The woman you wanted me to meet. It's not who I think it is, right?"

"Perhaps." Shar returned. "But why don't you get changed first while we wait in the hall."

Left to her own devices by the hosts, Helena took off the skirt and tied shirt. She left them on the floor, not wanting to touch them again if she didn’t need to. She changed into dark purple slacks and a matching suit jacket . It was one of the ones that she’d worn on a business trip to Glasgow a few weeks before all this started with Hazel. It wasn’t her favorite, she usually preferred her black suits, but Hazel had suggested it when they’d packed last minute. Once she was ready, she opened the door back up to see what was next on Shar’s agenda.

Sweeping past the now besuited woman, Shar walked over to the bed and beckoned Helena closer. Helena cautiously followed, afraid for why she was being brought into this room in particular.

"If you really want to understand the risks of being eliminated there is no one better to ask than someone who has been eliminated." Shar pulled the black silk curtain back to reveal the blonde form of Tonya lying in the bed. "Ask any questions you have and I'll relay her answers. She's still alive, you know, since she can never die."

"I'm sorry, neither of you need to do this." Helena was about to assure them she didn't need to ask any questions when one came to mind: Do you hold a grudge against Nimue? Knowing Shar's connection to them both, she tried to dismiss it before the telepath could notice.

The tall woman smiled down at Helena. Far too slow, little one. "She does not. She knows the price Nimue paid, she remembers the long years before I could bring her back. And she knows it was Nimue who showed me how to put her into the long sleeps that have preserved her sanity." A single tear rolled from one unblinking eye and Shar gently wiped it away. "She also says do not let Richard wake in his bed to find you next to him like this."

"I'll try not to. I'm sorry, you don't deserve this."

Shar held up one of Tonya's hands to Helena, clearly intending for the woman to take it. Reluctantly she held the cold latex like hand. "She says neither do you."

Yuki was an easy enemy. When Nimue, Shar and Genet were encouraging her to cross the line, she could make them the enemy too for the moment she needed. But Tonya? She couldn't make an enemy out of Tonya to fight. "I'll see what I can do."

Shar was quiet as she led the women back to her office, letting Helena think. She'd ignored the outfit left on the floor, the servants could burn it later. Back in the office, after sealing the door, she concentrated on thickening the atmosphere in the room again until she could take back her borrowed bracelet. The auburn haired woman looked disquieted, her stubbornness burned out by Tonya's quiet good will. "And you're quite sure you don't want my gift before you go?" Nimue asked again.

"Maybe if I need it next round. I still don't care what the audience thinks of me."

Genet raised a point. “I’m not telling you to take it, but the audience isn’t all bad. There’s been a few people in positions like yours that the audience helped find a niche.”

“I’m not unreasonable. Since Richard likes Hazel and Aubrey, I’ll work with the audience if they offer me anything. All I’ve seen them do so far is take my legs and give Hazel a burden to manage.”

"Very well, dear. If you change your mind, have Genet give me a call." Nimue accepted the rejection.

***

Genet led her back down the hallway. Before taking her back to the Arrow Cottage, Genet felt the need to come clean. “Would you mind sitting down?”

After the afternoon she’d had, Helena didn’t argue. The two of them sat on the plush couch that they’d tried watching the tape on.

“So this afternoon was all my fault.” Genet watched her contestant’s eyes. “Your escape attempt was something I allowed, because I originally thought it’d be a fun, gentle experience for you.”

Helena still wasn’t reacting, and there was nothing present for Genet to read. “Tell me more.”

“It’s pretty common that there’s someone that’ll react to the show worse. Sometimes they try to run. I’ve seen them try to revolt against the host before. You tried to help the master escape, a twist that I found admirable. So I wanted to turn it into something good for you.”

“I tried to start it with the screening. I’d show you someone that beat the show and tell you that she was right down the hall. If my plan succeeded you would run to her for advice, she’d give you a tool or two to help, and then you’d come back and get a slap on the wrist and we could move on. But I botched that by not properly preparing you for what we were watching.

It got worse when my producer got involved. He wanted to hijack my plan and send you to Yuki. I talked him into giving you a choice. I got worried at that point and asked Maeve to shut down your escape attempt. Just in case that didn’t work, I hid Yuki’s key and made sure that Shar’s door was unlocked so you’d technically have a choice like I was ordered to allow, but the easy option would be the better option. It was foolproof, or at least it would have been if I hadn’t messed up the tape. When you sent away Hazel I knew I couldn’t put up any more roadblocks without my producer getting involved.”

Helena used the pause in Genet’s speech to ask her first question. “You’ve mentioned the producer a few times. Who is that?”

“A Producer is a Host’s reins, the controller of the power we use for things like transformations. The host makes day-to-day decisions for the show, but the producer has veto power. If the producer disagrees too strongly with the direction, he can cancel it and the cast gets split up, used as extras. He was the one that designed your crawling transformation.”

“I see.” She’s in so far over her head. “You can keep going.”

“I’m sorry I made this so rough for you. I’m good at making sad people happy. I’m great at making happy people stay that way, and getting people to fall in love. Anger is something I struggle to deal with outside of foreplay. I tried to handle you, put things in a way you’d understand. I’ve been doing that for a while. I tried to put you in a position where you could be the brave fighter willingly coming in rather than just taking you like the others the night that I started the show. I’ve been trying to handle you while doing what’s comfortable with everyone else, and I’m sorry.”

Helena’s reaction surprised her. “I can forgive you for that part.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You panicked, and made one bad plan after another. I’ve done that before. You’re obviously good at people like Aubrey. I’m glad you are, but I’m kind of the opposite of her. You needed an assistant, someone like Hazel to interrupt you when you get too focused.”

“So we can come to a truce after all?”

Helena looked at her doubtfully. “Are you still planning to keep my step-brother here against his will?”

“He can leave when the show’s over. Several people have started earning a decent chunk of the points they need for a team victory. ”

Don’t remind me. “Semi-truce then? You won’t do something like this before asking if there’s an easier way. I’ll help Richard resist what you're doing, but not do anything that would make your sadistic shithead of a producer get pissed enough to step in.”

***

After leaving Genet’s, Helena returned to her room in the Arrow House. She’d had some time to think by herself when Hazel arrived, concerned.

“Ma’am, are you alright? Genet told me that something happened.”

Where do I start explaining everything? “I tried to run off, despite what I promised you. Another host found me and Genet had to rescue me.”

“I’m glad she did, she helped Felicia and I too. Everything’s alright now then?”

Is everything alright? Helena thought to herself. Hiring Hazel had been the first step on the road she’d taken trying to fulfill her promise to Maria. Finding a way to earn ten VP would be breaking that promise. Maybe she didn’t deserve elimination, like Genet’s friends had said. But she couldn’t dishonor Maria like this. “Genet did what she could for me. But at the end of the round, I’m going to be eliminated.”

“How do we stop it?”

“We can’t.”

“If we talk to Genet, especially if Richard talks to Genet, I’m sure she can figure out something. He’s with Luna tonight, between the two of them I’m sure one of them can find a loophole.”

“There’s no loopholes.” Helena lied. “There’s no conditions. It’s going to happen. Richard will find out tomorrow, and I’d like to have a good day with him before it happens. But he doesn’t need to find out now.” She sculpted a less hopeful version of her day to explain to Hazel. Yuki taunted her with the elimination, but made no mention of a way out. Genet barely got her out, and she and another host had tried and failed to undo the curse. After giving up, they fixed her hair and clothes and sent her home. She cut out Genet’s confession, wanting to respect the humility it would have taken. It wasn’t true. But it made things easier for everyone.