Mail 3 (M,C,H,T)

Genet left her apartment, having set the door to access her own home. It felt…comfortable, being back in her mountaintop mansion. Her and Vaughn had dedicated the place together after she got out of the infirmary several centuries ago, and it showed. The furniture was soft enough to sink into, but her husband had made every piece of decor as part of one of his passion projects, the couches and pillows things he did as gifts to her. The hallways were wide and the counters low for him, as despite the fact that it was their home together he was there by himself more than he deserved. His work was best done from his personal workshop, while her job required her to go out and see the world.

She walked through the living room, to the kitchen where one of his automatons was preparing steaks; It informed her that Vaughn’s was medium and the other was blue for their guest. She let the automaton load them onto a platter as she prepared drinks, and she took everything towards the elevator.

It took her down, deep into the mountain. They were in his forge, which was entirely his space. It was pristine and bright, not a single tool or speck of dust left out of place in the workshop. It was another of the things she loved about him, he was more orderly than she was ever capable of being.

She could hear the sparks flying as she got closer to his most recent project. She couldn’t tell what it was yet, but she was looking forward to being shown later. She signaled that she was there and waited.

Ata came out with her Vaughn. He was so handsome as he looked up at them both, rolling towards her in his wheelchair with sweat glistening down his chest. Ata looked…happy as she came out of the forge talking to him. It broke Genet’s heart to watch her smile dip as Ata turned and saw her.

“Do I need to go back already?” Ata asked.

“No, you still have at least a week here before the next day on set starts. Feel free to relax. Are you having a good time with Vaughn?”

“Yes.” Ata replied shortly. “Why are you here?”

“We’re in the mail episode, so I wanted to bring you the two letters that came for you.” Genet set dinner down on an empty table nearby. She handed both of them to her shopkeeper, who opened the much smaller one first:

Hope you feel better soon! Having some fun in a challenge shouldn't be any reason to be upset with you, no matter who you are.
-Vee

Ata nodded.

“Any response?

“Thank you. I don’t think I’ll be doing something else like that, but parts of it were fun. Hazel was my favorite, she seemed to like me.”

Genet smiled, waiting for her as she opened the bigger one.

To Ata, from Hardric.
Greetings.
So… Going by the Challenge and your reactions during it, it sounds like any interpretation you went for these shiny apples on purpose over some kind of compulsion is a bust. Pity, these stories get bad enough like this without the less charitable interpretations getting a degree of confirmation. Wonder who puts the compulsion on for that, because it does feel like there had to be one.
Still, besides the old-fashioned hubris and its risks… Still beats being trapped as a lion, I think. And I will hope you get to mend bridges with your actual boss. And you get to celebrate with a nice long hunting trip.
Keep going,
Hardric.

“Some of them heard me.” Ata looked grateful as she whispered, then said louder: “Thank you. I don’t know if I can promise anything. But I appreciate being acknowledged.”

Genet smiled. “Good. I’ll be headed back to work then, I’ll have Vaughn warn you when time is running out.”

“What about that one?” Her shopkeeper said, pointing at a card that Genet had been trying to walk away with.

“What one?” Genet tried to deflect.

“That one. It has my name on it.” Ata pointed at it again, growing increasingly annoyed.

“I guess it does, doesn’t it?”

Ata flipped it over and read:

You, my dear, are the gift that keeps on giving. Still one of my favorite downfalls of all time.
-Dee

Ata scowled, before turning back to Genet. “Can I participate in the fan mail?”

Genet conjured up a piece of paper and an envelope. Ata scribbled something quickly, then handed it to her:

Felicia,
I voted for Carnivore. You earned it. I still don’t forgive you.
-Ata

“I’m sorry.” Genet said. “I should have remembered earlier, the deadline was by the end of the challenge.”

“By the end of the challenge. The challenge that I ran for you?” Ata asked, temper flaring.

“Yes.”

“Are you trying to tell me you didn’t let anyone else bend that rule? Everyone here seemed to know the results already.”

“I can’t give this to her. She already feels guilty enough.”

Vaughn got involved. “Dear, can I speak to you?”

Genet nodded and both of them went to a corner of the room to have a hushed conversation.

“Let her do this.” Her husband urged her.

“V, please. You haven’t seen how conflicted and muddy Felicia feels. If she reads this, with everything else she’s seeing…”

“Katrina doesn't pick people that aren’t confident in themselves. If she takes it badly, then she has friends to help her through it. Our girl has no one but us, and you know how complicated that is for her.

“But-”

“Trust them. I know you need everyone to be happy. I love that about you, and I’m glad that’s one of the pieces we salvaged. But they have their own wills, and this is a situation where everyone may not be able to be happy. Let her see that you’re choosing her this time.” He put one hand to her waist, reaching up to reassure her like only he could.

“I’ll let her know.” Genet said, before wheeling him back to the table.

“I’ll put it in her bag. I can’t guarantee she reads it, or what happens afterwards, but I’ll put it in her bag.”

“Really?” Ata asked, poorly masking her surprise.

“Really.”

“Thank you.” Ata said, though Genet was already hurrying back to the show.

Maeve

“Did you enjoy the lokshyna?” Genet asked Maeve as she took the empty dish and put down the bag of mail. The two were in the Stone Cottage, by themselves since her roommate was off with her friends.

“I did. May I ask how you know all these recipes from our past?”

Genet smiled. “As you know, I can see and hear what makes you all happy. The stronger your emotions and memories are tied to something positively, the more clearly I ‘see’ it. Anything strong enough for me to use it for the weekly menu I can usually reach around and see who prepared it. So I was able to do this pretty easily, since you make this for your parents every Saturday evening.”

“Thank you. I am always fascinated by the description of your extra senses.” Maeve looked down at the bag. “I’m supposed to read these then?”

Genet nodded, before disappearing in a puff of sugary smoke. Maeve sat on the bed and opened the first one. Reading aloud, she leaned forward as she began to focus:

Hi Maeve,
I don’t know how much help or wisdom I can really give you. I’m Dr. Talia Winchester, thanks to some stuff on my own season I’m now the smartest woman, from my earth at least. That intelligence though hasn’t really translated to great people skills, which seems to be your specialty. I know you are Richard’s therapist and you are right to be concerned about the ethical quandary that puts you in. The one thing I will suggest is to decide what principals are truly important to you, not simply what the world expects of you. I’ve been wrestling with that myself. I wish you good luck and you and the rest of the people on your season will be in my prayers.
May your God watch over you,
Dr. Talia Winchester
Master’s Impish Waifu

"Thank you, Dr.Winchester. I'm still trying to figure out that question myself. I do respect your acknowledgment that there are multiple kinds of intelligence, I've know several academics that struggled with that."

She put it down and picked up another:

Dr. Petrov,
You are probably going to hate me gushing over you, but you are such an inspiration to me. Or, at least, my dimension’s version of you. Your academic papers were so interesting to me back in Freshman psych that I went into psychiatry myself. Or, at least, I would have been. The future seems a little hazy because of me being here. My stupid first transformation keeps me from being able to recall what they were about, but I do remember the feelings that they brought up in me.
I could use your advice, actually. One of us is completely traumatized by events from the show and is in real danger of not getting to 100 VP in time. She’s so stubborn. How can I help her, especially with all that I learned from college still locked away by my student loans (again, stupid first transformation)?
Oh, I got you a bottle of wine for one of the other girl’s farms. Hope you like Cabernet!
Thanks for everything,
Scarlet

There was a bottle of nice looking wine attached, which Maeve set down. “Thank you for the wine. To focus on your bigger issue, I’m sorry that you and your friend are going through this. I have some ideas, but I want to warn you that since I don’t fully know this situation there may be some flaws that make my ideas inoperable.

"You’ll want to find her something where she can separate herself from the show, kind of like Luna and I did together. Having everyone get to one hundred VP isn’t super important here, but it sounds like it’s an urgent priority for her. If that’s true, then you’ll want to try having the master involved. Having him there to bond over whatever respite you can find could heal whatever the show has done to her while making her a bit more willing to do what she needs to. If you have options or multiple ideas, I would try to avoid anything specifically “sexy” or tied to gender roles. The transformations seem to adapt to focus on who we are as a person, and so if the escape you use to help her is too tempting to the host, it could be used as the premise for a tf. I hope I don’t need to explain how that would reignite the issue you’re trying to help with.

You mentioned that your own education was “locked away” by your student loans. I am deeply sorry to hear that, and I don’t understand how your Host expects you to pay off your loans without the ability to do the work you went to school for. I expect that I may be…closer to the Turners by the time this is over, so if you are still burdened by this transformation, I would encourage you to seek me out to see if I can help with your debt.”

Maeve set down the letter on the bed and picked up the next one:

Dear Doctor Petrov,
I want to say how much I admire you. The way you look after the others on your season is truly commendable. I am in a similar position, on my season I was the oldest woman to be made a harem member, though my transformation pretty much reversed any signs of aging and now I’m a fifty year old woman trapped in a 20 year old’s body which is the reverse of how I’ve felt most of my life. Returning to what I was saying before, you have stayed so steadfast, and I…am envious of your abilities under pressure. I made a mistake that had catastrophic consequences for the harem as a whole. I know the pressure you must be under, but to see you refuse to crack and reach out to all these younger women is truly inspirational. Though I also must ask, are you taking any time to take care of yourself? It may be rude of someone who has failed where you've succeeded to ask, but I also know as a professional, the number of times I have put my students' needs before my own. I also know there is a time limit on how long you can do that before it wears you out and you start slipping. So I say this as someone who both admires and envies you, please take care of yourself. I’m sure the people around want that for you as well.
Sincerely,
Eliza Dawson PhD

“I appreciate your concern, Dr.Dawson. I do have a habit of holding things in that I… need to keep better tabs on. My therapist helps, but I don’t know how long it’ll be before I can see him again. If I try forever, then it could result in the kind of fight that ended my marriage. I hope that Luna can help.” Maeve said

Dr.Petrov hardened her tone slightly. “As far as the self-flagellating tone this letter takes, I want you to be easier on yourself. You haven’t ‘failed, where I have succeeded’. We are in different situations. There is no mistake here for me to make that could have catastrophic consequences, as you put it. Even if there were, there is no guarantee that I would make the right decision. It sounds like you are a professor of some sort, and so I would remind you that if your students are using what you’ve taught them, then you are doing your job as well as I am doing mine.”

Satisfied, she put it down and opened the next one, which had another small package:

Maeve-
I must say that you are such a lovely addition to the season it makes me wish I had included a psychologist of my own. While you are taking care of the others I must ask that you not forget you also have needs and pains the other might soothe. And while I understand if you cannot or will not open yourself to Richard, I must warn you that this will not be an easy path. Still there are others you may find solace in and I wish you happiness.

• Shar

She opened the package, which was a pair of books. The first she flipped through was a collection of Irish poetry, while the second was a collection of Sappho’s writings. Both were translated so that the original language was on the left side, and the english was on the right. I should show this to Aubrey. “Thank you, Shar. I appreciate your concern, as well as the hint you gave in that second book.” Maeve set the books down with the letter and picked up the next letter:

To Maeve, from Hardric
Greetings.
Well, first, apologies for the additional work this place is bound to make for you through what is happening to everyone here, and is liable to happen. Still, I am impressed with you for putting in such an effort for all of them. Having someone able and willing to offer this support to others is a good thing.
…Okay, there is no way around this but the direct stream of consciousness one, no sidestepping myself or putting a foot in my mouth than by choosing to put it there. I don’t think sticking to a role of therapist, and the distance it implies is going to be sustainable long-term with the rest of the group. And I don’t mean the part about VP and sex. I mean the part where sticking to this would mean keeping walls around the one group of human beings you will be interacting with for the foreseeable future as TFs and the likes pile up more and more stress on you. A scenario like this reeks of building pressure until it blows you up, and catches others in the fallout. Because yup, pretty sure these people care for you too, and this is a good thing. Even if it means you have to work on your own troubles on top of theirs.
I don’t do psychology as a profession beyond having wasted a therapist’s time for a few years as a kid and teenager, and what is taught to aspiring teachers about teenagers’ thinking processes, but I still think you’re going to need to give a serious thought about how to live with these people, and help them, without putting in a professional distance. Because if you don’t do this transition, I’m pretty sure it will be hell to you. And not just about TFs dragging you that way without wanting to. Proving the saying about shoemakers having the worst shoes and the physician healing themselves… I hope it doesn’t end up being you.
Apologies for the bluntness, see my comment about wasting the therapist’s time not speaking up much. Reverse could be bad too, but frak if silence feels like a good choice. At least I’d say there are people around you who can, and will help you as a family if you let them do this. And that you can help this way, even if it is a different role from the professional one. You know them. You know they will do this for you. You can all make this work.
Keep going,
Hardric.

“You repeatedly say that you’re not a professional and you’re worried about wasting my time, but you’re right.” Maeve said with a sigh.

“The path I’ve taken as a guide will not last forever. Most of the audience probably doesn’t like me already, and Genet has to answer both to them and her producer. I’ll need to cross lines with Richard eventually, but I hope he’s emotionally in a place where he can handle my change in role and that when I try to transition, it’s still my choice. I’m hoping Luna will be able to help me navigate that. It’s nice to have someone that I can be Maeve first and Petrov second with.”

Maeve sighed again before putting it down. She opened the next letter and found that the message was similar, even if it was a tenth of the size and written by someone who appeared to be new to writing:

From: Blue
To: Maeve
Stop over-thinking things! You can want things. It’s OK. I give you permission.

“Thank you, Blue.” I appreciate your permission.” She opened the next one and began frowning:

Dear Maeve,
I'm so excited watching a therapist in the harem. They normally only make it onto the dark corruptive seasons for some reason. Which is super silly since they are great for sexy fun times. They know so much about their patients after all so when they fall in love with one they already know so much about what they like.”

“That is highly irresponsible of them. Even if she has transitioned from therapist to lover, a good therapist should not be trying to use her own clinical experience with them”

“My best friend is a therapist and she's amazing. She's doing a great job of getting her ex-patient master to fall for her as well despite the difficulties she is facing on that front. Y'all actually even both have the empathy path. I do have to ask though how do you do your job as a therapist so well despite dressing so conservatively? Were sexy outfits not part of the uniform?

“Are you sure you’re not describing an escort?”

Oh well at least you got an awesome starting transformation to help up your sexiness level. I'm really enjoying watching you on the show. Though I have to say while it is great that you are helping everyone else out you do need to focus on yourself a bit more. You are dangerously low on VP for being at the first challenge. While I'm rooting for Felicia to win I hope you do really well in the challenge to help get yourself a boost up
Best wishes from the host friend to therapists,
Sally

Maeve sighed once more, though this one was of frustration. “I’m not sure you’re fully aware of what a therapist does. We are not supposed to be seducing our clients. If your best friend truly is one, then she deserves to have her license revoked like I’ve been worried about. Whether or not she is a real therapist, I’m not sure you’re mature enough for watching the kind of things on a show like this, much less being in someone’s harem. I hope your master is careful with you.” Maeve set it down less carefully than the others and opened the next one:

Dr. Petrov,
I do appreciate you working with the other women of the season, forcing them to confront their weaknesses so they can flail in their attempts to overcome them. Therapists really are a treasure for their ability to expose such raw emotions. Do keep up the excellent work in that regard.
Your own emotions are rather muted at the moment, but I will allow you the time to percolate if you think it’s best. It should certainly make young Richard feel all the more responsible when he sees you compromise your ideals to satiate the demands the show has for him. Perhaps Genet could set up some kind of crisis arc for you, that certainly seemed to work for Ms. Turner.
Sincerely, Dee

Maeve shifted from frustration to outright anger, which was almost impressive for her. “I am not working with the others for your amusement. Dealing with his feeling of responsibility has been one of my biggest goals with him, and I don’t intend to exacerbate that.” Hopefully the next one is from someone more respectful. She thought as she opened up a letter, before realizing how familiar the handwriting felt:

Maeve,
Recently, I was made aware of the fact that you may also be trapped in the Harem Hotel. I hope that your Host, the other Contestants, and this Master are kind. I have asked the Host of my season, Arabella, to have this letter delivered to you as soon as possible. My companions and I completed our first challenge, but our season includes sudden eliminations, and tomorrow we will know which of the eight of us will go. I wanted to write to you before the results are tallied.
The Master of my season is Andy Cooper, the patient for which I asked your advice. Prolonged grief disorder with PTSD, depressive disorder and adjustment disorder caused by the **** of a close attachment in his early teenage years. The other Contestants are women from his life. And of course, there is me. I told Andy that this has made my continued treatment impossible. Yet, for the first time, Andy may be healing. Within the span of a week, he has connected with all the women, rekindling romantic connections and winning over those who didn't know him well or hated him. He seeks to protect us all, and I fear elimination will break him, but I hope otherwise.
I miss you dearly, and wish I could speak with you to know how your season is treating you. I hope, at least, that my letter reaches you and lets you know you are not alone. Perhaps, if I am not eliminated tomorrow, our Hosts may allow us to speak? But if I am, I want to thank you, for everything you have done for me. You have been a mentor, a friend, and a teacher to me. Whatever happens, I wanted you to know. -Marissa Holt

Maeve’s first reaction was horror. This happened to Marissa too? How many women have been affected like this? But that wasn’t useful. She took a deep breath, and Dr.Petrov responded:

“I’m so sorry to hear that Marissa, I know how hard you’ve been working. I don’t know if you can hear me now, but I appreciate that you’ve reached out.

“I want to praise everything you’ve done. It’s very responsible of you to make how your relationship needs to change clear to Andrew. You’ve seen him through the first stage of a life-changing event. While no one deserves elimination, I dearly hope you are spared from that. No matter what happens, you will always have my respect.”

She put the letter down and turned to the door. “Genet?”

The host reappeared, her perfume muddled. “Yes?”

The therapist held up the letter. “I don’t know how long ago she wrote this, but do you know the results of the elimination vote Marissa was referring to?”

Genet shook her head. “Not yet. Given the difference in speed our sets are moving at I’ll likely know soon, but that may not be until the morning.”

“Could you let me know what happens? Whether or not she survives, I’d like to know.”

Genet wavered for a moment. “If she was to be eliminated… I don't know if you would remember her."

“Marissa deserves to be remembered.” Maeve said.

Genet stared at her for a moment as if trying to piece together a word she didn’t know. “You’re right. I can have a transcription of your message sent to her, and I’ll let you know if she makes it through. If she doesn’t, then I’ll piece together a video of her time in her season to see if that will help you hold onto her in the event of something retroactive.” Then she was gone again, vanishing in a violent burst of biscotti and cabernet.

Aubrey

Aubrey threw away the plastic container her mac&cheese had come in a few minutes before Genet came back. Genet dropped off the bag, and Aubrey eagerly followed her instructions and opened the first letter:

From: Penny
To: Aubrey
From one diva to another, I know that it can be hard to accept that there are going to be others taking the spotlight that belongs to you. Just remember that even platinum performers have someone warm up the audience, and without roadies you’re stuck carrying your own equipment. If what you want is to be center stage, be ready to accept the help of others—it’ll make your solo performances shine all the brighter.

“It sounds like you’re really into the singing analogies” Aubrey commented. “I get what you’re saying, and I think I’ve accomplished it. I’m working with Maeve and Ava, and I’ve even accepted Luna’s help. I’m good here!” She put it down and opened another:

To: Aubrey Conners
From: A concerned party
Hello. I almost missed my chance to send you a letter. My life's kind of hectic right now, not that you have any reason to care about how the Audience is doing. I thought you might be interested in a gift, as my friend just did a translation of the Batrachomyomachia into Linear A and I thought you might appreciate it. We're giving you a few different file formats for image and text, as well as an audiobook my friend did in the Minoan language. Admittedly the translation got creative at points, but I am pretty sure we don't have any lightsabers involved anymore.
I am worried that you will get some unkind feedback in these letters, which I don't think you deserve. You understand your limitations and are trying to work on them, and I am not qualified to help you. I think you're in one of the most functional setups on Harem Hotel of any season I am familiar with, and your ability to accept your limits and work to improve them is admirable.
I think the important thing to realize is that everyone in this cast is going to be part of your family in the future. Mechanics of the "harem" are not always consistent across seasons and Genet's messed around with the usual rules a bit, but I don't think there's an end to this where you won't have to live with Richard and the other contestants until **** or elimination.
Normally I give advice on strategy with the wish and endgame, but Genet's running a variant and her Producer is somewhat mysterious. I wish you luck.

A book and audiobook were attached, which caused the linguist to brush past the more poignant advice. “You have a friend that understands Linear A well enough to translate it?” Aubrey was vibrating with excitement. “This is…unbelievable. If this is real, I cannot thank you enough! I don’t know who you are, but thank you. I am forever in your debt.” She begrudgingly put down the translation and opened the next letter:

Hi Aubrey,
I was apparently asked to write to you since we share the same name and both had less than stellar first dates with the person selected as our ‘Master’. We are getting pretty close to our second challenge in my season and it’s the morning of my day with Mark. It has been a struggle to connect with him, because of my TFs but I’m hoping things will change soon. I say this because my understanding is while you care deeply for him you are having a similar issue as myself and hyper fixating on certain things like I am. Please slow down and take a step back before you ruin the second chance you have been given.
Best wishes,
Aubrey Martini
Mark’s Little Lamb

Aubrey frowned. “I don’t hyperfixate on things. My first date on the island went a little rough, but it’s all better now. I’m listening carefully to Richard, and I’ve made sure I won’t ruin things again.” She put it down and opened another, this one being held in the arms of a large teddy bear:

Aubrey-
To you my dear I send my warmest hugs and well wishes. Your love and dedication to your master is lovely to see. Please try to see the others not as competition for Richard, but more love for him to receive. Working with them can only make things better for him, and I know that you only want what is best for your love. You have so much to give them in comfort and care that they need as well as your dear Richard. Also, please listen, you are not stupid. You have accomplished much in areas such as language that not many could match. I believe you have a problem with the perception of numbers so that you see them as backwards. I know you would never treat a student in your care as stupid for a disability with reading, so please stop treating yourself that way because of your own. Maeve may know how to treat such a problem, and you know you can trust her.

• Shar

“I’ve been putting a lot of effort into trying to be less territorial. I think I’ve been doing a good job?” She looked visibly uncertain at the next part. “Of course I would never treat one of my students poorly for having a disability. That’s not their fault, and it deserves every accommodation possible.

“But I don’t have a disability. Yes, I struggle with math. I barely have my life together. They tried to give me a diagnosis in elementary school, but that was just because they felt bad for me. Thanks for the bear and all, but please keep your thoughts to yourself.” She squeezed the bear and it said in its recorded voice: “I love you.”

She laid down and quietly cried.

***

After she’d taken some time to recover, she opened the next one:

Dear Aubrey Connors,
This may come off as rude, I’ve been told I do that sometimes unintentionally, so I apologize in advance. Where do you get off calling yourself dumb?! I know you talked about this with your friend, but it makes me so upset. You’re not dumb, having a hard time with numbers doesn’t make you smart, being good at them doesn’t make you smart! I am really good at math, but I had to repeat Intro to Spanish, and not only that, I’m a high school dropout! Knowing ten languages that you can speak and read? That’s amazing! That’s actually incredible! I wish I could do that. You’re brilliant! I just get upset hearing you call yourself dumb because I often think that about myself, I also struggle with foods I don’t know, and people are fucking difficult to deal with! I just…If you’re dumb, it doesn’t really matter how many digits of pi I know off hand, I’m a fricken moron. All I do is gamble and play games, because I’m good at them, and sometimes people will play with me. I just think…I know my season is giving me a second chance to live my life and be good at something. I’m so happy you’re also getting your second chance. Richard seems like he’s really important to you, and I know what it’s like to lose someone important. Everyone else always complains about this show, but to me it's really special, and I’m glad it’s special for you too. I’m wishing you the best! I hope you run away with the competition! I’m rooting for you!
Ciao!
Maya Quinn

“Thank you Maya.” Aubrey said. “I’m glad someone else understands what a miracle this place is. Without it, I never would have had my second chance with Richard, or get the opportunity to become what he needs. I don’t know what I’d do with the wish when I win other than show Felicia, but I appreciate your support.

“I’m surprised someone else gets the food thing. When we started getting serious Richard tried taking me to a bunch of fancy restaurants. I found out that I don’t like French, or Italian, or German food, just the languages. One time in high school my favorite mac&cheese brand changed what they use for their cheese powder, and it took me months to be able to find a replacement.

“If you ever need lessons in Spanish or any other language, I’d love to help you.”

The blonde opened her next piece of mail:

Hi Aubrey,
From what my Host and fiancee have told me about you, it seems like you could use some advice. My fiance and love of my life was selected as the ‘Master’ on the season I’m a contestant with. I was essentially told I have to share him, just a few months before saying ‘I Do”. I had actually been planning to… well that’s not important. What is important is: don’t let having to share your man ruin your relationship with him. I hate to say this but it is unreasonable to try to keep him to yourself. At least if the rules of your season are similar to mine. My fiance told me he read your season before getting dragged on to this show. He assures me that Richard very much loves you, take comfort in that. Even if Richard is with the others that doesn’t make his love for you less. Poly relationships are a thing, they just take work and communication.
Good luck and may your love endure,
Allie Asher
Master’s Wolf Waifu and Fellow Smitten Blonde

“You’ve got another one of those weird tags the worse Aubrey did.” The better Aubrey observed. “I’m not going to let a few other people in his life break us. A poly relationship isn’t for us though, I’m hoping the others understand that so we can get back to normal once the show ends.” She put it down dismissively and grabbed another:

Dear Aubrey,
Very happy for you being able to get back together with Dick. Always a joy to see people in love come together. Now I know this isn't under the circumstances you would prefer but think of it this way. How much do you love Dick? Do you love him enough that sharing him with other women is preferable to not being with him? Because now that y'all are here sharing him is inevitable. There's already two other women there in love with him and that number is only going to grow. I believe that your love will win out and you can grow to accept this. For your and Dick's sakes.
Having faith,
Sally

“If you really need to know, then I can be quiet for a few weeks. You don’t need to be worried about me making another fuss.”

She flipped over a card, beginning to get frustrated with the envelopes:

Aubrey,
Big congrats on topping the VP charts this round! Always a pleasure to see someone jumping into the action headfirst. Glad you and Dick could come back together to have such a good time. I know it’s still been a bit tough with everything going on, but you have a great opportunity here!
Harem Hotel lets you break a lot of the silly rules of romance, like having your cake and eating it too. A problem shared is a problem halved, and pleasure shared is pleasure doubled (octupled?)! The Master can be with multiple contestants without having to leave anyone behind. Your fellow harem members won’t be going anywhere either, so you’ll have support, friendship, and maybe even casual sex, who knows? Rooting for your happiness!
Vee

“Friendship. Friendship is the answer. Support too, from most people.” Aubrey said in response to the imp’s rhetorical question. “I appreciate your support for Richard and I, though I’m not sure I have the energy at this point to keep up with you.”

She put down the letter and frowned, looking at the knee-high mountain of mail. “I think I’ll stop for now. There’s at least nine here, and I kind of want to check out this translation. Linear A’s never had a successful translation because of how different it is from the Greek dialects that came after, and so this is like a rosetta stone.” She paused, thinking. “And Shar? I’m sorry for being mean to you earlier. I know you’re just trying to help. I appreciate the bear. It reminds me of him.”

Hazel and Helena

Hazel and Helena had taken a walk down to the beach to have dinner. Genet had conjured up a blanket and umbrella for them to have a little picnic with before. They’d taken their shoes off and gone for a little walk in the sand and surf before their responsibilities returned. After they finished, Genet brought over their mail.

“Why don’t you go first, Ma’am.” Hazel suggested. Helena nodded, pulled one out, and read:

Helena-
I do hope that Sharron's gift helped dear, and as promised here is mine as well. I really do believe it will help you but I understand if you continue to decline it. Perhaps ask that lovely new girlfriend first though, I think she might like it as well.

• Nimue.

There was a golden card with a sketch of a castle on it.

“May I ask who Nimue is?” Hazel asked.

“Do you remember the woman I told you about at that castle who was with the vampire, who looks like she came from a James Cameron movie and promises she doesn’t hurt people anymore?”

Stifling a sigh at the description, Hazel nodded. “That’s her? What was her gift?”

“She thought a magic breast augmentation might make me feel better.”

Hazel paused. “Did she specify how much?

“Is there an amount that feels right?” Hel asked, a little nervous at the answer.

“I don’t know.” Her girlfriend shrugged. “I don’t need you to change for me. If you did decide to do it, I’d hope we could still play tennis together.”

The redhead was relieved at the answer. “Do you want to go next?”

Hazel nodded and found one to read:

Hazel,
A little birdie told me that your season had a fan-mail session scheduled soon. Nope. That’s a lie. My new Mistress is apparently a light sleeper and started watching your season randomly at 3 AM? Anyways, big fan. Gotta love a girl that was in uniform, even if she’s in a silly civilian suit now.
Granted, you bedding that hot little tamale made me love you more. We were all allowed to watch Harem Hotel episodes on my old season and I jumped for joy when you kissed her. Good for you. Could have done without the guy, though. I mean, I get WHY he had to be there, but still…
It’s cool that your Host lets you keep a sidearm. I miss having one myself. Still, I think you could use an upgrade in style. I found a lovely Elgin Patent Cutlass Pistol in the fan-mail gift catalog, fully restored and ready to fire. I mean, it’s a Navy gun, but it’s cool looking. Also got you enough gunpowder and .54 caliber bullets to have at least one good shooting session with it. Enjoy.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, time for me to sneak up on my Mistress and drag her back to bed.
Captain Matilda McMatterson
US Army
Reaper Division

“She’s fun. Her season’s master is a mistress.” Helena commented.

“It feels weird to be reminded that all these people have watched us have sex.” Hazel said.

“Does it bother you?”

“Somewhat. It makes it harder to lower my guard. I think I’ll be able to dismiss it again though”

Helena inspected the gun. “It looks so much different than the ones you use.”

“Mine are subtle and able to be fired quickly. This is a relic, even by Navy standards” Hazel snuck a bit of snark into her explanation. “But it does pack quite a punch. Do you want to try it together at some point?” Helena nodded, and put it back in the case it had come in before reading her next letter:

Helena-
So glad you managed to evade your exit clause, and the idea was well done. I hope the three of you can be happy together. I find that inter harem relationships can make the whole work better and smoother with less pressure on the master. And you are so very good at taking care of your brother. Perhaps you can find others that could use a nudge to find each other as well to help even more. I do hope you are enjoying my gift, but the leash is very clever as well. Perhaps these things can show you working with the flow of the show can work out better than fighting against the current. Either way we wish you well.

• Shar.

“Thank you, Shar. I appreciate you helping me when I needed it. I don’t know who might ‘need a nudge’, but I’ll keep an eye out. Richard’s friends are under my protection almost as much as he is.” She nodded to Hazel, and her bodyguard opened another. There was a large, suspiciously sword shaped package attached to this one:

Hazel-
Well done on saving your lady love. I commend your dedication to the Turners and applaud your finding a place with them. I would ask that you extend your care to all of Richard's harem as they will hopefully become dear to him. I'm sure Helena would wish so as well. I wish the three of you much happiness. Last I send you a gift because bullets can run out but a blade is ever in your hand.

• Shar

Hazel answered: “I hope it reassures you to know that we both have been protecting his friends for a long time.” She opened the package, which contained a broadsword emblazoned with the image of a rose. A note informed her that the word Aegis would recall it into her hand from anywhere in the world.

“I suppose I should start training with this. It’s much bigger than my baton.” Hazel mused. “Thank you, Shar.” She nodded back to her boss, and Helena took another turn:

Hello Helena,
My host Cassandra asked me to write to you. Not really sure why. I’m a contestant on another season and my fiancee is the ‘Master’. From what I’ve gathered you’re having a rough go of things because you’re supposed to be with your step-brother. Honestly that sucks. I know I wouldn’t be happy about that myself. As loath as I am to say this though, I would figure out how to be with him if you can. Eliminations are truly horrific and the opinion of the audience does matter. I don’t know if your Host would do this but my maid of honor got added to the harem because of a TF vote. I was given a few options of things I could send you by my host. I understand if you don’t want to explore this but, I’ve included a special animal cookie. It’s a wolf cookie. It will give you wolf ears, tails and some other characteristics for 24hrs. It might be fun to explore a bit more with your new girlfriend. It is rather similar to a TF I got in a round of voting so I think it might make things more enjoyable for you.
Allie Asher
Master’s Beloved Wolf Waifu

“That’s a nonstarter. I won’t do that to him.” Helena shut down the vile proposal.

Hazel slipped the package the cookie came in into her pocket before starting hers:

Dear Hazel,
Let me start off with a big congratulations for achieving not only one but two relationships during only the first round of the show. Both the master and his step-sister is great progress. You've also been doing a great job playing the game and making the best of your situation despite your girlfriend's unfortunate self destructive tendencies. You are very easily in my top three for this show. Sadly it's hard to put you at the very top despite how great you are because we still know so little about you. That plus your kind of disturbing habit of helping your boss with stalking everyone that's close to her step-brother keeps you away from number 1.
I know my credibility on judging that is super shaky since I am a host myself and I do similar things but yours seems to be for much less healthy reasons. But y'all are working on that so credit where credit is due. Might want to keep helping her to get more onboard with the program though so we don't have to go through another elimination scare. Now since I want to end this positively I want to mention how lucky you are getting such a fun transformation to start. You get to experience so many transformations for the price of one and there will only be more to enjoy as the harem gets more tfs over the course of the show.
Have a blast,
Sally
P. S. I'm sending you a gift with this letter to enjoy with your girlfriend. It's a doggy animal cookie. Whoever eats one of my animal cookies, (Helena), will turn into an animal girl of that type for 24 hours, in this case a dog. It's not harmful in any way and is great for some sexy role play

“That’s very similar to the one you were given, ma’am” Hazel said, referring to the cookie she put in her pocket with the wolf one.

“There won’t be another elimination scare, at least one that I cause.” Helena said. “I’ve learned my lesson there.”

“And the tracking has been very useful. I don’t know if Miss Conners would be here today without it.” Hazel pushed back on Sally’s comments.

Hel noticed the defensiveness and spoke up: “It’s alright, she doesn’t know.” The auburn haired woman took out another letter and took a turn. It was a struggle to read, with notes on the margins and the quality of the writer’s penmanship unreliable.:

Dear Hels
Yo! So here’s the thing, everyone else was sending out mail already, and I’d feel bad if you didn’t get anything. I was originally gonna send something to Stella, because holy heck, another chick named Stella? What are the chances? I think Mads has got that covered, though, so, yeah. Got to watch some of your season, thought you might have bit it when you vanished for a bit. Listen I know all there is to know about pissing off hosts, and masters for that matter, so like I get ya. You don’t want to be told what to do; you want to protect the people you care about. I vibe with that. Also you look pretty hot in a tennis outfit.
What was I saying? Sorry, I stopped writing because Maya started stomping her foot while writing her letter and I lost my train of thought. I think what I am trying to get at is, hey I understand not wanting to go along with the show. At least Genet seems nicer than Lucian? That’s our host by the way, he’s actually a demon from hell apparently. I think I am too now? I’ve never actually been to hell, though, but do you think citizenship comes with the horns?
Shit sorry. What I keep trying to say is that flexibility is key to survival in situations where you lack control of your environment. Gandhi said Adaptability is not imitation. It means the power of resistance and assimilation. Essentially, rather than fighting your environment, grow and learn with it; you don’t need to accept it, but being a brick wall against a wrecking ball is just gonna leave you wrecked, you hear me? Anyway, my roommate is crying out of nowhere, so I'd better see about that.
Peace,
Stella Vincent

The letter had effectively redirected Hazel as hoped. “There’s a lot there.”

“There is. There’s a certain wisdom hidden in the middle of her ditziness.” Hel commented. “But I want to check on her. Genet?” She shouted at the end.

“Yes?” The host appeared in an almond scented puff.

“This girl, she talked about becoming a demon from one of her tfs. Did her host really curse her to be hellbound?”

Genet looked at the envelope. “Stella? No, that one’s just cosmetic. She’s in the same state as most people.” and disappeared again.

“Huh.” Neither of them were quite sure what to say about how she’d phrased it. That one. Hel opened another one, hoping that would settle their minds:

To: Helena Turner
From: A concerned party
Last time I made a real push like this it probably failed, but the politics on your season are hard to predict.
First of all, I want you to understand that the events you are involved in are not easy, and blame or self-sacrifice are counterproductive. You need to maintain your agency, but the structure of the "show" is designed to confuse and demoralize contestants. Your attention is drawn to the personal stakes, the pain and the drama, and most contestants never figure out what the game is even about.
You need to think carefully about your situation. The ****, harem, threats, are all real, but they aren't the core features of what you have learned about your world. Magic is real, the afterlife is real, the multiverse is real, and certain powers are hostile to you on a personal level.
You are trying to protect people. This isn't about keeping them alive anymore, it's about either immortality or securing an afterlife you trust. Think very hard about available transformations and similar mechanics.
On another season, a tomboy got a transformation that kept her hair long. She cut her hair, and it grew back immediately. It was distressing and cruel and the worst part is she never understood it was a miracle. The mass was not being generated from her body, it was a gift of deep magic. Human hair sells at prices that could have made her a fortune, and the primary demand is for people with medical conditions who need high quality wigs. She could've helped a lot of innocent people, if just a little, and she never realized what she had.
You've been maimed by Harem Hotel. If you can't walk, consider alternatives. Think about flight, swimming, a snake-like tail, wheels. You're not limited to human anatomy anymore, if you find the right tools or assistance. I think you could be something legendary.

“This one focuses even more on the afterlife.” Helena said.

“Heaven, then?” Hazel still didn’t believe, but she knew how important her partner’s faith was to her.

Helena nodded, as her eyes kept drifting to flight. Would my wings be white or black?

“Are you alright, Ma’am?”

“Yes.” Hel lied. “It’s your turn.”

Hazel did as she was told and opened another:

Hello Hazel,
Nice hand to hand combat with Ata. My name's Sam, I’m in the US Navy and a fighter pilot myself. Always a pleasure to talk with another service member, current or former, even one from another universe. Been told you knew the guy chosen to be the ‘Master’ on your season fairly well. I barely did with Mark but I think things are going well. Number one piece of advice I have and it will go against every bone in your body: Let down your guard. Also seriously explore your relationship with your new girlfriend. From the sound of it she’s going to need your support to make it through this.
Clear Skies,
Lieutenant Samantha Irving, US Navy
Dragon of the Depths

“Another Navy girl, I guess I’m outnumbered here.” Hazel joked. “I obviously don’t let my guard down easily, but it’s easier for me here now that the threats feel more specific. I’m hoping that I can work on that next round.”

“What about the ‘exploring your relationship with your new girlfriend’ part?” Hel teased.

“I think I should do that too next round.” Hazel said as she leaned down for a kiss. “Your turn.”

Helena opened the letter, finding a piece of parchment rather than paper:

From: Hwa
To: Helena
For a human, your resilience is admirable. The powers behind this farce of a show will seek to change you—to lead you down a path that is not your own. Their power is greater than your own, but that does not mean victory is impossible. Instead, recognize that each step you take under your own power is a victory of its own—even if that step is taken at a crawl.

“For a human.” Helena pointed out. So this was written by someone that’s more than human?” After the last few reminding her of the afterlife, her imagination drifted up. “Thank you, Lord or Lady Hwa. I will do what I can to carve my own path.”

Hazel shifted uncomfortably in place, though giving no sign of any issues to her lover. To break the tension she masked she opened another letter:

From: Stheno
To: Hazel
It is pleasing to see one so dedicated to a worthy pursuit find pleasure in the act. As one for whom pleasure was so long denied, it is doubly so to see you take your place with pride and authority. Do not deny yourself, and do not allow yourself to be denied.

“It’s the same parchment. Do you think it’s the same kind of being?” Hel asked.

“At the very least, they’re coming from the same place. I appreciate your kind words…Stheno.” Hazel struggled to pronounce the name. “I don’t think I’ll disappoint you.”

She nodded, and Helena reached for a postcard. Her voice grew tight as she read, sputtering as she grew inflamed with wrath:

Ms. Turner,
I have to commend you on your efforts so far, madam. Stubborn pride, traumatic hypervigilance, and good old-fashioned self-loathing, always a succulent combo. Just a bit of Yuki’s tenderizing was all it took to have you embracing the dehumanizing transformation the audience loves so much and giving your Stepbrother a feast for the senses while abandoning one of yours.
Keep fighting, though. Watching the Hotel boil the frogs is so much more satisfying than when contestants dive into the pot. I am hoping your suggested transformation wins. Usually, I am not a fan of circumventing the audience’s whims, but giving your Master a hand in seasoning your exact corruption is an appealing prospect. Sincerely,
Dee

“No!” She shouted. “I didn’t! I haven’t! Please, believe me! I'm telling the truth this time!" She was panicked and barely finishing her sentences.

“Hey.” Hazel reminded her of her presence by brushing two fingers along her neck just above where the collar sat. In three days it had already become normal for her, almost comforting at times. “Do you want to try again? I’m right here.”

“...Thank you.” Hel took a deep breath. “As I was saying, you are clearly both confused and deranged, the worst part of the audience that watches us so obsessively. Yuki failed in every possible way. I have not hurt Richard, yet I am still alive. Her attempts to terrorize me have resulted in some of the happiest days I’ve had in almost a decade. My stepbrother is getting what he wants, but so am I.

“And you misunderstand what the transformation he will be receiving from me will do. Yes, I am encouraging him to participate. But he will not have free reign over us. Giving him more control over the situation is a necessary move to counter Genet’s tendency to struggle with the consequences of her actions. I know this is unlikely to make it through your thick skull, but perhaps someone else watching may learn from your message’s idiocy.”

“Good job.” Hazel encouraged her. She reached into the bag and found her own postcard. Bracing for the worst, she read:

Hazel,
Daaammnn lady, you are totally killing it this season! Guess that’s not particularly outside the norm for a “bodyguard” like yourself, but you are a treasure nonetheless. A tough, protective, polyamorous, bisexual switch? That’s like the recipe for the perfect Harem Hotel contestant (or Mistress, now that I think about it). Pretty sure being sandwiched between the Master and another contestant week 1 is some kind of record. Speaking of, thanks for keeping Helena out of the elim bin. My brother loves ‘em but personally I’ve never seen the appeal. Maybe take a firm hand with Maeve next round, too.
Rooting for your happiness!
Vee

“That must’ve been the brother that reached out to you.” Hazel whispered, as if the show’s microphones wouldn’t pick it up. At a normal volume, she spoke: “Thank you for that, I would never let anything happen to her. I don’t think I’d make a very good Mistress, but I appreciate the compliment. I’m not sure what Maeve has done to need a firm hand, but I’ll keep an eye on her if that’s what you would recommend.” She gave another nod to Helena signaling her to open another and read:

Hello Helena,
My Name’s Mark. I find myself in a similar position to your step-brother. The difference is I know rather a lot about the show, from reading about it. In fact I read quite a bit of your season. I don't know Nimue well, but I can tell you Shar is one of the nicer hosts. If she considers Genet a friend, maybe give them the benefit of the doubt that they aren’t complete monsters. I know it seems unthinkable but I’ve read about a lot of strange relationships that have worked out because of this show.
Also if you really truly do not want to be with Richard sexually, you can survive without doing that. My advice though is to stop focusing on that. Focus on how you can be a member of his harem. Not sexually, necessarily but what role you fill. Become the manager and wing-woman, I’ve seen it before it could work for you. Alternatively maybe have both of you sit down with Maeve and talk about what kind of relationship you and Richard can have.
Best Wishes,
Mark Garret
Master of Harem Hotel: Missed Connections

Another Master. He seems…relatively rational, kind even. Hopefully Richard will still be like this when this is all over. “First of all, I wanted to correct appearances I may have left. I don’t think Genet is a demon or a monster anymore. I think she’s simply a woman, given more power than she knows how to use. She’s doing her best, although she’s colored by influences that I think cause her problems. And since she is in charge of us, that leaves us all with problems to deal with.

"Second, I appreciate the advice from another season with a big picture view. I don’t know if the wingwoman role fits me, between being a different kind of influence than I gravitate towards, and the fact that Luna is a rather natural fit for that. But I agree that I need to come up with something to appeal to the audience more. When I speak to Maeve this week, I’ll try to make that part of our conversation.” She nodded to Hazel to pass the baton back. The Indian woman drew another letter, this one by someone who looked like they could have spent their entire life just practicing their penmanship until it was pristine:

Dear Ms. Singh
It’s interesting getting some insight into how other seasons do things. I had more or less assumed they ran mostly the same, but it seems that the one you find yourself on is a little less…mercenary than the one I find myself in. When our assistant here asked us to write to one of you after sharing some of your…daliances. I felt myself most aligned with you. Both of us are professional women who dedicate ourselves to others’ causes, and you hold yourself with a poise that I admire in an individual. I am sure you are already aware of your position, but I feel I would be remiss in not suggesting you capitalize on your unique position. You not only have your Master’s ear, but have the dedication of his step-sister, an impressive woman in her own right. You currently have big plays on the table to maximize your influence over the competition moving forward. I don’t even believe there is a need for anything untoward for you to get ahead, just keep your priorities in line and you stand to gain the most VP of anyone in short order. You have a man intrigued by you and a woman in love with you. Also, given the protective nature of you and your companion, you are the one best situated to make use of the wish at the end of this game. I wish you well in all your endeavors.
Sincerely,
Mira Gayen

“Thank you, Mira, for your compliments towards us both. I think you may be underestimating what some of the others will do for Richard or to gain VP, but I appreciate your faith in us. Since there are three wishes available, we have been workshopping a list of ideas to use or suggest to the others as we get closer to claiming one.”

She nodded to Hel in what had become their signal to move on, and her boss picked one up. It was sealed with the Super Smash Gals logo, she recognized it from when she used to play Brawl Gals during college. She cracked open the seal and read aloud like the others:

Dear Helena,
I am so extremely sorry you had to go through the experience of meeting Yuki like that, even if it was somewhat your own fault. Still rebellion or not Yuki is not someone I would wish on pretty much anyone, except maybe Al. My dad used to be a host and I met Yuki some growing up because of it. I still have nightmares about her. You may not find this as comforting as I intend but at least it helped kick your butt into gear and stopped you from self eliminating. Plus I have to say you looked pretty sexy in that uniform. Nothing wrong with the pantsuits but some variety would be nice. Especially some stuff to show off that great ass of yours when crawling. That was a great upgrade Shar gave you so I hope to see your tf in action a bit more often. Man, I'm jealous of Shar. I could have come up with some great stuff to help you out if you had come to see me. Oh well, it's never too late as they say. While it may be out of character for me I'll pass on teasing you about you wanting to get it on with Richard since you are making progress. I'm enjoying seeing you grow and hope to see more of it
Rooting for you,
Sally
P. S. I know you don't have fond feelings about the show but you'll be surprised with how much good it can do for you with a good host. For example, do you think you and Hazel would have ever made your feelings for each other known without the show? A positive attitude can do wonders for you. Just food for thought.

“I-” Helena was trying to figure out how to word it politely. “I think I’ve had enough of visiting other sets for quite a while, even with your offer. There’s very few people I would wish Yuki on as well.

Helena looked towards Hazel, who’d become so many things. Her bodyguard. Her assistant, and most trusted advisor. Her girlfriend. “The part here at the end. I think it’s true. I never would have put you under pressure to accept me as anything more than your boss, and you were hiding your feelings as well. If not for the show…” She didn’t finish the sentence, pushing her mailbag away to rest her head in Hazel’s lap.

After a moment Hazel pushed her mailbag away too. She put her arm on her protectee and girlfriend’s side, and the two watched the sunset together before they needed to return to the auditorium.

To the Audience:
Thank you all for following me through the first round over the past year. I appreciate your interest and support, I know that in the beginning my writing wasn't what I'd like to think it is now.
If you're anticipating the second round, I'll close the voting two days from now so I can get the winning transformations ready. I'm looking forward to what comes next, and I hope you are too.
-Mothneb
Writer of Harem Hotel:Domestic Affairs Edition

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