Special Delivery

I close my eyes and travel somewhere far away
You’re still the one thing on my mind
I'm falling through a new dimension every day
You're still the one thing on my mind
♬

The burning sensation of the chill, wet night air burned in Ulyssa Abbot’s nostrils as she blazed down the turnpike on her teal Honta ADV 160, the only other sound beyond the whipping air around her hoodie and the surrounding traffic being the music echoing through her skull through the earbuds snug in her ears as she blitzed round the corner of the exit ramp.

This was planned to be her last delivery of the night; then she could scoot on home to see Aeneus before he started his schoolwork, and she had to sleep before her early morning at the Perkatory. There she’d relaunch the whole program with a hot blonde roast before dishing out java to their hipster clientele.

She adjusted her lip and blew the drifting side of her blonde bangs out of her eyes so the wind could catch it and keep it out of her face.

She turned onto the main road and waited for the ping from her phone in her ear to tell her she was approaching the correct building, and then braced herself for what was likely coming. She normally didn’t take orders this late unless they were contactless and she didn’t recognize the name; God, thank the lord for COVID for making that a mainstay of her occupation. Unfortunately, she knew the name of the guy requesting delivery and, after getting him a few too many times recently, was sure he was canceling orders, waiting for her name to show up on the delivery.

She could always ignore the order, but rent didn’t pay itself; she was in the area and had a stun gun in her interior pocket.

She pulled up alongside the building and parked the motor scooter, dismounting and removing her helmet. There was no getting around it, Ulyssa was gorgeous. Head-turner, mouth open, reconsider your current partner, gorgeous. Short pale blonde hair with arching bangs swept to one side that showed off the black ear bar and stud on one side. Eyes that verged between lavender and baby blue with pink accents when the light hit them, highlighted by stunned red eyeshadow. Slightly off-putting were her pupils, which formed a four-pointed star; the doctor had said it was benign, but there was no accounting for why they were that way.

Her body was lithe, but not necessarily fit, with a chest that, while not abundant, seemed larger on her small frame and highlighted by her mostly unzipped from the top hoodie and tank top. She wore a corded belt that held up black cargo pants and, topped with the black choker on her neck, looked overall more like she was here for a party than to deliver food.

She strode to the back of her vehicle and lifted the seat, pulling out the Dinedash bag with the order and slung it on her back, dropping her helmet in the backseat and closing the compartment to head towards the building.

She's walking down the street
Blind to every eye she meets
Do you think you'll be the guy
To make the queen of the angels sigh?
♬

She approached the building, slid in through the front doors into a small, alcoved mail area and up to the intercom, and hit the buzzer for the room on the order.

“DineDash.” She said flatly, quickly taking a second to adjust the volume on her earbuds.

Not hearing the buzz to let her in, she waited around thirty seconds and cursed under her breath before hitting the button again. “DineDash, your order is here?” She tried to keep the irritation out of her voice but still couldn't fully keep the edge of impatience from her tone.

There were a few seconds of waiting before the tone buzzed, letting her into the building. With a sigh of relief, she pushed the door open and made her way in. She really hoped this wasn’t a portent of things to come. The last few times she had been here, the guy had been this awkward beanpole, non-threatening and nothing to write home about, but still. You never knew what these people were thinking.

She made her way up to the third floor and immediately felt her heart sink. Last time she was here, the guy had been playing what sounded like EDM of some variation; now she was hearing smooth jazz. What's worse, when she knocked on the door, the beanpole answered wearing a button-up shirt, tie, and slacks that all looked like they had been put on in a real hurry, along with the aerosol smell suggesting a quick spray of deodorant.

He got a big doofy grin on his face seeing her outside his door that he rapidly tried to shift to a casual grin that Ulyssa matched with a flat, even stare.

“Good Evening, um, my lady. I hope you didn’t find the journey too difficult.” He was trying to be smooth. Something he was not. What a fucking pain. Putting extra energy into lying. What garbage.

The blonde swallowed the annoyance rising in her throat, pulled the bag off her shoulders, and proceeded to open it while casually saying, “Nope. No problems. Also not a lady.” The last bit was unnecessary. She didn't need to correct every asshole on the street, but Ulyssa was annoyed.

“Oh!” This clearly flustered the beanpole as Ulyssa dug out the food package. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend. I just…with…Um, you’re very feminine for a guy, I mean”

Clicking her tongue, Ulyssa closed the bag. “Not a guy either.”

“Oh, what should I call y-” He was cut off by Ulyssa shoving the order into his arms.

“I’m nobody, your delivery driver. That’s it.” She held up her phone and snapped a photo of the squeamish beanpole for confirmation. “Thanks for using DineDash.” She turned on her heel and began to walk away and thought for a second this unpleasantness was over when she heard the guy call after her

“Wait! Listen, I’m sorry, just- I thought maybe…when you’re not working, maybe we could- I don’t know…” He had dropped his food and scrambled after her.

Ulyssa gritted her teeth and then turned, sporting a chilling smile, a finger to her lips and head tilted in an almost mock adoring way.

“Tell me, Jared,” She said, using the name the app provided her, “Do you listen to Jazz often? Have a favourite artist?”

The beanpole, now unfortunately identified as Jared, looked uncomfortable. “Um…well maybe not often, I just thought…” He trailed off

“Mmmhmm, yeah. How about those clothes. Didn’t take an iron to them, so I’m guessing it's been a few months, years maybe since you broke em out.”

Jared, at this point, had started to deflate, but a surge of masculine ego made him raise his voice. “It’s not a bad thing to try and impress someone”

“Of course not~” Ulyssa’s answer was almost musical before her voice dropped. “But that’s not you. You’re not impressing me with you. You’re making up some fake-ass wannabe Lothario to try and woo some person you don’t know the first thing about. So no, Jared, unless you’re ordering food and that’s it? I want nothing to do with you.” The smile dropped from her face, and she turned to leave. “I hear another peep, and you’re getting real acquainted with the term microcoulombs”

She made her way to the elevator and as the doors shut, collapsed against the wall. Feeling the anger and adrenaline fade, leaving her with a sense of disconnect. It’s not the first time something like that had happened, like a switch got flicked in her brain and all of a sudden her entire focus became the dismantling of the person in front of her.

A vision. Her father, cowering in the corner, surrounded by boxes of used car parts. He deserved it. Trample him, spineless wretch, mockery of humanity, filth given grace.

She shook her head; the ding of the elevator roused her back to her senses. She stood up straight. Jared probably didn’t deserve that, not all of it, at least; it touched a nerve that was all.

The journey back to the microscooter was uneventful, which was good and helped set the blonde’s nerves at ease a bit as she pulled out her phone. It was late, nearing on ten, which meant her little brother would be back soon. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to check to see if there were any jobs in the area worth doing. She started scrolling through, and her finger stopped and hovered over an entry.

“Uncle Guido’s Pizza Parlor” was the most asinine name for a pizza joint it very well may be, but the family-owned joint gave Ulyssa pause. For one, the owner Mei was a hell of a woman that Ulyssa couldn’t help but respect, managing a business like that, let alone in the cutthroat restaurateur world of Italian-populated New Jersey? Fagettaboutit. It took real cajones to do something like that, and she was always treating Ulyssa right, offering her a free slice on days she could tell were rougher.

But that wasn’t the real reason the joint stuck out. That’s where Robin worked. A fucking lighthouse in a city where it was her and her brother against the world. To meet someone else who had decided to flip gender, the bird, and be so confident about it? It meant everything to Ulyssa. Sure, Robin was more about playing with gender whatever way they felt like it and Ulyssa just wanted the concept to fuck off entirely, but…She remembered casually bringing it up after learning they were enby, and when Ulyssa had finished, Robin’s response had just been an enthusiastic “Hell yeah!”

Even so, it wasn’t like they were ‘friends’. Ulyssa didn’t see them outside of work, and outside of knowing they lived with a woman, they kept their private life just that. It was just the symbolism of it all. Talking to Robin felt like having a raft pushed out to you in the middle of the ocean, adrift at sea.

Despite all that, she sighed and flicked off the job offer. It was a trap. Ulyssa knew how Mei ran the place, and anyone taking that job now was going to be late, and that meant there was a 50% shot Mei gave away that pizza after closing. There was also no way Robin would still be there after shutting down tonight, which would leave her with Zoe.

She had no problem with Zoe; bitch seemed cool enough. Skating wasn’t Ulyssa’s thing; she preferred a vehicle that didn’t require self-propulsion, but Zoe seemed to have a handle on kickflips and whatnot. That being said, she might not have a problem, but Zoe certainly had a problem with her and made it clear whenever she was over. Whether it was about her working for DineDash or just taking up counter space, she never seemed to have a shortage of things that Ulyssa was messing up by simply being there. So that meant no more jobs tonight.

Still, if she went by the Nightclub Nocturne, she might spot Robin on their way off the bus. Was that weird? Yeah. That would definitely be weird. It was weird enough she knew that. She grabbed her helmet out of the compartment and fit it on her head. Straight home then.

The music continued to run through the blonde's skull as she made her way across town. It was always a constant. If not talking with someone who mattered, the music was the backdrop to every experience that Ulyssa had, the reassuring waves of psychedelic rock comforting her that life could always be a little weirder.

She zoomed around the building and parked her scooter before making her way to the back door and inputting the combination for entry. No elevator to ease her way home, but as Ulyssa took the stairs up, she was just thankful for the familiar sense that now that she was here, the world would finally stop moving. Third floor, apartment 315. Home.

She moved here five years ago, the moment that she could leave home when she turned 18, and used the money Mom had left her until she was able to get a job to start supporting herself. She couldn’t bear to live with that unreliable conman anymore, and the moment that he turned eighteen to start college, Aeneas had joined her. Their names, both referencing mom’s work in the classics, and this apartment were the biggest legacy their mom could have left them.

That being said, they weren’t exactly living in luxury. It was a studio apartment meant for one. A Bookshelf divided the living room, and Aeneas’s bedroom and her room was technically a walk-in closet, but she slept in a twin, so it was fine. Plus, plenty of room for her clothes that way. A small hallway had the bathroom and led from the living room to the exit and on the opposite side of where her closet was their puny excuse for a kitchen.

Ulyssa plopped over and looked around; it seemed like Aeneas wasn’t back yet. He often stayed at the campus library late; they didn't have the money yet for a computer, so he tried to get as much work done there as he could. Ulyssa swore by Christmas she’d have the money to get him a netbook so he wouldn’t need to be trapped there all the time. But he didn't seem to mind; he was making friends. He always had an easier time with people than she did. They couldn’t be more different, but always had each other's backs…especially after Mom died and Dad… yeah.

She reached over and picked up the photo on the side table showing the day that Aeneas had moved in together with her.

If she could do anything to help that kid, she would. Life had been hard enough; now would be the time when they could finally look to the future without the shadows of the past dragging them down.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and it felt like something shifted in the air; even with her earbuds in, it was like the tone of the air took on a high-pitched buzzing for a second before going away. The blonde shook her head; could it be Aeneas? Maybe he had his arms full?
She went to the doorway and looked through the peephole and saw nothing. Cautious she opened the door slowly and let out a low “Hello?”

She felt it before she saw it, wetness seeping into her shoes and socks, and looked down to see an inky blackness sloughing in from the hallway into the apartment. Her eyes bulged, and she moved to close the door, but as she moved to push the door, a black, spindly arm with a clawed hand much too large for it launched out from around the corner of the ceiling and pressed it open hard.

Terror surged into Ulyssa’s mind, and she felt the scream die in her throat, the cold sweat dripping down her back as the fear itself paralyzed her vocal cords from working. Because that arm dragged forth a body, an oozing, thick mass of tendrils, with the only discernible feature being black and white opera masks that bobbed to the surface before sinking and being replaced with others.

Ulyssa fell back on her backside and stared in horror as this entity consumed the entryway to her apartment

Then discernable through the fear only by its omnipresent ringing in both her flesh and ears, a voice rang out “Ǐ̷̫̯̰̬̾̉͝t̵̤̻̱̏͒'̵͈̞̜̺̀ş̴̘̭̘͠ ̴͕̤̍Y̸̢̗̞͂o̸͍̎͒ű̷͖̦̎ŗ̷̯͖͗̕͜ ̷͎̇͊͋T̶͈͛̽͘ú̷̮̩̻͚̉̅ŕ̵͕̆͝n̷͎̤͈̰͐́”

Ulyssa shook her head; whatever she had been able to make out, she wanted no part of it. She scrambled to get to her feet before those long, spindly arms and claws grabbed her legs and began to drag her. She reached out, trying to grasp at the floorboards, but they were covered in the thick liquid that ushered her towards the mass. She finally found her voice and let out a scream before the masks that made up the entity's face parted to submerge her in her entirety. It was cold. It was dark. Then it was nothing.

There's so much
Left unclear
But it's time
Taxi's here
♬

“And safe and sound, our seventh contestant, ladies, men, and nonbinary friends! I give you the industrious Ulyssa Abbot!”

Jack at this point had tired of their prior form and had taken on the form of a curvy anthropomorphic black coyote with blue and red spotting. They were dressed in an elaborate gold feathered collar with a black eye-patterned tabard that did little to hide their otherwise naked form, their tail illuminating the area with spattering flames that erupted from its tip.

Ulyssa sat hunched over on herself in the center of the marble floor, her mind still reeling from the process in which she had arrived here. But hearing a voice announce her name brought her to her senses, and the blonde reached into her hoodie pocket and pulled out her stun gun. “Everyone back the fuck off!” She waved the wand, her eyes wide and blood pumping in her ears, when she was completely disarmed by a voice.

“Lys? Is that really you there?” Robin reached out tentatively, concerned for the woman who seemed to be almost as on edge as the feral woman, who was currently in a corner away from everyone else, eyeing them up suspiciously.

Ulyssa dropped the stun gun, losing the tension in her body almost immediately, her eyes still wide but losing the animosity. “Robin? What the hell is going on here?”

Jack raised a finger, prepared to answer, when they were cut off by Zoe pushing forward to form a barrier between Ulyssa and Robin. “Uh-uh, no way. I refuse to accept her being here.”

Robin grinned awkwardly and grabbed Zoe’s shoulder. “Zo, I’m not sure she had any choice in the matter. Also, aliens and monster girls are fine, but you draw the line at the delivery person?”

As Zoe sulked, the comment managed to draw Ulyssa’s attention elsewhere at the others who were gathered here. Standing out in particular was the mothwoman, a woman made of what appeared to be a mass of tentacles, a naked, dirty woman stomping her feet and glaring on all fours, a tall, intimidating beast of a woman that looked somewhat familiar, and no, that couldn’t be right. For her sanity’s sake, it had to be fake.

Ulyssa turned back to the mothwoman in a double take, “Wait, are you…Ipheara? Robin mentioned you from that game they always play; you look-” To be honest, after Robin had mentioned the character, Ulyssa had looked her up on her phone. The art online, it seemed, had a habit of exaggerating certain characteristics, particularly around the waist and chest. Ulyssa smiled, “You look great”

Ipheara blinked, unaware of the processing that had just happened internally, and just smiled back, “Oh, thank you? You’re attractive as well? For a human, I mean”

The tentacle girl waved, “Hey…so you’re Ulyssa? Robin mentioned you a few times. You deliver food, right?”

“I um…yeah, when I’m not serving coffee. Sorry, you know me, but I can’t recall ever…” The blonde drifted off

“Oh!” The tentacled woman gave a sheepish grin. “I’m Itzy, sorry; it must be confusing.”

Realization dawned on Ulyssa’s face. “The roommate! I…wasn’t aware you weren’t…human? You aren’t right?”

“Decidedly not, haha.” Itzel brushed the back of her head with a tentacle. “You’re taking this pretty well…I mean, aside from the stun gun thing.”

“I’m pretty positive I got here via vore by a nightmare creature, so you are way down on the list of things that are going to freak me out right now.” Ulyssa offered a smile

Behind her, a husky voice spoke up, “Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere?”

Ulyssa turned to face the Amazon towering over her and frowned, then made the connection. “You’re the bouncer at Nocturne, right?”

The woman raised an eyebrow and adjusted her stance. “You’ve been to the club? I feel like I’d have a better memory for you if you were a regular.”

“I’m not; I’ve stopped in a few times, always for deliveries outside. I’ve seen you there; you don’t take any shit.” Ulyssa gave the muscular woman a cheeky grin.

“Damn right.” The tall woman smirked and offered a hand. “Nyx.”

Ulyssa took the hand and noted the strength in Nyx’s grip but held her own hand firm. “Nice to meet you, Nyx.”

Ulyssa turned towards the hissing naked woman and then turned away. “Yeah, not touching that.”
Robin frowned. “Ulyssa, be nice; this is the heir to the Perdue fortune! She’s a real-life walking enigma, and she’s the center of a massive multi-corporate conspiracy.

Ulyssa frowned. “Your center of corporate conspiracy just pissed on the floor.”

Robin scratched their cheek. “She…may not be the most socialized, but that’s not her fault”.

Shaking her head, Ulyssa turned her face heavensward. “One mystery at a time then.”

She was then forced to look upon the last member, and she felt her vision narrow and her face heat up. She dropped her stun gun that she had been holding loosely in her hand and ran at Leanne, lunging to go for her throat. Leanne reared back before Nyx wrapped her arms around Ulyssa to hold her steady.

“Hey, what the fuck is your problem!?” The bouncer yelled at Ulyssa

Leanne gave a sheepish smile and just averted her gaze. “This one I might deserve…a little.”

“You fucking bitch! I let you into my home after you said you got kicked out by your abusive ex, and you paid me back by trying to fuck my brother the moment my back was turned!” The delivery driver's gaze was full of daggers starring the other blonde down

“Well…you didn’t seem down for it, and the genes in your family are hella good. Like we never did anything, just some over-the-pants stuff.” Leanne shrugged

“Because I came home while you were dry humping him!” Despite her fury, there wasn’t much that Ulyssa could do against Nyx’s grip.

Leanne waggled their hand, “Like, I know you’re pissed, but he seemed into it”

“I’m gonna strangle you, you cradle robber!” Ulyssa roared

Robin stepped forward. “No one is strangling anyone!”

Jack swished their tail rather dramatically, causing a flash of fire to draw everyone’s attention. “As much as I enjoy the banter, we do have one more contestant to bring out, so we can’t spend an infinite amount of time on it.” They tilted their head back and forth. “We technically could, but could you imagine? I’m already tiring of the lack of novelty; no, moving on is for the best.”

“ Ms Abbot, you are here to participate in one of the multiverse's greatest reality programs: Harem Hotel. That said, Audience at home, you know the drill: we have transformation paths for our newest entrant to consider, and we need your help in making them as delightfully devious as possible.” The coyote snapped their claws, and three categories appeared in hovering, illuminated text: “For our resident delivery diva, we have Classical roots, all things mythological; Doors of Perception, indulging our addled type rockers out there; and finally freelancer, because a girl's gotta work even when in a harem, eh?”

“Transformations?” The word was so bizarre in context that it was enough to drop Ulyssa’s rage down to manageable enough levels to let Nyx feel comfortable enough in letting them go. It was so much to take in: the sights, all the people trapped in the same situation, let alone being told she was on a supernatural reality program- but through it all was the music echoing through Ulyssa’s earbuds even now.

For all its revulsion, and warp, and taboo
A part of you wants to be altered too
Altered beast
Alter me
Altered beast
Alter me!
♬

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