Tempers Flare

Ji-Woo Summers

Ji-Woo panted breathlessly, her body finally coming down from its third consecutive orgasm.

When she opened her eyes, she found only Levi's intense gaze. The young man stared down at the naked woman, eyes flaring but expression unreadable.

On-screen, Ji-Woo's score updated, but no one was paying attention.

Orgasmed in front of Master: +4 VP

Orgasmed in front of Master: +4 VP

Seen it before: -4 VP

Orgasmed in front of Master: +4 VP

Seen it before: -4 VP

Everyone except Lauren watched the two intently, unsure who would speak first. Azure had even taken a step back, eager to let things unfold.

"What did you do?" Levi asked for the third time, his voice a barely restrained whisper.

Ji-Woo opened and closed her mouth several times, praying that she would find some way to talk her way out of this. Finally, she admitted defeat. Trying her best not to tremble, she said, "I... I used a card that made Elena... endorse me."

Elena scoffed. "More like worship."

Ji-Woo resisted firing a dirty look at the teen girl. "I just... I just wanted her to talk to you. Just a small chat, nothing harmful. So you would listen to me."

Levi's eyes boiled as he thought back to the pool party. Everything made sense now. Elena had acted so unnaturally. She had trapped him in a lecture on what a saint Ji-Woo was and how selfish Levi was for not seeing it. She tried to pervert their friendship for her own gain.

Angered the Master: -5 VP

"Wait! Hold on!" Ji-Woo cried, seeing her score drop out of the corner of her eye. "You must understand! I tried being nice, but you ignored me. I tried being seductive, but you wouldn't even look. You refused to cooperate! You gave me ****!"

Blamed the Master: -4 VP

Ji-Woo went into a full bow, bringing her forehead to the floor. "Wait, no! I didn't mean to accuse you! I just mean... I was hysterical! You've seen the danger I'm in!"

Elena's eyes narrowed. "All of us are. But you don't see anyone else cheating to the top."

Sophia adjusted her glasses. "It's not cheating," she stated.

Elena did a double-take, wondering if she heard her right. "What?"

"The game mechanic of using the cards against each other was clearly established," the catgirl pointed out. "Besides, Ji-Woo's selection was fairly tame, considering the alternatives available for purchase."

"And that makes it okay?!" Elena countered.

Sophia absentmindedly scratched her new ear. "Oh, it was a total dick move. I'm just saying it wasn't cheating. Especially since she's playing with a handicap."

Elena shook her head, frustrated but unable to get mad at Sophia. Meanwhile, Ji-Woo looked at the bespectacled girl as if wanting to kiss her. "You see, Mr. Summers? She agrees I had no alternative!"

Sophia raised her hand, "Wait, I didn't say..."

"You have to understand. I was ****," Ji-Woo yelled, crawling towards him. "You've seen two eliminations now. You know what they mean. Surely you can forgive me! There was no other way to protect myself."

Olivia leaned back in her chair. "Your ongoing streaking episode seems to be giving you plenty of protection. Did you think of starting with that?"

Ji-Woo looked nervously between Levi and the ninja. "That... I... that’s just a one-time thing. I can't reach 100 VP unless he... unless you trust me Mr. Summers!"

The boy remained motionless, silently fuming at her with a look of disgust.

Ji-Woo brought her hands together, begging Levi with all her might. "Please! Please show me mercy! I have a life to get back to! A husband!"

The instant Ji-Woo uttered the last word, she realized it was the worst things she could have possibly said.

Masters Hate Beyond Measure: -12 VP

"NO! That... I... please..." Ji-Woo stammered wildly before breaking down sobbing. "PLEASE FORGIVE ME!"

Levi said nothing. Finally, he turned to Azure. "Are we done here?"

Azure nodded, "That was everything we needed to cover, yes."

"NO PLEASE?! FORGIVE ME!" Ji-Woo screamed.

"Hold on!" Tomoko said, getting up. "Everyone's just wound up. If we all sit down, we can figure somethin' out."

Levi ignored both of them entirely and walked to Olivia. "Come on, Ms. Booker! Let's have sex so I can get it over with," he said bitterly.

"Don't tell me what to do!" she snarled.

Levi blinked in confusion. "The hell? You're the one who asked me!"

Olivia looked away while crossing her arms. "Well, maybe I changed my mind!"

Levi's puzzlement fed into his irritation. "Well then, when do you want to?!"

"Who the fuck cares?! Now? Tomorrow? What difference does it make?"

"What difference?" he repeated. "You'll shrink two more times by then!"

Olivia leaped to her feet, causing her chair to strike the floor and vanish. "WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT BEFORE YOUR DICK BECAME POISON!"

Levi took a step back, intimidated by the thin woman. She continued, "If you manned up when you were supposed to, then neither Lauren or Sophia would have been at risk! Everyone would still fucking be here!"

-5 VP: Rejected Masters Direct Request for Sex

-4 VP: Blamed Master

Olivia noticed her score decrease but didn't give a single shit. She'd rather lose them than not speak the truth.

"Maybe we can hug it out?" Tomoko awkwardly interjected. "Or, there's a bar here. I bet if we just..."

"You're right, Olivia!" Levi declared, cutting Tomoko off. "There's only one reason I'm here, and I fucked it up!"

"Wait, Levi," Elena said softly, but the boy disregarded her.

He turned and walked down the stairs, off the stage. Midway, he stopped and turned. "I'll be in my tower. Just come when you want points, and I'll give them to you. I'll even fucking tie myself to the bed. You'll all have everything you want."

"Wait, but what about my big speech?!" Tomoko asked, calling out to him. "We gotta be workin' together!"

Levi briefly stopped but then continued walking. He entered the castle and soon vanished from sight.

Elena fell back into her chair, unsure of what to do. This wasn't how she had envisioned things unfolding, though she didn’t regret doing it.

After a moment, Azure inserted herself into the silence. "Well, that officially concludes today's event. Congratulations on surviving to round two. Alison has prepared an amazing cake to celebrate!"

Without warning, Lauren bolted out of her chair and silently sprinted into the castle, putting as much distance from everyone as possible.

Tomoko went over to Ji-Woo and put a hand on her crying shoulder. Meanwhile, Sophia looked up at the scoreboard.

---

Levi Summers

Levi entered his tower with heavy footsteps. The grand door swung shut behind him with a soft thud. The living room's familiar scent of polished wood and marble filled his nostrils.

He let his eyes sweep over the space. Everything was pristine and untouched—a shrine to his status as master. The grand chandelier sparkled its gem-infused light upon Levi, but all he could see was red.

With a roar of frustration, he grabbed the nearest vase and hurled it across the room. It shattered against the wall, fragments scattering across the hardwood floor like confetti. He didn't stop to breathe. His hands found another vase—this one taller, with a delicate blue and white pattern. Without hesitation, he slammed it down onto the coffee table, the sharp crack of destruction echoing through the space.

He overturned a velvet chair, sending it crashing into a glass side table, which gave way with a satisfying crunch. His fury was all-consuming, and he wanted to tear the place apart. He swiped everything off a nearby shelf—ornaments, sculptures, everything—and let them fall to the ground in a chaotic mess.

His eyes scanned the room, and he was still not satisfied. The large mirror across the room caught his gaze, reflecting his wild, furious expression.

Moments later, he shattered his reflection to pieces.

---

Azure

"And finally, you are also eliminated if the VP you end the day with is 15 or less than what you started the day with," Azure explained, gesturing to a diagram. "However, that doesn't go into effect until tomorrow."

She looked over at Nora Wolf who was standing motionless with her mouth agape. The two were in Azure's office, and the host gave the newest contestant a tutorial as promised. Nora had been offered a chair but had stood when sitting on her tail had been too bizarre to ignore. However, she now desperately wanted something to collapse into. After Azure's explanation, even her transformation, the most insane thing that had ever happened to her, felt mundane by comparison.

Azure leaned back, smiling. "And that about sums it up. Any questions?"

Nora certainly had questions. So many that she didn't even know where to begin. Nearly all of them started with the words "How the fuck..."

She swallowed, her mouth feeling unnaturally dry. "So... let me see if I have this. You're telling be to date a teenager."

"A legal teenager," Azure clarified.

"R-right. And until I uh, seduce him, I no longer exist?"

Azure bit her lip. "Seduce is too weak a word. You are his property as well."

Nora tried her best to ignore that comment. "And this is... a reality show?"

Azure nodded. "Yes, viewed by millions."

"This can't be," Mrs. Wolf countered.

Azure noticed her confusion. "Oh, if you're wondering why you've never heard of it. It's because we don't broadcast to you normies. Our demographic is magic realms and higher dimensions."

Nora took a step back—trying to keep her head from exploding. Everything that she thought she knew about the science of the universe had been upended. Magic was real, and they used it for a godamn dating show. She'd even been transformed into dog hybrid; there was no way she could believe that.

So why did she believe it?

Nora took a deep breath. "R-right. And uh... with the show... if I get eliminated, I... turn into a... what again?"

"Into whatever I think is fitting, though informed by the transformations you already received," Azure explained casually.

Mrs. Wolf began to sweat as she continued. "And you said I'd... uh... 'lose my free will?'"

The host nodded. "Yes, you'll become the character I deem appropriate." She leaned forward. "Plus, you get replaced."

"Replaced?" Nora repeated.

"That's right. By someone important to you." Azure grinned with a sadistic look in her eyes. "Remind me, how old is your daughter again?"

It happened before either woman could realize what was happening. Nora leapt forward and grabbed Azure by the tie. Fangs bared and growling like a rabid animal, she roared inches away from Azure's face, "KEEP YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER!"

Azure laughed in amusement. "Wow, dogbreath much?" she asked before snapping her fingers.

Instantly, Nora's body released her, and she fell onto all fours into a deep bow, face against the ground. Azure chuckled, "Careful, dear. Save the new rough play for your replacement husband. You've had nearly five years to get over the last one. And you'll find Mr. Summers is a much better lay.

"You... horrible, vile, cowardly..."

Azure waved her hand. "Bad girl. Shoo, shoo."

The office door opened, and Nora was **** to crawl out on all fours, tail between her legs.

"You seem to be having fun," Alison observed as she materialized.

Azure twitched slightly at her assistant's sudden arrival, but she was getting used to it by now. "I think our new babe will fit in well here."

"Riveting," Alison commented. "I'm here to tell you that the DVDs you requested arrived. Shall I bring them to master Summers?"

"Yes, go ahead," Azure replied dismissively. Moments later, she reconsidered. "Actually, can I see them first? To make sure they didn't screw up the order."

Alison nodded, though Azure was already looking through the items. Partway through, she stopped dead, and her eyes widened.

---

Levi Summers

Levi stood motionless in the center of the wreckage, panting from the effort. The room was now a chaotic mess—shattered glass and porcelain littered the floor, furniture lay in splinters, and the chandelier above swayed slightly, disturbed by the **** that had erupted below.

With a deep, frustrated breath, Levi turned and walked out of the room, his shoes crunching over the debris. He moved sluggishly up a flight of stairs to his kitchen, hoping to eat away his feelings.

As he entered, something on the counter caught his eye: a letter with the Harem Hotel seal on the envelope.

Rolling his eyes, he opened it.

---

Dear Mr. Summers,

I hope your day is going well. My name is ∳⦮╠☽⋬∰, and I represent a section of the Harem Hotel legal department. I want to inform you that, per the "Transformation" gained by one Lauren Elizabeth Peterson, officially titled "Gold Digger," we have frozen the Peterson family's assets until you return to your reality. This includes total net worth, stock, property, and business ventures.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have been informed of this. However, because they do not remember either of their daughters, we did not tell them how Lauren Peterson can regain access to her fortune. If the latter retrieves 100 or more VPs, they will be informed of the possibility when regaining the memory of their child.

In any event, they are pursuing legal action due to the understandable confusion caused by a stranger legally acquiring all their possessions without explanation. However, please rest assured that our lawyers are experienced with such situations and are prepared to retroactively introduce obscure laws as necessary.

Finally, we have taken the liberty of giving you a sample of your new wealth. Upon Lauren Peterson's arrival, her wardrobe was also transported. As she is no longer their owner, we have transferred them to your tower's storeroom instead, save for any articles of clothing already transformed by her Goth TF, given to her as a gift, or were worth under $50. The latter consisted of four socks.

In any case, as your file did not specify an interest in crossdressing, we transformed each article of clothing to a more traditional male design of equal monetary value. If this assumption is incorrect, please inform us, and the clothing will be restored to its original form.

Hoping you are well,

∳⦮╠☽⋬∰,

Harem Hotel Legal

---

Groaning, Levi ripped the letter and envelope to pieces.

"A curious response," a voice behind Levi spoke. "Most humans react differently to the receipt of money."

Levi turned to see Alison standing beside the kitchen table. Her blue eyes stared directly into Levi's.

"What do you want?" Levi asked bitterly.

"I am here to make a delivery," she explained.

"What makes you think I want anything from the likes of you?!" Levi snapped. He found that Alison's lack of reaction made it easy for him to yell at her.

Alison tilted her head. "I'm sorry if my presence offends you, master. That was not my intention."

Levi narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You being sarcastic?"

Alison shook her head. "I would not do so with you. Such is not how a season's master should be addressed."

Levi noticed Alison's unwavering eye contact. It was so unlike how she usually talked with Azure or the contestants. Normally she gazed unfocused into space.

Alison stepped aside to reveal the stack of DVD's, placed upon the counter. "My goal was to deliver this media to you."

It took Levi a moment to recall what she was referring to. Then, he remembered Azure mentioning she'd show him DVD's of alternate timelines. She claimed each would showcase a world where a contestant hadn't harmed him.

He clenched his fist. "You think I'm stupid enough to watch anything Azure made? She can bend reality. It's obvious she can fake whatever footage she wants."

Alison nodded. "True, which is why she's not the one who made them."

"Huh?"

"Viewing alternate timelines is an unfathomably advanced skill beyond Azure's power." Alison tilted her head an inch towards the disk cases. "The producers provided these. Each considers what the contestant did that justified their inclusion and then showcases your life if those actions hadn't occurred."

Levi looked back at the stack, noticing a title printed on the front and spine of each.

• What if Nora hadn't stopped Levi from being homeschooled?
• What if Lauren hadn't tormented Levi?
• What if Tomoko hadn't been a terrible babysitter?
• What if Katelyn stood up to her sister?
• What if Ji-Woo hadn't involved herself with Levi's father?
• What if Elena hadn't abandoned her friend?
• What if John hadn't tormented Levi?
• What if Olivia hadn't been born?

Levi furrowed his brow in annoyance. "What's with the last one? That's not something she did to me. It’s not something she did at all!"

"I haven't viewed the contents," Alison stated.

Levi rolled his eyes again and reread the titles. "I noticed Sophia isn't here," he pointed out. He sarcastically asked, "What? Is the life I lived without reading her fan fiction too much of a paradise?"

"A DVD for Sophia was included," Alison explained. "However, Azure confiscated it upon its arrival."

Levi gave a hollow laugh. "Why? Because it shows the fanfic reason was bullshit?"

"That was not why Ms. Maoulin was chosen," Alison pointed out.

"Oh, right. You said it was because Azure thought it was funny, correct?"

Alison finally looked away. "That was my understanding." She then remade eye contact. "In any case, rest assured that the footage was done objectively and without Azure's bias. It is up to you how you use that information."

"But what about..." Levi started, but Alison was already gone when he blinked his eyes.

"Great."

He went over to the stack and picked up the one on top. The title was presented in large, gold-leaf font. 'What if Nora hadn't stopped Levi from being homeschooled?' Beneath it was a picture of him, age 12 or 13, studying in his parent's old dining room.

A part of him wanted to break it like he had done with his room downstairs. Azure wanted him to watch them even if she didn't make them.

Yet, a part of him was curious. Would it harm to take a peek? For some reason, he had trusted Alison when she said they had been made without Azure.

Besides, a part of him wanted to vent.

---

Sophia Maoulin

Sophia did her best to pretend to be listening. Back in her own room, Elena was talking to her, trying to make sure she was alright after her traumatic near-elimination. Sophia nodded randomly, on autopilot, and let out an occasional "thank you," but she had tuned the princess out.

Her sole focus was on her laptop as she rapidly scrolled through the items for purchase. She just knew there had to be something there that could fix everything. Some combination that could save Kaitlyn.

Azure's proposal was a total non-starter. Allowing two more eliminations to undo one was not an option.

'Damn it, Kaitlyn, why didn't you tell me you had that card?' Sophia thought. 'We could have better planned for it. You only needed two more points!'

She shook her head in frustration, silently hoping Elena would go away so she could better concentrate. Every combo she could think of was missing a single piece—one ability that could make the cards greater than the sum of her parts.

"Sophia? Are you listening?" Elena asked.

"Of course I am, Peterson." Moments later, Sophia realized her slip. "I mean... you know what I mean."

Elena sadly nodded. "Listen... what happened to her... it wasn't your fault."

"Of course, it wasn't my fault!" Sophia snapped. "Did you think it was my fault?!"

Elena raised her hands defensively, seeing another outrage brewing. "No, that's not what I was saying!"

Sophia loudly slammed her laptop shut. "Good! Because it wasn't! It wouldn't have made a difference if I failed the challenge or not! The rule to spare people only works if two people are eliminated. Me losing didn't make a difference! It still would have been Lauren!"

Sophia's eyes flashed with frustration as she lunged for the closest pillow, her fingers curling around the fabric before she hurled it across the room. The sudden outburst startled Elena, who was used to Sophia's quiet introversion.

"She... she still would have sacrificed herself! It didn't matter that I screwed up! IT'S NOT MY FAULT!"

Elena wrapped her arms around Sophia, holding her close as Sophia's tears began to flow. "You're right," the princess whispered. "It's not."

The silent moment was disrupted as the door swung open. Still crawling on all fours, Nora Wolf entered the room. The second she cleared the doorframe, she felt control return.

"What... what the hell is this day?!" Nora asked aloud.

"Did Azure make you crawl here?" Sophia asked, slowly leaning out of Elena's hug. "Yeah, she did that to me too. I guess that means this is your room. I suppose that makes sense since you are replacing... damn it."

She lifted her glasses to dry her eyes while letting out a pained laugh. "Cats and dogs. Living together. Mass hysteria," she quoted.

"Mrs. Wolf, I'm sorry they dragged you into this," Elena offered. "You must be confused."

"That's... a mighty large understatement, Ms. Mendez. That... witch told me the rules, but I... well... what the hell."

"Sophia and I can help you," Elena proposed. "We've had a few more days to get up to speed."

"Actually, could you count me out of this?" Sophia asked.

Nora tilted her head. "Pardon?"

"Look, I really don't have the bandwidth to deal with you both," Sophia explained bluntly. "I appreciate what you were doing for me, Elena, but researching is my way of calming down. So, could you and Mrs. Wolf please leave me alone?"

"Oh..." Elena muttered, watching Sophia walk past Mrs. Wolf and open her laptop. The princess turned to the teacher. "Why don't I give you a tour?"

Nora nodded and followed Elena to the exit. However, inches away from leaving, she turned around.

"Ms. Maoulin, I just wanted you to know that your hoodie isn't doing you any favors. For multiple reasons. For one, your bust is entirely hidden."

Sophia rolled her eyes, praying this wouldn't last long.

---

Levi Summers

Levi went into his home theater, carrying Nora Wolf's DVD. He found the media player at the back and inserted the disc. Switching on the monitor, he didn't even react when he saw it was still set to the "Tomoko's Ass" channel. Instead, he switched the input and hit play.

As Levi settled into his seat, an impressive and expensive-looking studio logo appeared on the screen. The lights dimmed on their own accord, setting the stage for the show to begin.

Black-and-white footage began playing on the screen, showing clips of himself and his parents. A narrator who sounded suspiciously like Morgan Freeman provided a voiceover for the silent footage, telling the tale on screen.

"In the year of our lord, 2001, young Levi Summers found himself grappling with overwhelming stress as a result of his parents' divorce and custody battle. Recognizing the toll it was taking on his mental well-being, Jenny Summers arranged to withdraw her son from school, temporarily, mind you, in a bid to give the lad respite and support."

"Yeah, I know," Levi snorted.

The scene switched to his mother talking with each of Levi's teachers before ending with Mrs. Wolf. "But ol' Mrs. Summers didn't want his son to give up his education. Ain't that a paradox? But fortunately, Jenny isn't a gal to give up. So, she met with each teacher individually and prepared her case, hoping a compromise could be made. And the ol' girl's bet came up black, for the most part. That is until she got to Nora Wolf."

"Now, Mrs. Wolf is a tough cookie and set in her ways. She was against the idea, thinkin' an education isolated ain't an education at all. But more than believe it, through many, MANY talks, she convinced Levi's mom the same damn thing."

A montage began, speeding through the years of Levi growing up and the bullying it entailed. "And so, after a break, Levi started eighth grade all over again. But when the other kid noticed, well, as they say, kids can be cruel."

Levi rolled his eyes. If whoever made this expected it to impact him, they were doing a terrible job.

"That's the world that is and the world that was. But what if things had been different? What if Nora had said yes on that cold winter afternoon when Mrs. Summer walked into the wolves' den?"

Color returned to the screen as a new scene unfolded before him. A young boy was sitting in a small, makeshift classroom—his own home, judging by the familiar surroundings. He was bent over a workbook, scribbling down notes as his mother's voice spoke the lesson from the teacher's notes.

At first, it was just an odd feeling, like watching a distant memory. But then, without warning, the sensation hit Levi. A rush of emotion swept through him, but it wasn't his own. It was coming from the boy on the screen—his other self.

'Don't think about dad. Just get through the assignment...' The thought echoed in Levi's head. He wasn't sure if it was his own or the boy's on the screen. Either way, it clung to him, a lifeline. The alternate Levi channeled all his stress, all the chaos in his mind, into the homework in front of him. The focus wasn't calm; it was strained as if he were using it to keep his world from unraveling.

The scene jumped weeks forward, and Levi could feel his thoughts aligning with his future body. His mother was crying, so deep in her despair that she didn't even notice her son watching her.

Levi recognized the moment. It was when his father sent them a letter, telling them he was breaking all contact "for Levi's sake."

He remembered that this had been the moment that broke him. He had replayed his father's words a thousand times and realized that he, Levi, was at fault for everything. His inability to handle the stress had broken the hope that his parents would reconcile and that things would return to normal.

That is how it happened in real life. However, his alter ego followed a different script. He ran to his room instead, stuffed a tissue in his ear as much as possible, put headphones on, and blasted his Walkman.

He pulled out his math textbook and notebook and focused on it harder than he had ever concentrated before.

'Do the math. Do the math. Do the math.' The thought pierced through Levi's mind, sharp and urgent. He could feel his mind spinning, searching for relief in the pages of textbooks and the structure of assignments. It wasn't about learning; it was his way of surviving.

The movie continued to jump Levi forward as the weeks and months passed. He was miserable, but he had a lifeline—something he could control that would keep him grounded.

Something to distract himself from his cruel imagination.

Finally, he was back at school, re-entering as a ninth grade. As he practiced, he told whoever asked that he had been abroad for nine months. No one pressed him on this.

He continued to go through the years. He watched silently as Lauren humiliated a classmate, thankful the girl never paid attention to him. He heard from others how John had beaten up another classmate and resolved never to give him a reason to be targeted.

For the most part, Levi faded into the background, not being on anyone's radar. There was nothing to bully or befriend him for. He had acquaintances but no strong relationships, good or bad.

And he was okay with that.

Suddenly, the screen went black, and he found himself back in his seat, watching the credits roll by. Levi blinked, confused, as he tried to remember how he ended up there. He had been so immersed in the other Levi's life that he had forgotten it was all theoretical. The vision that he experienced certainly felt more real than the insane reality he was in now.

Levi walked out of the theater, trying to gather his thoughts as if on autopilot. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an antique clock on the wall, showing that hours had passed.

"My god," he finally said.

Bonus Image

Circa 1975