The New Renaissance (Transformation Reveals)

Terra paced back and forth across the lobby, frequently checking an ornate pocket watch. “Damn Imps. Can’t even dilate time correctly,” she mumbled.

Evie eyed the Hostess warily. Her sudden arrival here, the invasive questions in the pool, and the promise of being transformed had left her head spinning. Still, she gathered her voice and asked, “Um… is everything alright?”

“Just tired of waiting Miss Haverbrook,” the Hostess replied. “I haven’t had a cappuccino in more than six months.”

Trudy looked confused. “It’s been like…five minutes.”

“For you, yes. Have some compassion for those who don’t experience their time as a start-and-stop narrative.” Before she could confuse everyone even further, Terra let out a sigh as her clipboard updated with several new pages. “Finally.”

Calling everyone’s attention, the blonde in the yellow brocade announced, “We are now prepared to present the winning options for your first transformations. To make things interesting, we’ll go in reverse order of the VIP poll as well. Might as well save the best for last.”

Franklin looked over the scene of the nine women trying not to let their nerves show. He hated having to stand next to the host through all this, but his attempt to disarm Terra had only led to trauma for everyone there. He knew he needed to swallow it for now, and hope that there would be more information to be found later.

If Terra knew about the turmoil the Master was seething in, she didn’t show it. “First up, with a Viewer Interest Percentage of 7.94%, the apparently not so esteemed, not yet a Doctor Dara Li! Please stand and move to center stage.”

The Host gestured to the wall next to Franklin and herself, where the contestants noticed several empty frames were hanging without art.

Dara flinched at being named the lowest-ranked contestant. She had assumed that, as Franklin’s ex, she would be disadvantaged, but as the only contestant present for all the other introductions, she hadn’t predicted the very bottom spot. This didn’t bode well for the results of her transformation, either.

Terra gave a slight smirk to the biochemist. “No need to be glum, Ms. Li. There’s lots of time in the first round to gain the audience’s attention, and they’ve chosen a fun avenue for you to go about it. Though you were our bottom-ranked contestant in terms of interest, you also held the distinction of having the closest vote, with the winning option receiving 34.59% and the other two tying with 32.7%. But only the top option matters on this season, so let’s get started.”

The Host placed a check mark next to one of the options on the top page on her clipboard, and the paper lifted into the air. Slowly, it floated towards Dara, turning blue and crumpling as it wafted through the air. By the time it was within reach, the page had turned into a test tube filled with a blue liquid. The scientist stared up at it, until Terra had to tell her directly, “Time to take your fate in hand, Dara.”

It’s the color of Franklin’s eyes, thought Dara as she hesitantly grasped the fragile glass. The moment her fingers had a firm grip, Dara winced as the bottom of the tube cracked and its contents came rushing down to splash onto her chest.

A fleeting moment of panic washed through the scientist’s mind at the contamination, automatically bringing up protocols for accidental exposure, before it was replaced by a floating sensation. She could feel a pull, as a piece of her mind, or perhaps her soul, stretched out from her toward the form of her one-time lover. She felt it anchor onto him, aware of the bridge that now existed even as the blue aura faded as the chemical was absorbed into her skin.

Behind Dara, one of the frames was filled with a portrait of the chemist at the moment her world was changed forever. The small plaque underneath bore the description of her transformation.

The Chemicals Between Us: Dara chose her studies over the Master, believing that he’d be a hindrance. Now he’ll be essential to her scientific method. Contact with Franklin will help Dara concentrate, problem-solve, and find inspiration. Prolonged periods without it will leave her foggy, unmotivated, and easily distracted.

Franklin moved towards the shaken scientist but stopped short as he noticed her staring at the hand already outstretched to check on her condition. “Are you alright?”

Dara took a deep breath and straightened her glasses. “Yes, I thought this might be the result. I’ll have to consider how we should go about managing it. I just need a moment.”

Smiling, Terra announced, “Well, don’t take too long, or you might find your considerations lacking your usual focus. I will let you know that the Audience also chose you to have first crack at a date with Master Porter, so I hope you have your plan in place by tomorrow. Now, if you can retake your seat, we need to move on.”

Dara moved back to the couch with a pensive look on her face. The first date slot left her little time to plan, and Adrienne was currently the only one with a key to open a new room in the Hotel. It seemed like she was in for a long night of worrying.

Terra turned back to the contestants. “Our second contestant up for a transformation is, well, our second contestant introduced. Sheesh, might as well have just gone in order of appearance at this rate.”

Most of the contestants looked confused, but Lyra quickly stood and marched over to the golden-haired Host. “Whatever. I’m not interested in appealing to anyone’s interests.”

Terra quirked an eyebrow at the redhead. “That attitude can quickly become a self-perpetuating cycle, Ms. Katsaros. You were only a couple of points above the near-Doctor to squeeze into 8th place.” She checked a box on the page listing Lyra’s transformation, at which point the sheet took on a golden glow and drifted into the air.

Lyra watched as the paper seemed to dissolve into a cloud, rising high towards the lobby’s lofty ceiling. The room collectively held its breath, waiting for something to happen. Just as Lyra opened her mouth to ask what was holding things up, a bolt of lightning shot out of the cloud and struck her directly in the forehead.

“What the Hell?!” Franklin shouted as he rounded on the Host, only to find his feet firmly planted as Terra stared at him with her pen firmly pressed into her clipboard.

“Such occasions demand theatrics, Master Porter. I assure you no one will come to harm. 44.9% of our audience decided on this course for her; plenty of power to make sure the process goes smoothly. Now pay attention.” The blonde Host directed his attention back to the woman holding her head as she regained her balance.

The Master and contestants watched as Lyra moved her hands away from her forehead, revealing two small bumps glowing the same golden color as the lightning that had struck her. With equal parts horror and fascination, they watched as golden antlers slowly grew out from the forehead of the Curator’s Assistant. Lyra touched them tentatively as her painting took its place on the wall, commemorating the strange turn of events.

Mythbuster: Lyra believes she knows a lot about Myths and Legends. Let’s put her to the test. Each day Lyra will experience temporary patronage from a mythical figure, which can include physical changes, compulsions, or even powers. If she can identify her daily patron by that night’s curfew, she’ll receive a permanent boon out of respect for her cleverness.

Everyone in the room stared at the new additions to Lyra’s hairstyle, until the mythology nerd finally regained enough composure to shout at Terra. “What the hell! How is this a boon?”

The host looked on admonishingly. “Some would say they’re quite fetching, but the boon comes when you correctly identify the mythical entity who is your current patron, if you’ll recall the text of the transformation.”

With a huff, Lyra grumbled, “And if I do, will these things go away?”

“The mark of your patronage will be replaced with a new one at each sunrise, Ms. Katsaros. Although since this is the first night and we’re starting quite late in the day, you’ll have your antlers through tomorrow. You have until curfew at 9 pm to guess your patron and claim the boon, and since the audience has chosen you to have the penultimate date of the round, you should be able to build up quite a repertoire before it’s time to wow your Master,” explained the Host.

Lyra raised an eyebrow. “What if I don’t guess them?”

Terra smiled enigmatically. “Well, you miss out on the boons, and I suppose, risk angering a variety of powerful beings, a surprising amount of whom either watch or work with Harem Hotel. However, we should continue with the festivities. Please have a seat.”

As Lyra somewhat uncharacteristically took her seat without further protest, the Host called for the next contestant in line. “Finishing in 7th place in the first VIP poll is the last contestant who joined us, young Ms. Haverbrook.”

Evie blushed when her name was called but stood to join the Host near the wall of portraits.

“Already finding yourself above two other contestants. Excellent work. Let’s hope the transformation the audience chose for you will help you continue that upward trajectory.” With that, the host made a mark on one of Genevieve’s pages, which began to float toward the heiress.

As it did, the paper turned translucent, with a hint of a soft orange creeping in. It curled in on itself as it slowly wafted toward the blonde, and by the time it reached her, it had the appearance of a wobbling soap bubble. Evie’s eyes crossed as she tried to follow the sphere of fragile magic, and she blinked when it settled on the tip of her nose and popped.

Several moments passed with no one speaking before Evie tentatively asked the Host, “Is that it?”

Terra responded with a solemn nod. “For now, at least. The transformation that 40.7% of the audience chose for you was Second Time Lucky.”

Second Time Lucky- Evie made it into our competition thanks to the second-chance wildcard round. Maybe her luck will hold up when it comes to transformations? After all transformations are granted for the round, there will be one final vote between all those that failed. Evie will receive the audience’s pick for overall runner-up.

“There will be another vote for which transformation from this round you’ll receive, but in the interest of keeping things moving, you’ll have to wait until you wake up in the morning to see, or feel, the change for yourself. For now, no portrait for you, but I can let you know that your date will be the 6th day of the round,” finished the Host before she directed the young heiress back to her seat.

“Well, hopefully our next transformation will have a bit more oomph for the audience’s sake. For our 6th place finisher, please welcome to the stage Ms. Kennedy Hart.” The Host beckoned to the college student, who had changed into a baby blue sweater worn off one shoulder and a pair of well-worn jeans after her dip in the pool.

Franklin watched the younger transwoman approach the wall, the mix of anticipation and trepidation easy to see on her face. The options she was presented had all tackled the same issue, but the methods varied enough that it wasn’t hard to imagine the fear and uncertainty at war in the redhead’s mind.

Terra smile was as close to warm as the cast had seen thus far. “Well, I shan’t belabor the ordeal, as this result saw the most support of any this round. With 52.25% of the vote, it seems the audience responded well to your joint enthusiasm and decided to grant your wish.

With a flourish of her pen, the Host sent the page with Kennedy’s transformation spinning towards her. The paper turned a bright pink and started spinning fast enough to leave a trail of the same color in its wake. As it settled above Kennedy’s eyes, causing her to tip her head back to keep watching it, the spiral of former parchment spun its entrancing pattern to gently access the young woman’s mind.

Mind Over Matter- Desire and submission make the impossible achievable. When placed in a hypnotic trance, the Master can give Kennedy suggestions about what she should look like. Over time, her body will shift until it matches the image he places in her open, vulnerable mind. Frequent trances will expedite the effects.

Kennedy may have been the only one hypnotized, but the rest of the room looked on in awe at the display. Terra took the opportunity to nudge Franklin with an elbow before cocking her head toward the swaying redhead. “We’ll need an imprint of your voice to complete the transformation process, Master Porter. If you’d be so kind, keep it brief.”

Franklin’s cheeks were tinged almost as pink as the spiraling energy, keeping Kennedy’s conscious mind at rest, and he slowly approached the transwoman. Leaning into whisper into her ear, careful not to touch yet, he let her know, “I’m really looking forward to getting to know you even better, Kennedy. Make sure to think about some of the things you’d feel comfortable using your transformation for so that we can get started when you’re ready.” He stepped back as the pink spiral dissipated.

Kennedy blinked awake and shook the last bits of hypnotic sleep from her head, then looked bashfully at the group. Terra smiled and said, “Good show, Ms. Hart. I think you’ll be happy to know that the audience chose you to be the 2nd date of this round, so you won’t have to wait long for your first… in-depth session with your Master. That is, if you don’t try to sneak in a quick trance tomorrow.”

The roleplayer blushed as she hurried back to her seat next to Ira. Terra watched the two girls, strangers now sharing a connection even more noticeably than your average pair of contestants on Harem Hotel. She laughed under her breath at the fitting nature of her next line. “Perhaps unsurprisingly, finishing just above Kennedy was her fellow online roleplayer and our 5th-rated contestant, Ira Meeks.”

The shortest girl in the grand lobby slowly rose and walked over to stand between the statuesque Host and the man she’d only known as a name on a screen until roughly half an hour ago.

Terra began folding the page she had removed from her clipboard as she continued speaking. “Fifth place, the very middle. I guess I can also go ahead and let you know that the audience slotted you into fifth place in the date order as well. Indecision, ambivalence, or simply coincidence? Well, at the very least 46.81% of them agreed on the transformation that would give you the best chance to compete here.” With that, the Host revealed the paper crown that she had created during her speech and placed it atop Ira’s head. With a single poke of the tip of her pen, the paper started to crystallize.

It started as a gem. A deep purple that slowly grew in the center of her forehead. Metallic lace emerged from the amethyst stone, creeping across the young woman’s scalp as it threaded under her hair until the two strands met behind her head, where they interlaced into an intricate pattern of filigreed gold. A single strand dripped down to the bridge of her nose, then solidified. Finally, a gold chain slithered up the part of her hair until it fastened to the back of the circlet. Ira’s eyes widened as the tiny click of the metal rang in her ears louder than a thunderclap.

Heavy is the Head- The Drow Ira’malyth, an embodiment of Ira’s deep desire to be beautiful, exotic, and desired, found her Master thanks to a special crown. Ira will receive her own copy of the Crown of Shattered Wills, and the more the Master avails himself of her service while she’s wearing it, the more she will grow to resemble her avatar.

Ira felt the familiar panic rising up from her chest as she thought about everything the transformation entailed. She had fashioned Ira’malyth from her secret fantasies, and from her computer she could use that to explore pleasure, passion, and danger.

Ir’amalyth

But the idea of doing those things in real life? Of allowing herself to be ordered about? Turning her body into a fetishized display that would never be able to be in public without drawing the eyes of everyone around? To allow herself to be at the mercy of a man’s whim, whether that meant whipping, marking, spanking, or simply using her unresisting body to satiate his every desire?

Iiiirrraa

She knew she should be freaked out. She was freaked out, but she knew she should be more freaked out, and that was freaking her out. It was like the heavy weight of the delicate circlet was freezing out just enough of the cold dread to keep the chills from passing up her spine and into her brain. It…

“Ira!”

The curly-haired girl came to her senses and saw the concern in Franklin’s eyes. The tall, dark, and handsome man had one hand hovering near her shoulder, close but not yet touching. He lowered it back to his side as he asked, “Are you okay?”

Ira swallowed, then nodded, then clarified further. “Yeah. It felt a little weird at first, but I’m okay.”

From her other side, Terra spoke up. “That’s lovely to hear, but we do need to be moving on.”

Franklin gave the Host a brief glare before turning back to Ira. “Go ahead and have a seat. I’m glad you’re alright.”

Terra smiled widely as the girl did an about-face and walked back to the couch, slightly more rigidly than her usual gait, while a subtle amethyst hue tinged the corners of her irises. “Now, with only a single point more than Ira in the VIP poll, our 4th ranked contestant is none other than the Master’s dear little sister Zelda.”

Hearing her name, the tired gamer slowly got up and moved over to meet her fate. “Weirdos,” mumbled the tall brunette as she mentally prepared herself for whatever would be thrown her way.

Terra began rolling one of the transformation pages until it was a long, thin tube. “Now, your poll was quite the competitive one. Although the audience was pretty clear that Strategy Guide was the choice they desired least, the remaining options were neck and neck for the entire voting period. It seems like, just like you, the eternal struggle between playing Pokémon and getting enough sleep was a tough call to make. But in the end, one option took the victory by a margin of less than 1%.”

Waiting a few moments, Zelda finally gave in to the obvious prompt the Host had given her. “So, which one?”

“This one,” the host replied before bringing the blowgun she’d made to her lips and firing a small green dart at the sluggish sister, who didn’t have any time to dodge. The glowing projectile quickly dissolved, spreading a green aura across Zelda’s body.

The girl swayed on her feet, looking down at the spot on her arm that had been hit. “Oh, I guess that…”

Franklin had started moving as soon as he’d seen the impact, so he was easily able to catch his sister’s slumping form, saving her from an inelegant and possibly dangerous fall. He snarled at the Host while he walked over to set her back on the couch next to Trudy, who made sure she was settled in smoothly.

As the master moved back to the wall, everyone saw Zelda’s portrait form. Notably, it was the only frame set up for a landscape painting, although no one could recall if that had always been true.

Sleeping Beauty- Let’s face it, this Princess needs to take a bit better care of herself. Let’s make it easier. Zelda will find it easier to fall asleep, and will always wake up clean, refreshed, well-groomed, and ready for the day. She’ll also be gifted with sweet dreams, remembering pleasant memories of growing up with the Master and important moments in their relationship.

From their spot on the loveseat, Claudia and Lyra simultaneously said, “An Odalisque, of course.” A moment later, the assistant curator clicked her tongue while the thief smirked at her.

Terra moved on. “We’ll have to leave a note on her nightstand about her date being 4th on the schedule, but now we come to the truly exciting portion of the evening: the top 3 contestants. First up on the podium, she managed to swipe herself a medal but only a bronze, I’m afraid. Please give a round of applause for the enigmatic Clematis Red herself, Claudia Mancini.”

Having seen what was coming the moment the Host had used the word *swipe, Claudia gracefully rose from the loveseat and swayed over to the wall, admiring the portraits as she did. They may have been made by magic, but there was still some evidence of proper brush technique to be seen.

Turning in the direction Terra was looking, the seductress smiled at what she assumed was the camera. “Thank you for rating my performance so highly. Hopefully that means you enjoy a bit of sexy cat-and-mouse games and chose Sexpionage for my transformation?”

Terra smiled like a cat looking at a mouse. “Oh, the audience had many thoughts about which transformation would be best for you, Ms. Mancini. Ultimately, one settled comfortably into first place with 40.67%. Now, I will have to ask to borrow your lovely hairpiece for a moment.”

A very brief look of apprehension crossed Claudia’s face before she was able to shift it back into her mask. “I see. Well, if you insist, Signora.” The mistress of disguise reached up to her scalp, bringing her fingers to the points where the liquid glue was set. It took several moments for her to work her nails through the seals and massage the synthetic blonde hair away from her head. Wig tape may be much easier for costuming, but when selling an identity was more a business than a hobby, she couldn’t cut corners.

Finally, the acquisitions specialist handed over the blonde wig, letting the assembled group examine the close-shaved, ruddy brown hair that she wore under her disguise.

Terra took a page from her clipboard and carefully arranged it on the underside of the wig before penning it in place. The parchment turned a sunny yellow matching the phony hair until it was indistinguishable from the wig itself. She handed it back to the glamorous thief and said, “All set, you can put it back on now.”

With the solemnity of a hangman fashioning the noose in place, Claudia lowered the shroud onto her head.

For a moment nothing seemed to happen. Then the hairpiece began to glow a bright yellow, as if the sun was erupting from the thief’s mind. Claudia grabbed her head and bent over with a strained look on her face. She felt the tiny tendrils of synthetic hair reaching through the skin of her scalp and the bone of her skull to claim a place in her brain.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s- Claudia tricked the Master by playing the role of a flighty, easygoing bimbo named Tiffany, perhaps that’s who we should have cast for this season. Claudia will find herself acting more like that persona when she’s around Franklin anytime she’s not maintaining her concentration. The Master can easily break her concentration by calling her Tiffany.

Terra smiled. “Excellent. We’re always glad when a pair of ex-lovers can try and rekindle the magic that first made the relationship so special.” She turned to Franklin, who had gone still while watching the latest transformation take place. “So, Master Porter, would you like to assist in demonstrating the additional effect?”

Franklin’s first impulse was to go along with Terra’s prodding. He still felt bile rise at the memory of being used by the seductive thief. Then he saw flashes in his mind. His sister slumping over, Ira freezing up, the unknown chemical splashing down on Dara. Even though a part of him found the idea fascinating, another was arguing that it would feel slimy to kick someone when they’re down. Following this internal deliberation, he turned to the Host and responded, “Not right now.”

The Host quirked an eyebrow before giving a small nod to the Master. “Very well then, Ms. Mancini-Torrence. You may have a seat. I hope you won’t try to avoid your Master to stave off the effects of the transformation, but even if you do, your date night is 3rd on the schedule, and there’s no avoiding that.”

Claudia flashed a smile and swayed back to the loveseat, gracefully avoiding Lyra’s antlers as she settled back in her seat to watch the remainder of the proceedings.

“Well, just our top two left,” mused the Host as she looked between Trudy and Adrienne. “Actually, why don’t you ladies both join us up here?”

Confused, Trudy rose from the couch slowly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping Zelda next to her. Adrienne let out a heavy sigh before rising and marching over. The blonde moved quickly to stand at Franklin’s side, with her old friend between her and the Host. After a bit of deliberation, the lawyer moved to Trudy’s opposite side, with her fellow short-haired woman providing a barrier from both Host and Master.

Unbothered by the arrangement, Terra continued. “Our two short-haired, hard-working ladies with, might I say, rather nice backsides made top marks in the Viewer Interest Percentage poll. Although with that said, Ms. Webber did finish with a rather comfortable lead, totaling a 15.21% VIP score compared to Ms. Ainsleigh’s 12.83%. Congratulations to our odds-on favorite at the starting gates of this particular horse race.” The Host paused while the assembled parties groaned instead of applauding like they should have.

“No accounting for taste,” the Host muttered before she made marks on two different pages, each of which then started crumbling up and reshaping itself. With a flick of her pen, Terra floated two cookies over to the contestants remaining to be transformed. One shaped like a carrot that hovered in front of Trudy, the other bearing the familiar appearance of a dog biscuit that made its way to Adrienne. “The audience chose some relatively similar treats for each of you, so I figured we could make this a double feature. Go ahead and take a bite, if you please.”

Adrienne glared at the Host. “You’ve got to be kidding, As if I’d ever do that without a gun to my head.”

Terra used a large percentage of her Producer-granted power to stave off an exasperated sigh. “The audience did love that you’re quite a bit feistier than your pitch might have made it seem, Ms. Ainsleigh, but come now. You can do so of your own will, or I can make a note right here, and you’ll be on your knees begging for the Master to balance it on your nose first. I’d counsel the first option, Councilor.” She then turned her gaze to Trudy. “That goes for you too, Ms. Webber. Would you like the carrot… or the stick?”

Franklin clenched his fists as he was forced to watch the display, but eventually, both Trudy and Adrienne bit into their cookies, the memory of their brief time as mindless animals sapping their strength for the moment.

The result was quite the light show. Golden yellow energy radiated from Trudy’s head and rear, while a white-hot wave rolled off of Adrienne in a parallel pattern. The Master and contestants watched as the hair on the two women’s heads seemed to grow rapidly in a vertical direction, only to realize it was actually new ears poking through. Trudy’s were a similar blonde to her hair, erect and relatively thin compared to her fellow contestant, who gained a wide pair of black dog ears with fluffy white accents reminiscent of her spray-in highlights.

As soon as it seemed like the growth was complete, both women simultaneously stumbled forward slightly as they felt an erupting sensation at the base of their spines. Being within arm’s reach, Franklin was able to steady Trudy, allowing the blonde to remain on her feet as she craned her neck to look behind her. Adrienne was not so lucky, and fell forward onto her knees, the sharp ache still dull in comparison to the strange sensation of a tail growing from its namesake bone after years of evolution saying that was unnecessary. Through a small mercy of Harem Hotel’s magic, Trudy’s jeans and Adrienne’s yoga pants each refashioned themselves with a suitable gap for the tails to grow unimpeded.

As the glowing energy faded, the season’s participants could see two additional portraits had filled in on the great gallery wall.

Be Were of Dog- Adrienne was pretty clear that she doesn’t want to be trapped as a pet full time, so we’ll oblige her, with a twist. Adrienne will be given a default doggirl form, but can remain in her human form when she wishes. However, going too long without indulging her wild side may make her lose control, leaving her to act on her animal instincts for a time.

Talk Derby to Me- Trudy has always loved horses, admiring their grace, power, and emotional intelligence. A skilled and knowledgeable trainer herself, this transformation will let her see the other side of the coin. She will gain a pair of horse ears and a tail to go with her strong legs. Side effects may include competitive fire, a need to feel useful, and fantasies of being ridden.

Terra smiled proudly, “Synchronous animal girl transformations without any bleeding effect, very good. Though I do wonder if it would be better to contend with a horse-sized dog girl or a dog-sized horse girl?

“Grrrrrr…”

Trudy started at the sound that came from the woman next to her, almost jumping out of her boots. The cast looked on in apprehension as Adrienne bared her teeth at the Host and Master, for the moment completely overwhelmed by her newly granted transformation.

Franklin whirled on the Host and demanded, “Are you going to do something?”

Terra’s fascinated look turned neutral. “The transformation is working as intended, Master Porter. Perhaps it is you who should take action?”

Easy for you to say, thought Franklin as he turned to approach the currently feral lawyer. Pet backed up but continued to snarl whenever the Master looked like he was advancing too close.

It looked as if things were headed for disaster when an unexpected party intervened.

Dara had been watching the transformations after being the first to be given one. She knew hers was designed to decrease her intelligence the longer she went without physical contact with Franklin, so she made sure to tune her focus specifically to observing the immediate effects of the other women’s. Understanding how they work and seeking patterns in how the game manifested them to extract the largest impact for its 'narrative' might give them an edge in getting through it as unscathed as possible.

So she recognized the immediate danger of Adrienne doing something that would earn her a significant punishment if events continued on their present course. This was what led her to the position of kneeling on the floor with her head bowing lower than the panicking dog girl’s.

Dara was the least threatening contestant, only a couple inches taller than Ira but much slighter, and so she looked the part of a submissive supplicant as she slowly approached the overwhelmed lawyer. She kept her eyes lowered and spoke in a calm, even tone.

“It’s alright, Adrienne. I know this situation is a nightmare, but it does look like we’re not in immediate danger. Your transformation details that your emotional state affects the manifestation of your ears and tail, so you can take control and you’ll go back to normal. My best friend in college was a law student, and we always tried to outdo each other with how stressful our fields were.” The scientist gave a small smirk. “If you can get through that, I’m sure this is nothing.”

It wasn’t clear when the smooth, non-threatening tone gave way to the actual words Dara was saying, but by the end of her speech, Adrienne Ainsleigh was looking thoughtfully at the scientist. Her ears had receded, and as her tail disappeared, she sat back to land heavily on the floor. “Labs don’t have anything on old law professors. Chemicals don’t generally aim to react differently just to make you look stupid.”

Dara sighed, “I guess you win this time.” With that, she rose and offered a hand to the other woman. Adrienne accepted, even if she knew the slight scientist couldn’t haul her up without her cooperation.

Franklin and Terra both stood silently as the three contestants made their way back to their seats. Finally, the Host cleared her throat and dropped back into character. “Well, that was an excellent moment for the highlight package. Now, Ms. Webber? The audience chose to “save the best for last” as it were, so you will have the 9th and final date of our first round. That leaves day seven for you, Ms. Ainsleigh.”

The Host then turned on her heel to face the Master. “Only one more thing before you and your harem can settle in for the night.” Terra marked one of the last three pages on her board and handed it to Franklin.

The Master took the page and looked at its contents but couldn’t recognize any of the writing. It looked like something a madman scribbled in crayon with half the box missing. This proved not to matter for long when the page caught fire.

Franklin instinctively tried to drop the page and pull his hand back like a child who had just learned about stovetops for the first time, only to find his hand closed in a vice-like grip. Then his mind caught up with his instincts, and he realized the fire consuming the page wasn’t burning his flesh.

Terra smiled as she got the Master’s attention. “No need to worry, Master Porter, this is simply your transformation. Go ahead and put your hand to your heart. Consider it a pledge to treat your Harem exactly the way they deserve.”

Reluctantly, Franklin complied with the Host’s request. As his burning hand touched his chest, he felt his left eye erupt in the same cool fire, the flame burning blue until eventually, it receded inside him.

One final portrait, the largest piece in the center of the display, was filled to immortalize the true birth of the next Master of the Gallery.

Poron Power- Our audience voted for Franklin’s libido to be both one of his greatest strengths as well as an Achilles heel. Let’s roll with that. When aroused, Franklin’s senses are refined, allowing him to tell what will bring his partners the greatest possible pleasure. Conversely, the longer he goes without sexual contact, the more likely he is to make rash decisions.

---

“Damn that Herb!” Dee complained. “I can’t believe we had to stay and help sort out that mess.”

With a shrug, Vee replied, “Could be worse, at least we’re not spending the next three millennia as a potted plant like him.”

The blue Imp grumbled, “Serves him right. Our momentum is completely shot. Hopefully these tfs entice the audience back.”

His crimson brother gave him a pat on the back. “Look on the bright side, we got everything back to normal without any of the hosts blaming us! Although I think we may have made an extra copy of that April girl’s profile by mistake. Could have sworn I saw two dark-skinned, black-haired, brown-eyed, small-chested cat girls running around in hoodies the other day.”

“Alright, alright, let’s not get too meta. We’ve got some unfinished business from the chapter.” Dee held up all the unused transformation pages and let them float up for the audience to review one more time.

Ionic Bondage- Dara and Franklin were a case of opposites attracting, and it was a shared love of a secret kink that kept things electric between them. When bound by the Master, Dara will find all pleasurable sensations amplified and orgasms far more intense. The strength of the effect will scale with the complexity and intensity of the bindings.

Ex(perimental) Girlfriend- Dara needs to observe, test, and analyze information before deciding how to act, so let’s extend this to transformations themselves. Dara will be able to copy any other contestant’s transformations for 24 hours. After this time, she’ll obtain a full profile of characteristics, upgrades and the ability to synthesize a temporary version in chemical form.

Can You Dig It?- Lyra dreamed of being an archaeologist and making incredible discoveries. Each round, four legendary artifacts will be hidden throughout the Hotel. Any Lyra finds are hers to keep, and will grant point bonuses, advantages, and other positive effects. Any undiscovered relics will be randomly distributed to other contestants at the end of the round.

Much To Do About Everything- Big ambitions can often leave you disappointed, but the right support can make all the difference. Each round, Lyra will receive a list of seven goals that she and her Master can work to achieve, a list of seven rewards that she can choose from for every success, and a list of seven punishments the Master must choose from for every failure.

Just Horsing Around- There’s nothing wrong with a little teasing, a harmless prank, or some playful roughhousing. Trudy will gain a sense of ease, comfort, and freedom when around her old friend, being more willing to relax and cut loose like she used to. She’ll also trust Franklin to let her know if she’s ever going too far, though he might have to be a bit firm to get it across.

A Stable Hand- Trudy found structure, purpose, and satisfaction when she took on her new job at the Haverbrook Ranch. Thankfully she can continue those duties here at the Hotel. Trudy will be granted the instincts, tools, and motivation to ensure that each member of the Master’s stable is cared for, happy, and properly trained.

Sexpionage- Claudia believes herself to be a master thief, but let’s put that to the test. Each of her fellow contestants will have one of their most thrilling secrets encased in a physical object that they can hide or guard (but not destroy). Claudia will earn BP for each one successfully stolen, but at round’s end, one of her own secrets will be exposed for each outstanding treasure.

Statuesque Beauty- Claudia made the mistake of stealing art from her future Master. It only makes sense that she would help replace it. Franklin can command Claudia to pose for up to an hour at a time each day. She will remain still unless Franklin chooses to redirect her position. If this privilege is not used, she will pose for a random hour the following day.

Brand Loyalty- She may lack the duplicitous nature of her alter ego, but Ira still dreams of being marked and punished. Each round, she must make three promises to her Master, which will be represented by tattoos somewhere on her body. Acts that fulfill these promises will result in intense pleasure, while breaking them will require her Master to discipline her.

Pride of the Underdark- Ira struggles to be confident and decisive like she wishes she were. Perhaps she simply needs to draw from the right muse. Ira will find herself taking on some of the intelligence, savvy, and conviction of the Drow, all the better to navigate the competition on Harem Hotel. We’ll even throw in a pair of fetching elven ears for sussing out secrets.

Dolly on the Table- Take a chance, spin the wheel, and see what happens. Each day of the first round, Kennedy will awaken in a randomly generated female body. At the end of the round she will choose four of the presented options, and the audience will select a winner to assign her permanently. All bodies will at minimum be something the Master would find attractive.

Faux Naturale- If desires are great enough, reality bends to the will of the audience. Immediately grants Kennedy the body she would have had if she was born cisgender and replaces her memories with an alternate history to match. She will retain the memory of meeting and roleplaying with the Master.

Legal Beagle- Pet might want to keep her job separate from her play, but that doesn’t mean she can’t use her expertise to be the Harem’s watchdog. Adrienne will feel compelled to express an objection if she witnesses behavior she finds harmful to the Harem’s goals. The Master may sustain or overrule these objections, awarding rewards and punishments as necessary.

Heads or Tails- A two-faced lawyer might be cliche, but we can’t resist a reference. Each morning, Adrienne will flip a coin. If it lands on heads, she will grow a pair of cute dog ears that leave her more susceptible to scritches, praise, and commands. If it lands on tails, she will instead sport a fluffy tail that will telegraph her emotional state and increase her excitability.

Gotta Catch Em All- If you would have asked Zelda what her favorite Pokemon was, her answer probably would’ve depended upon what day it was. Sounds perfect to us! Every day Zelda will channel a different member of the over 1000 strong roster, gaining unique abilities, quirks, and features. Results will be random, but weight will be given to audience suggestions.

Strategy Guide- Zelda is hesitant about playing the game in the traditional way, so let’s give her some options. She will gain special insights into the scoring, available resources, and hidden resources of the Hotel. She can trade this information with her fellow contestants, but only by negotiating for an exchange of points (VP or BP) or other services.

It Takes a Village- Evie is the youngest of our contestants, and a sheltered, rich girl besides. The Master has his hands full with the whole Harem, so it’s up to our other contestants to pick up the slack. Evie will gain an aura that makes those around her want to teach, demonstrate, and test her on whatever skills they feel are important to succeed on Harem Hotel.

Show Pony- Genevieve is a socialite, heiress, and debutante, used to being in the limelight and ready to live up to her family legacy. With this transformation, she’ll gain a boost to her height, beauty, and figure. With these changes will come an increased desire for attention and a need to show off her looks, skills, and charms.

Patron of the Arts- Franklin is an expert at convincing people to donate money and gifts to the Museum, so let’s put him to work doing the same on behalf of his Harem. Each round, viewers will be invited to propose tangible rewards and items for their favorite contestants, and Franklin will be responsible for choosing five of these gifts to accept and distribute.

Frank the Tank- Every Master could use the standard suite of improvements, even one with Franklin’s experience. This transformation will grant a major increase to stamina and strength as well as a boost to the Master’s physique. As a bonus, maintaining this new healthy body will be easy, as long as the Master engages in frequent physical activity with his Harem.

The blue Imp explained, “Thanks to you lovely folks giving Genevieve her Second Time Lucky transformation, all of these options that missed out have one more chance to be a star on this season!”

Vee looked over the list. “Wow, even Franklins?”

“The text of the tf does say *all failed transformations,” his brother replied. “Also, I suppose the audience can consider Faux Naturale the *nothing else this round option as our Evie was already born cisgender and therefore no retcon would occur.”

Vee scratched his chin. “Well, that makes sense.” He then turned to the cameras. “Twenty whole options to choose from, so each voter can choose up to five options to support. Remember, voting for only 1 option won’t grant it extra points, but it might be worth it if it’s your absolute favorite! There’s certainly lots of good options left in my humble opinion.”

Dee chuckled. “That’s because only two of the options you wrote won, while I earned five credits for my ingenious designs. So many other shoes to drop, heheh.”

Rolling his eyes, Vee responded, “Maybe you just overestimated how sneakily deakily devilish your ideas were, bro.” The red Imp turned to camera. “But that doesn’t mean you should pick something else he wrote! Think carefully, viewers!”

VOTE HERE for Evie’s Round 1 STL Transformation

Dee sighed as he let the heavy pages fall back to the desk, unused to having so much in the air at once. He turned to his brother and said, “OK, what’s the last item on the agenda?”

Vee smiled. “Well, the roommate polls gave us some great pairs! The audience clearly wanted some spice, as Lyra and Claudia were the clear pick for one room. Dara and Zelda will also share a room, with Ira and Kennedy in the third, and Trudy and Genevieve sharing the final room this round.”

Dee nodded. “Hmm, that means…”

The lights dimmed in the office as the Imps’ faces took on somber looks. With voices full of emotion, they began a heartfelt plea as the melancholy notes of In the Arms of An Angel began playing in the background.

“Dear Audience, every year, thousands of petgirls find themselves out in the rain.”

“It happens far too often. Seasons take on dog girls, cat girls, rabbit girls and more, only to realize that they don’t have the space to care for them.”

“Shelters do what they can, but without the compassion and support of viewers like you, there are always many vulnerable animal girls who fall through the cracks.”

“That’s why we’re asking you to take just a moment out of your day to answer a simple question. Which pair of roommates should adopt Adrienne and give her a forever home where she can receive the security and affection that every Pet deserves?”

Which room should house Pet this round?

Dee got up from the Imps’ desk and floated towards the door. “I need a drink, that was far too saccharine.”

Giggling, Vee waved to the camera. “See you next time!”

-Polls will remain open through Monday, October 19th