Week 1: Erica's Date, Part 1

“…dy Aífe… Lady Aífe!” A terse voice woke Aífe from her slumber. Groggily opening her eyes, she saw a… goth maid? Wait, where am I? Aífe began to panic, before remembering the events of the previous evening. Now reminded of the fact that she’s supposed to start dating 8 different women, and the massive responsibility weighing on her shoulders due to the fact that those women’s lives hang in the balance, she was overwhelmed by a wave of complex emotions.

“Hey! HEY! Enough of that!” The maid, annoyed, snapped her fingers in Aífe’s face, breaking her from her reverie. “You’ll have plenty of time for an existential crisis later. Right now, I gotta get you to breakfast, so get moving.”

“Okay, but would you mind telling me who exactly you are, first?” Aífe asked, receiving a sigh in response.

“Your harem have taken to calling me Umbra. I’m the head (and only) maid employed here. Pleasure to be of service and all that crap.” Umbra unenthusiastically curtsied as she introduced herself. “Now get dressed, Lady Aífe.”

“Alright, alright, I’m up. Sheesh.” Aífe grumbled as she got out of bed and began searching for something to wear that was easy to put on and not particularly daring. With the knowledge of her wardrobe she’d gained last night, that wasn’t too difficult a task—she quickly found a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, then headed to the bathroom to wash up and brush her teeth before she got dressed. Finished getting dressed, she stood before Umbra as the maid gave her a once-over. Seeing Umbra’s expression, Aífe tilted her head in confusion. “What? Is there a dress code for eating breakfast?”

“Not at all, Lady Aífe.” Umbra replied, deadpan. “I just didn’t expect those to be the clothes you would choose to go on a date in.”

“I’m sure Erica will forgive me if I don’t look like a model on our first date. She knows that I don’t have any experience with this type of stuff.” Aífe bristled.

“If you say so.” Umbra turned to start leading Aífe out of her suite. “I know Sera would have preferred if you wore something more sensual, though I’m sure she’ll at least applaud your choice to go without a bra. Very daring.”

“Hey! It’s not like that.” Aífe blushed. “Look, I had a hard enough time getting out of that thing last night. I did not have the energy to figure out how to get one back on.” She defended herself before shrugging. “Besides, I’m sure it’ll be fine. It’s not like Erica’s gonna take me to the gym or something for our first date.”

“If you say so, Lady Aífe.” Umbra responded flatly as she and Aífe stepped into the elevator.

Among the early risers in the harem, Elise was the first to wake, noticing that her chest felt oddly wet. Looking down, she saw Diona drooling into her cleavage while lightly snoring. Eventually prying herself from the vice-like embrace of the sleeping shortstack, Elise took the moment of quiet to wash up and get dressed. I’ll need to see about getting a less ostentatious hat. Elise set her large purple witch’s hat on her vanity, looking disappointed. This just doesn’t go with any of my other clothes. Such a shame—I’m a witch now, darn it. I should at least be able to dress like one. Resigning herself to waiting until later to update her wardrobe, she gently shook her roommate awake so that neither of them would be late for breakfast.

Elise wasn’t the only woman to wake up in the arms of another—in the Rose Suite, Cecilia groggily opened her eyes to see Erica’s sleeping face right in front of her own. They had somehow moved enough in their sleep to now be facing each other, arms wrapped around one another as if embracing. Shit! I’ve gotta find a way out before she wakes up! This bitch will not let me hear the end of it if she catches me hugging her like some giant stuffed rabbit. Gently and very slowly rotating her body so only the arm pinned under the bunny girl remained, Cecilia carefully ducked under Erica’s arms and slid her other arm out, barely stopping herself from rolling out of the bed entirely. Now freed, she went about getting ready, failing to notice Erica nervously opening her eyes, a blush creeping into her cheeks.

Speaking of rooms with awkward sexual tension, neither resident of the Hibiscus Suite slept particularly well—both very much aware that there was a pretty (and scantily clad for one of them) girl of compatible orientation lying next to them. Mallory had at least fared slightly better, having been more exhausted than Natalie, but neither were very happy to be up so early that day. Looking at her clothing options while Natalie finished up at the sink, Mallory was in a bind—or rather would be, if she chose the wrong attire. She knew that any of her yoga pants would probably be fine, but her shirts (and sports bras, apparently) weren’t tight enough to count toward her transformation’s requirements.

“Havin’ trouble figurin’ out your outfit, Mallory?” Natalie inquired as she began brushing her hair.

“That’s a bit of an understatement.” At this rate, Mallory was worried she’d have to go out with nothing up top except a bra.

“Well, I’d offer to let you borrow a bikini top, but I think it’s safe to say we’re not the same size.” While Mallory’s certainly weren’t small, they were definitely smaller than Natalie’s impressive bust.

“Yeah, I thought about wearing a swim top, too, but all I packed was a one-piece.”

“Wait a sec—I think I’ve got somethin’!” Natalie had a flash of inspiration, and she started digging through her wardrobe until she pulled out an old, black, long-sleeved shirt. “Try puttin’ this on! Hopefully, it’ll turn sheer instead of latex. Might not cover as much as you’d like, but it wouldn’t be any worse than what that Diona girl was wearin’ last night. Heck, I’ve even seen some models in magazines rock this kinda look!” Natalie tossed the shirt to her roommate with a smile on her face.

“Are you sure? You’re basically throwing this shirt away, unless you’re fine wearing it after it transforms.” Mallory looked down, unsure.

“Don’t worry, it’s just an old shirt I only wore around the house, anyway! I only brought it ‘cause I figured I’d be spending most of my free time in my room.” Natalie assured her. “I’ve always been a bit of a homebody.”

“Thanks, Natalie! I really appreciate it.” Mallory donned the shirt and waited for a moment. Almost immediately, her transformation kicked in, and the fabric grew thinner, tighter, and stretchier until it was a tight-woven, sheer mesh. Natalie’s longer arms meant that the sleeve’s came midway up Mallory’s hands. Overall, it looked like a cute, stylish top that one might wear to a club. Clothing crisis averted, for now, they made their way down to the dining hall.

The contestants gradually arrived for breakfast, finding a lavish spread of fresh fruit, pastries, and breakfast meats. They each took their turns assembling their plates as they arrived, and around 8:45, when everyone was present save Team Monster Girl, Umbra entered the room with Aífe in tow. Several of them quietly waved good morning to the sleepy redhead before doing double-takes. Focused on getting her breakfast, Aífe failed to notice Elise gently elbowing Diona to prevent her from saying anything.

“Yawn… Morning everybody.” Aífe greeted them as she sat down at the head of the table—simply taking the seat that Umbra lead her toward. Her harem members nervously responded in kind. Aífe took a bite of the cheese Danish she had grabbed, and her face lit up. “Wow! These pastries are really good!”

“I’m sure our chef will be happy to hear that you’re enjoying her cooking.” Umbra responded unenthusiastically.

“Oh yeah, is she around? I never got to thank her for dinner last night. The soup was really good, too.” Aífe asked as she continued to munch on her Danish.

“Yeah, she is. Hey! Get out here! Lady Aífe wants to say something to you!” Umbra yelled toward the kitchen. A couple moments later, a woman emerged. She was dressed in a simple white shirt, black apron, and jeans, and her hair was long, red, and silky. The features that most caught the eye, however, were the smattering of red scales on her cheeks, golden eyes with slitted pupils, and long tail that was also adorned with red scales.

“It is nice to meet you, contestants and Lady Aífe. I am the chef for the Lily Garden. I hope you have enjoyed my cooking, so far.” The woman’s voice and expression were devoid of emotion, bowing slightly as she introduced herself.

“Miss, you wouldn’t happen to be a dragon, would you!?” Elise asked, her eyes sparkling with delight and wonder.

“A common misconception, but no. I am a salamander—a lesser dragonoid species. You can tell by my lack of horns and wings.” The woman corrected. “I apologize if my speech and mannerisms come across as stiff. I am not used to expressing myself in my human form.”

“That’s okay. We just wanted to thank you for the food you’ve been cooking for us! Everything’s been really tasty, so far.” Aífe smiled at the salamander woman as the others nodded in agreement.

“I see. I am glad to hear it, Lady Aífe.” Her expression did not change, but they could see her tail swish back and forth a couple of times.

“Oh yeah, you got a name? Umbra gave us the rundown on how a lot of the staff don’t need ‘em, but what about you?” Erica chimed in.

“I also do not have one. However, I am willing to use whatever name you all give me.”

“Okay, cool! How about… Scarlet?” Erica offered. No reaction.

“What about Cinder?” Elise asked. No reaction.

“Summer?” Natalie offered. No reaction.

“Flare?” Mallory offered. No reaction.

“Liz?” Cecilia threw in a name, ready for this to be done with. No reaction.

“Wow, did you just say that because it’s short for lizard? How original.” Diona chided. “How about Sally?” No reaction.

“That wasn’t any better than mine! I bet you just picked that because it’s short for salamander!” Cecilia snapped back.

“Okay, if none of those work, how about… Ember?” Aífe asked. Swish swish. “Looks like Ember it is, then!”

“Very well. I shall go by Ember from now on.” Ember bowed again, showing thanks for her new name. As Ember’s christening concluded, Sera entered the dining hall, carrying an extravagant bouquet of roses.

“Good morning, everyone! I hope you’re all excited for the first day of the competition proper!” She excitedly greeted them. “Oh, and congratulations on your new name, Ember. I think it suits you quite well.” Ember gave a small nod in response.

“You were listenin’ just now?” Natalie asked, looking up at the Host. “Also, what’s the deal with all the roses?”

“Oh, I’m always watching and listening, my dears.” Sera said, sneaking a glance toward Mallory who—realizing what that glance was implying—looked down and blushed. “And the roses are from my dear friend, Shar. She’s the Host of one of the other all-female seasons. Who knows? Maybe they’ll pay us a visit sometime.” Noticing the worry on their faces, Sera assured them, “Don’t worry, Shar’s a huge softie at heart. Her cast is one of the most well-treated among all seasons of Harem Hotel, and I’m sure you’d all get along swimmingly.”

“So, this friend of yours sent you a bunch of roses?” Erica looked confused. “Aren’t roses more of a girlfriend sort of gift?”

“Red roses are typically seen as romantic, yes.” Sera nodded. “These are entirely platonic, however. She and I are both spoken for, after all.” Several of them opened their mouths to ask questions, but Sera continued before they could voice them. “These were a gift to congratulate me for my season’s debut. The fruit you’re eating was also a gift, actually—one from the Host of our sister season, Lucian.”

“We have a sister season?” Aífe asked, surprised.

“Indeed. They aired shortly after we did, and caused quite a bit of concern in the planning department.” Sera chuckled. “It turns out that the folks in planning didn’t cross-check our proposals. There are quite a few similarities. So many, in fact, that I would have sued were it not for the Producers’ assurance that both proposals were drafted and submitted without knowledge of the other.”

“What kind of similarities?” Aífe was intrigued.

“Well, for starters, the fact that they also have a MILF in their cast, also a professor, and her name is Eliza, of all things! Talk about coincidence!” They all were shocked at the depth of that similarity as Sera continued. “What a shame that they de-MILFed her by winding the clock back to when she was 21. Oh, but get this—they also have a Japanese girl in their cast, and Lucy ended up using a veto to give her an oni transformation, just like Miss Aoba! Though I must say, our darling little oni is far cuter. Speaking of which, the clock is about to strike 9, and Team Monster Girl is nowhere to be found. Umbra, if you would.”

“Fine.” Umbra said with a sigh, before sticking her hand out. Her shadow stretched out and swelled into a pool of inky black. A moment later, Aoba and Aria were both flung up and out of the shadow, hitting the floor, disoriented as the shadow shrunk back to it’s usual size. The two latecomers both stood groggily as they grunted with pain. Sera took the opportunity to summon Aoba’s glasses and handed them to her.

“So nice of you to join us.” Sera said dryly. “Please try to be here on time moving forward. Future tardiness might result in point deductions, so consider today your freebie.” They both looked around as they finished waking up, taking in their environment. Their eyes glanced up the table, noting everyone else present, until they rested on Aífe sitting at the head of the table, at which point Aoba looked away blushing while Aria just blinked a few times.

“What’s the matter? Do I have crumbs on my face, or something?” Aífe stared back at them, confused.

“No, not that. Um… how do I put this?” Aria scratched her head. “If we look a bit like deer in the headlights, it’s because we’re looking at your ‘headlights,’ if you catch my drift.” Her answer only left Aífe more confused, until she looked down and saw two small protrusions poking out. She panicked and covered her chest. Fuck. Have my nipples been poking out this entire time?!

“I did try to warn you, Lady Aífe.” Umbra remarked in her usual deadpan.

“Seriously, how did it take you so long to notice?!” Diona cracked up, laughing. “I mean, come on. You could cut glass with those!”

“I don’t know how to put on a bra, okay?! So, shut up!” Aífe blushed, mortified. “I’ve had boobs for less than a day! I haven’t exactly had time to practice!”

“No need to be embarrassed, dear. They’re all going to see your nipples at some point, anyway.” Sera’s words were a hollow comfort. “Besides, now that we’re all present, it’s time to go over how today—and all other date days—will function.” The change in subject brought all of them to attention.

“You said today is my day, right?” Erica asked.

“Indeed. You get the lucky position of being the first girl here to go on a date with Lady Aífe.” Sera nodded. “As for how that will play out, you have quite a bit of latitude. You can spend as much or as little of the day with your Mistress as you choose, but you must spend the night in the Mistress’ Suite, sharing her bed.” The mention of sharing a bed made Aífe gulp nervously. “The curfew for those on a date, by the way, is 6pm. From 6pm to 6am, you must be in the Lily Suite with the Mistress. There will be opportunities in later weeks to schedule other nighttime arrangements, but that won’t be until the 3rd week at the earliest.”

“You can contact me to order whatever you would like for dinner in the Lily Suite.” Ember interjected. “I can recreate any dish, no matter how obscure, down to the smallest specification. That being said, please place your order at least 4 hours in advance if the dish is particularly large or elaborate.”

“Yes, thank you, Ember. Now, the only other thing of note is the matter of other contestants. While you can invite anyone you choose to accompany you and Lady Aífe during whatever daytime activities you have planned, you cannot invite them back to her suite—for the first week, at least. Later weeks can feature as many orgies as you’d like, but your first date should focus on one-on-one time in the evening.”

“Okay…” Erica pondered for a moment before deciding. “Alright, I think I know what we’re doing today!”

“Oh?” Aífe was very curious what her friend had planned.

“Yep, I’ve decided! Aífe, I’m taking you shopping!”