Maja's Disdain

“Okay I think we should go to Maja’s first.” Laura said to Mark and Ellen.

“Why Maja first?” Mark gave her a curious glance.

“Well, she’s the expert tailor here. She did the whole redesign of Chloe’s wardrobe, which Chloe seems incredibly happy with and I think it suits her. I figure she might be able to give each of us advice, since our cases are trickier.”

"Yes, I quite agree with Laura." Ellen said.

So the three went to Maja’s store, when they passed by the towering statues outside of it, Mark noticed that Ellen’s statue depicted her current outfit. I also am pretty sure all their busts are bigger than they are currently, just by a little.

“Hey! My breasts are not that big even with Ellen’s size increase.” Laura complained.

“Flora said the same thing about her statue up by my room.” The three went inside the Menagerie. “Well this is extravagant, though definitely beautiful.” Mark said looking at the red marble hallway lined with intricate gold veins.

“I got to agree there.” Laura nodded, as they entered the rotunda, “Okay, now this is truly extravagant.”

"Oh, do look around the base of the dome! Those appear to be statues of us." Ellen remarked pointing up at the statues.

Mark noticed that there upon a golden throne was a statue of himself, and sitting at the top of the back of the throne was a statue of Mary looking down playfully. Mark looked around at the other statues and he noticed all were a unique material and had various embellishments matching the colors of the halls in his vision. Three plinths in particular caught his attention. The first contained Allie and Isabella, being unique in it being the only other spot besides his own with more than one body depicted. It looked like the two were dancing together, with Allie in a white with rose adornments and Isabella in a red rose color with white adornments. The next that drew his eye was Laura’s. It was made of a radiant yellowish metal with ruby adornments with a wreath of laurels around her head, and wings unfurled behind her.

"Well," Ellen remarked, appraising Laura's statue thoughtfully, "I will say that the statue nearly does Laura justice with her aura on display, but it still feels...incomplete."

“I mean it definitely looks like a goddess.”

“Stop it you two.” Laura said a little uncomfortably.

The last statue that drew his eye caused him to literally burst out laughing so hard he had to sit down to keep from falling over. When Laura noticed it as well, she joined in Mark’s laughter. Ellen was confused.

"Could one of you two please explain what is so amusing about Cassandra's statue? I mean, it seems fairly accurate to my eyes."

The three of them heard heels click across the marble floor as they turned their heads to see Maja standing there. “Hello Mark. My name is Maja. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” She extended her hand for Mark to shake, which he did.

“Likewise Maja, we are planning on meeting Petra after this. We thought it might be wise to stop here first though. Since it seems like you are my fashion expert.”

“Maja is many things. Fashion expert most certainly.” Maja looked over Mark’s apparel, “Disappointed, is another. Maja likes a challenge, though. Do not worry Mark, Maja will take care of you.”

“We didn’t actually come here for me Maja. We came for advice for Ellen and Laura here.”

“Well, Maja is still going to give you advice, her eyes glowed for a moment. Let’s see… oh right… This is why Maja doesn't like dealing with men. So many worlds have such bland options for men. WAIT! Maja must see Mary. Please change into Mary. Maja has so much more freedom to help a Master or Mistress than a contestant. Please, you will be Maja’s masterpiece.” Maja raised her hands in triumph at her declaration and then went, “Bleh” Maja materialized a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a small bucket, then scrubbed out her mouth, and spit into the bin. “Puns… always leave a bad taste in Maja’s mouth. So uncouth.”

"Oh... Umm... Maja, if you truly feel that way about puns, I'm not entirely certain you can call Mark or Mary your finest work, then." Ellen said.

“Well, Maja can at least make Mary look stunning. Now Maja insists on seeing Mary.”

“Not today Maja.”

“But Maja wants to help.”

“Maja, I’ve been a woman for less than two days in total. Out of thirty-two years of my life, nearly thirty-three. Let me figure out what I’m even remotely looking for before trying to help me.”

“Maja supposes that is fair. Maja does want you to be comfortable. Can Maja at least add better male clothes to your wardrobe. Normally, Maja would do this whole process, but unless you want to try some male fashion that is typically not accepted on your planet. Maja does not have much to work with. At least your planet has suits. So it isn’t totally hopeless.”

“Yes Maja if you want to upgrade my male wardrobe that is fine, but a note. I still want casual clothes. Not all dress shirts and suits, okay.”

“Maja will make sure it is taken care of. Now let Maja take a look at the two of you. Oh you poor dears Maja is so sorry.” Maja looked like she was on the verge of tears and walked over and gave Laura a brief hug and Ellen a very long firm hug. “Ellen, right?” She said looking into Ellen’s eyes, and got a nod in return. “Maja is sorry. You have one of the worst of the worst clothing TFs. Costumes. BLEH! The only thing worse is strict uniforms. At least with Laura’s and Sam’s Maja has some wiggle room as those are styles, but costumes. Sure there is variety but everything is so limited.”

"So, you cannot help me?" Ellen said a little sad.

“Maja did not say that, but Maja’s help is much more limited for you. Maja is sorry. Maja can give Laura here more advice though you have been essentially wearing the same outfit in different colours. Now, it is a nice outfit, and if you are comfortable in it, good. But Maja would like to show you a whole new world of clothing that you can wear.” Maja paused for a moment, and got the toothbrush again and scrubbed out her mouth. “Okay Maja is not even sure what the pun there was, but it tasted awful.”

“Okay you two, if you want Maja’s honest opinion: Ellen, pick the costumes you like the most. Sorry that’s about it. If you want a selection of costumes that mimic normalish clothing, or have certain traits, Maja can prepare that for you. But you have not one but two clothing TFs, utterly horrible. The only other thing Maja can recommend is to go buy one of Maja’s enchanted outfits for you.”

“Enchanted outfits?” all three said together.

“Yes, Maja has three enchanted outfits for each of you, one for each path. You have to commit to a main path first though to buy the associated outfit.”

“I saw the main path thing in the store, can you explain that to us?” Laura asked.

“Maja supposes, Maja can explain. Let’s take Laura, as example. Laura has, [Fitness], [Sex Goddess], and [Arabian Nights - Jasmine] as paths. Maja thinks picking anything besides [Sex Goddess] for Laura would be stupid and you should just make that your main path already. You are the only one Maja can confidently recommend that to yet. As for what picking a main path does, it will essentially make all transformations have something to do with that path. Each transformation you have and will receive in the future will have an added effect. While rare it is actually possible for a main path to fundamentally alter another path, if they are deemed to be too clashing. One word of warning: picking a main path is final. So make sure it is something you would like. You also require Mark’s permission to select it.”

"So, if I were to make [Bondage] my main path, would every one of my transformations then be, bondage related?"

“No, and yes. You would still get transformations for your other paths but they would incorporate bondage into them somehow.”

“Can we see the enchanted outfits?” Laura inquired.

“Maja can take you to look at Laura’s outfits, yes. Maja is afraid that Ellen lacks the funds to look at them.”

“Wait, it costs to look at them?” Laura said in shock.

“No, but it does require you to be at least able to purchase a main path. Follow me.” Maja began to walk towards the exit under Laura’s plinth; there was a short hall that led to a set of double doors in which Maja opened. A much smaller circular room contained three statues of Laura. The one on the left showed Laura more muscular than she was now, in well fitted athletic wear and running shoes. The one on the right showed Laura much as she was now except she appeared slightly softer around the edges and more sensual, and she wore nearly the same outfit. The center one though, was a work of art. It reminded Mark of a statue of Aphrodite, and the outfit of Ancient Greece.

Laura looked at them and commented. “Okay well that looks like just ordinary athletic wear, that one is essentially the same as what I’m wearing now, the one in the middle seems to be Greek, maybe roman? At least I think so. I guess the inspiration is like Aphrodite, maybe Hera, Athena or something similar. Okay I mean they all look nice but what do they do? You said they were enchanted.”

“Indeed, Maja can’t give you the explicit description unfortunately. But Maja can tell you the general enchantments all of them have. They can change form to anything so long as it is permitted by your TFs, though it will always keep some aspects of your main path in the final outfit. They also auto clean and can form into a singular piece of jewelry like a ring, necklace or earrings, for if you want to be naked.”

“Why couldn’t we just take it off?” Laura asked.

“Ah, yes. That is another enchantment and why they can change shape and are self cleaning. They can’t be removed, once purchased, nor can you put on any other clothing. Jewelry and accessories yes, but not clothing.”

“Okay… I mean sure, I guess. That isn’t too bad, if they can become any clothing we want and self clean I guess there isn’t a reason you would need other clothes.”

“Indeed. Maja is proud of these enchantments.

“They still seem pricey for what amounts to an endless self cleaning wardrobe, particularly the main path part.”

“Yes, well Maja can give you an idea of what each of yours does Laura. For [Fitness], well it makes you more fit, gives you more energy, things like that. For [Arabian Nights], well it will grant you more alluring and sensual qualities. For [Sex Goddess], well… you will gain more goddess-like abilities, all centered around sex of course.”

“That still doesn’t help very much.”

“Let’s see. Ah Maja knows, think of it like a step above a Boon TF, or maybe three Boon TFs. You can of course actually see the exact effects once you have a main path, before you buy the outfit. Maja does also have some latitude to make modifications to the specific enchantments if you do not like them exactly as is. So Laura… would you like to buy the main path?”

“Not at this time Maja.”

“Maja understands it is a big commitment.”

“So Maja, would you be showing me or Ellen really anything we can’t find in our own stores?”

“No, that is the curse of Clothing TFs. Maja tries every season to get Cassandra to phase them out but she says no. When Maja is Host, there will be no clothing TFs.”

“Well, Ellen, you want to ask Maja anything? This is your date night after all.”

“I would appreciate a list of more generic costumes that look like normal clothes but still rise to the level of costume.”

“Maja will have it made for you and send it to you.”

“Good luck at Petra’s, and Mark consider rerolling these awful, awful TFs would you.” Maja shooed them out as they didn’t have anything else they wanted to do here.

---

"Was it just me, or did she not seem to care for us very much, Laura?" Ellen asked

“I don’t think she dislikes us. I think she doesn’t like our TFs at all. So Petra’s?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Mark nodded. As they were walking down Fashion road, Mark noticed something odd, and stopped.

"Mark? Is something amiss?" Ellen asked.

Mark looked at the closest store that happened to be Sam’s and noticed that Merida was currently in the window. He walked over to the window and frowned.

“Oh that’s a little ghoulish. I now understand why she was not looking forward to this.” Laura commented.

"I knew she would be on display but she told me to proceed regardless. I simply hadn't realized it would be quite like this. As a note, Mark, she apparently has twenty-four hours in this state, though it's not all at once. It's in one-hour intervals, and only when there's cause for the cameras to focus on the shops. Merida did ask that we remain for as long as we possibly could, so she might be finished with this sooner." Ellen said.

The three were staring at Merida in a Navy uniform… and a Sailor Scout uniform… and Pirate outfit. As far as they could tell Merida was every mannequin. “Okay one second. Sorry but I need to check something, you two.” Mark said, pulling out his phone.

Mark called Cassandra, “Mark? You called me… WAIT! You actually CALLED ME!?” Cassandra said both surprised and worried. “Nothing seems to be an emergency… So, umm care to explain why you didn’t just text me or ask me to come to you?”

“Because I need to actually speak with you Cassandra, and ask you some questions. I’m not currently mad Cassandra, just very concerned.” Mark said through slow deep breaths. “But, I’m also worried that depending upon the answers to my questions I might actually try to throttle you, if you were present. One, is Merida conscious?”

“Yes, she is Mark.”

“Two, is she more than one mannequin at once, or is there some magic fuckery going on, that simply makes it appear that way.”

“That is rather complicated.”

“WELL MAKE IT UNCOMPLICATED!” Mark shouted. “Sorry.” Mark took a deep breath, “I shouldn’t have shouted. I assumed she would be put in a display window which would be one thing, maybe teleported around so she would be whatever mannequin was nearest to me or whoever was shopping, not all of them at the same time.”

“Mark, just keep taking deep breaths.” Cassandra said, “I’ll explain. The answer to your question is somewhere between neither and both of your ideas at once. Yes there is some ‘magic fuckery’ as you put it going on. Obviously I didn’t clone Merida. Merida is effectively in any mannequin being actively looked for any significant length of time by anyone besides a staff member. Now, she is literally in a magic circle currently in the Menagerie, where Maja is using her to work on various outfits.”

“Are all her senses intact? Like can she see, hear and feel like that?”

“Yes, Mark.”

“Will there be lasting effects from this?”

“If you mean, ‘will there be lasting effects from the multiple perspectives and effectively being in more than one place at a time?’ No there will not be. If you mean, ‘could Merida develop a greater desire for her to be stared at while posed?’ Yes, that was sort of the point, to get her to embrace her TF.”

“Cassandra, I'm asking you, nicely, to change how you are employing Merida in the shops. Please. I’m guessing at the moment only Laura, Ellen and I have seen her like this. Right?”

“That would be correct.”

“Cassandra, this will hurt some of the others to see her like this. Please, change it. Teleport her around so she’s always in line of sight of someone if you want. Just not this, please.”

“Mark, I think you are overreacting.”

“Cassandra, I picked up the phone and called you about this. I think you understand how strongly I feel about it. Please change it, Cassandra. I am telling you that this is hurting me. So, PLEASE. I am asking you to change it. What do I need to do for you to change it?”

Cassandra sighed, “This is really bothering you? That much?”

“Cassandra, it feels too much like ASTRID with her multiple bodies.”

“I… Okay… I see… Give me a moment to check something Mark.” It sounded to Mark like Cassandra was both flipping through pages and typing at a keyboard, after about a minute she spoke up again, “Okay, Mark. I can change it.”

“Thank you, Cassandra.”

“Hold on. I was checking something because what options to earn BP that are available are part of rules, and how the things from the casino are implemented are also part of the rules. You know as well as I do that, I can’t just go willy-nilly changing any rule I want, just because. Especially after someone has made a deal or bet.” Cassandra’s voice did not sound demanding, simply stating facts.

“What is it going to cost Cassandra?”

“That depends, do you want Merida out of the stores entirely or just not displayed like she is now.”

“Either would be fine with me. Merida understood that she would be on display if she lost when she made those bets. She’s an adult and can make her own choices. I doubt that she assumed it would be like this either though.”

“Okay that makes things easier, I don’t think you would have liked what it would have cost to buy out her time. It isn’t a large change that you are asking for then… Hmm… Make me an offer Mark that makes it so Merida is seen, on display.”

“Can you do the warping I mentioned?”

“Yes, but only if you offer me something.”

“Okay, how about I agree to take everyone shopping this week and buy them at least one specialty outfit.”

“I can work with that but I actually have to check with everyone, since that isn’t something you can promise alone, since it is their time with you not yours. Give me a second.”

~Ping~ ~Ping~

Mark heard Laura and Ellen’s phones go off. “Could you check that message you two it’s from Cassandra.”

They both got out their phone, read the message and replied.

“Okay, Mark I got agreement. I’ll change it, so that Merida is whatever mannequin you are looking at or if you aren’t around, that she is the one that the most people are looking at. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes, that’s fine as long as there aren’t multiple Merida’s at the same time.”

“Okay done.” Mark saw two of the mannequins in the window return to normal and Merida was still in the sailor scout uniform. “One note though, unlike before, this is actually Merida’s real body on display, just keep that in mind.”

“Thank you, Cassandra.”

“You’re welcome, Mark. I’m sorry to have caused you distress over this. Are you okay?”

“I will be and again thank you.” Mark hung up the phone.

“Thanks, Mark.” Laura responded. “I didn’t think about that, but you’re right this probably would have freaked out Aubrey badly, had she seen Merida like this. So, Petra’s then? Since apparently you are buying each of us an outfit.”

“I, for one, am quite looking forward to meeting the last of Freya's sisters.” Ellen said as they started to walk over to Petra’s Prestigious Attire for The Pretty Princesses. "Come to think of it, with the exception of ASTRID, for obvious reasons, they really do still all look like sisters. Though it is difficult to believe they were originally identical with how remarkably different they appear now." As they walked past the stores, Ellen paused at the store that still had the ‘closed for remodeling’ sign on it. “I had rather assumed this would have become Isabella's shop, once she became a contestant.”

Mark shook his head, “Nope, Look over there, Allie’s shop was altered to accommodate Isabella, as well. Remember Cassandra said for a lot of purposes for the show they are considered one person. Guess that means the shops as well.”

Ellen frowned at that, "Oh, that truly is unfortunate for both of them. Especially since they are interested in one another."

“Well, I already talked with Isabella about it. We’ll see what we can do to give Isabella and Allie a bit of separation. I don’t think it is a good idea to simply make her her own contestant though.”

“Why not?” Laura asked.

“Lots of reasons to be honest. First it would mean she has to be intimate with me, or suffer.”

“Well that’s true right now isn’t it?”

“No, it isn’t. She shares VP with Allie. Isabella could easily never touch me, and have 100VP at the end because of Allie. I hope that isn’t what happens and don’t think it will be but it could be. Technically I think it would be possible for all of you to do that but it would be extraordinarily hard. Second is that she would have to compete against Allie. Cassandra mentioned this to her and isn’t wrong. That could ruin their friendship, and relationship. Third is that would change quite a few other things about the show as well, and we don’t know how. That would give us an even number of ‘contestants’ technically we have an odd number since the two of them count as one. How would rooming work? The rounds would get longer. Would first place in the polls and challenges be rewarded more or would tenth place be rewarded less?”

“That does seem reasonable. Mark... thinking of Isabella, do you believe it is likely, even without eliminations, that more women will be drawn into your harem?” Ellen asked.

“Yes, I do. Especially since Cassandra really wants to avoid having eliminations if possible. She’ll bring in ‘new blood’ as it were to shake things up, so things don’t get boring. Maybe it’s someone one of you knows like Isabella. I can think of a few, likely options, that could show up like Isabella did. It could just be someone completely new. That fulfilled the candidate criteria, like all of you did.”

“Do you think Isabella was a viable candidate on her own?”

“Yes, I do. Because in the reality where, I wasn’t selected as Master for the show, I think Isabella would have been in a throuple with Allie and me.”

“You said you could think of a few. Like who?” Laura asked as they had finally reached Petra’s store.

“Well… can you two promise not to spread this around?” Both nodded. “Okay, I don’t have anyone connected to either of you in mind, but Cassandra heavily implied that some of Aubrey’s siblings are viable targets. It wouldn’t surprise me to see one of Chloe’s siblings or Sadie brought on. Talia has a friend from her original history I could see brought on. I could see a few other people I know or have known too.”

“Shit. You really think she would bring on their siblings? Also Sadie? Really?”

“For Aubrey, absolutely. She’s a twin, and has a pair of twin sisters. Is it really that surprising that I have a twin fetish?”

“No, no, it is not.” Laura shook her head.

“As for Chloe's siblings, I think Cassandra is saving them for if Chloe is eliminated. Sadie would be the perfect person to cause some chaos in the harem. Plus I bet she qualifies as a candidate on her own.” Laura looked at Mark skeptically about that. “Look she is someone I knew vaguely. Of everyone here half of you I met during undergrad. I don’t think you can deny that she was attractive. She actually asked me out. Which I can tell you I can count on one hand the number of times I was asked out by anyone else, ever. She was also the only woman to ask me out ever. So she does stick in my mind. So yeah I can easily see an alternate reality where the two of us ended up together. The easiest change would be if I wasn’t dating my former girlfriend at the time. I would have absolutely said yes, when she asked me out, if I wasn’t in a relationship. I realize she has a whole history with Chloe, but I mean Chloe and her were friends at one point, or at least friendly. So she can’t be a completely shitty person, at least back then.”

“Mark, I know I said I’d keep this to myself… and I will but I think you should tell Chloe about this.”

“Why Laura? What good would it do to know Sadie might be brought on at some point? What could Chloe do about it? I’m also really hoping that no more people are brought on but I doubt that will happen.”

“That… that is a good point. I guess it would just make her worry for possibly no reason. Alright Let’s stop standing outside and go meet Petra.”