Oopsie...

Horrified, I let Kim go. Oh shit. Oh shit, oh shit. Had I caused her program to evolve again? Had it assumed that I now wanted a master/**** relationship with her? I didn't, I really didn't. Hell, her sneaky ways weren't all bad. I was just at my wits' end.

Sliding off my lap, Kim looked at me with the eyes of a puppy who had been scolded. Tears trickled down her face as she awaited whatever other form of punishment I had in mind. Swallowing, I knelt down and reached for her. She winced. Oh fuck my life, what had I done? "Kimmy, it's okay. I'm sorry, I..."

Before I could finish, she sprang to her feet and ran from the room. I heard the door to her bedroom slam. Fuuuuuck! I turned to Rachel and Jen. Jenny was looking at me with a puzzled expression. I doubt she understood the ramifications of what I just did in her current mental state. Kim may have looked like a scolded puppy, but Jenny looked like a scolded cat. Which is to say, more curious than anything else. It left little to no impact on her. I wasn't getting any answers out of her.

That left Rachel who was...shit. She was looking ready to cry herself. "Rachel, sweetie, I didn't mean it, I just lost my temper," I told her. I couldn't take this. It was bad enough I made Kim cry, if I made her cry as well, I'd never forgive myself. She nodded her head and wiped her eyes.

"Shokay, Shonny," she slurred, a nervous smile crossing her face. "You jus' scareded me a little. Mmm...you can be sho shtren when yous angry. Shtren and shex-me." Putting my hands on her shoulders, I looked her in the eyes. I was glad she wasn't upset anymore, but I wasn't in the mood for flirting either.

"Rachel, I need you to focus. I know your head is probably swimming and it's hard to think, but I NEED you to try for me, okay?" I insisted. She stared at me for a few seconds before closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. "Atta girl...now, can you tell me what happened with Kimmy? Why'd she start calling me 'master' and referring to herself in the third person?"

Opening her eyes, Rachel looked into mine. While still a bit glazed, they no longer had the unfocused, blind drunk sheen to them. "You, uh...you probably triggered another rite of dominance," she explained slowly, working to keep her words together. "In fact, I think you...I think you skipped one or something and that overwhelmed her instincts a bit. That's why she ran away when you apologized. She's confused." Ah...okay. That made some sense. Now for the more important question.

First though, I kissed Rachel's forehead. "Thank you, Rae...I know it's probably hard to focus right now and I appreciate it," I told her. I wanted to keep her trying. "Is there anything I can do to help her?" Rachel frowned, thinking hard. I was hoping there was a way to dial it back a little. Maybe if I performed a lower rite of dominance...or hell, maybe the first level of a rite of submission...maybe if I did that, it would at least restore a sense of dignity to her.

Finally, Rachel pouted. "I dunno..." I could feel my heart sink. Before I could sulk away in failure, however, Rachel snapped her fingers. "Jen might though. If we give her her medicine, it might count...cou...countera...fix what Kimmy did to her with the pizza." I couldn't help myself. I gave Rachel a big kiss. Surprisingly, she didn't lose control and instead pulled away slowly and gave me a guilty look. "There is one problem though."

I didn't like the sound of that. "Which is...?" I prompted. Glancing at Jenny, who was curling up on the couch, apparently bored now, Rachel sighed. "Once she goes this far into being all...kitty-ish, she REALLY doesn't like to take her medicine. ...we'll have to either trick her or **** it down her throat."