Wanna keep you here, 'cause you dry my tears

“Mwahaha! You’ve fallen right into my trap!” Sylvia cackled. “Now, have a taste of my trap card! Read it and weep!” She declared, holding the card high above her head.

Kim and Marley both stared at her. Silence fell over Kim’s room.

“…Sylvia, we’re playing Uno. There are no ‘trap cards’ in Uno,” Kim groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Sylvia rolled her eyes. “Fine. Then Draw 2. Uno!”

Kim sighed and drew two cards from the pile.

“This is fun,” Marley murmured, smiling at Sylvia. “Getting to spend time together like this, just relaxing and enjoying ourselves…”

“Yeah, it’s the best,” Sylvia nodded in agreement. “I always wanted to play games like this, but I never had anyone to play them with!”

“Well, now you do,” Marley said. “Oh, and Skip.”

Sylvia’s jaw dropped when she saw Marley play the red Skip card.

“B-but Marley! Come on!” She groaned. “I only had one card left, and it was red!”

“Oh, in that case, change the color to blue,” Kim said, playing a black card from her hand.

“KIM!”

Marley and Kim shared a laugh while Sylvia fumed, and when it came back around to her, she had to start drawing.

“This is a stupid game,” she muttered under her breath. “Why did we even want to play this crummy game in the first place?”

“You were the one who suggested it,” Kim reminded her.

“Nyeh nyeh ‘You were the one who suggested it’ nyeh,” Sylvia mocked her.

“Come on, it’s not that bad, it’s how the game’s played,” Marley said, patting Sylvia on the shoulder.

“I know,” Sylvia sighed. “Maybe I’m just too anxious to have fun right now…”

“Anxious? Why? Because you suppressed a transformation that was vital to Dani’s mental health, thinking that it would be helpful for her goals, but now you’re starting to wonder if it was the right thing to do?” Kim pressed.

She’d been filled in on events when she learned that she would be having two guests tonight instead of one.

“I think it was very sweet what you did for Dani and my sister,” Marley encouraged her. “But Kim raises a good point. It’s definitely a risky position for Dani. I guess she must have been really ****…”

Sylvia sighed. There were no good options here. She just had to hope that everything worked out okay tonight.

“Somehow, I get the feeling that if tonight doesn’t go well, then tomorrow isn’t going to go well for me,” she acknowledged. “Dani’s one to hold a grudge.”

“I still think you should have vetoed her punishment transformation,” Kim pointed out. “Then she would have had a better night’s sleep.”

“It doesn’t work that way,” Sylvia replied. “Punishment transformations aren’t like the other ones. You can’t suppress them with purchases from the store.”

Kim stared at her suspiciously. Considering Sylvia had forgotten all about the fact that purchasing a transformation suppressor was even an option, that statement was a little hard to believe.

“What about upgrading it?” Marley suggested. “You could buy an upgrade for her, like you had Carly do.”

Sylvia considered that. “It’s possible,” she agreed. “But punishment transformations are different from regular ones. I honestly don’t know what upgrading a punishment transformation would do in this instance.”

Kim raised her eyebrow. “Didn’t you used to be the host?” She pointed out. “If anyone would know, it should be you!”

“Every season is different,” Sylvia said defensively. “On other seasons, punishment transformations worked differently! If you upgraded one, then it could be even harsher and more severe than the normal punishment!”

Marley winced. “So instead of helping her out, it might make things worse?”

“I don’t know,” Sylvia admitted, shaking her head. “I didn’t put any thought into it when I came up with the punishment, I was so mad at my authority being questioned I just… did it.”

She sighed and hung her head in shame.

“What a mess,” she mumbled, shaking her head. “A big, dumb, stupid mess…”

Sylvia wondered if this rumbly feeling in her stomach was remorse. She remembered what Mary had said, about doing three good deeds a day, and wondered if helping Dani like that really counted.

But even if it did… so what? She’d still done some bad stuff. That wasn’t something to be proud of.

“I just wish there was more that I could do to help,” Sylvia said glumly. Her heart wasn’t even in the game at this point.

“Well, the way I see it, Dani’s in a tough position,” Kim said, leaning back on her hands and stretching her legs out across the floor. “She’s in a tenuous relationship with Carly, while having to accept Nick’s presence in their lives, whether she wants to or not. I don’t know if I could do something like that myself, to be honest.”

“But Dani loves Nick!” Marley asserted. “She just doesn’t like him that way! But she’s always smiling when she talks about him!”

“Yeah, Daddy has a decent relationship with her,” Sylvia agreed. “But that doesn’t change the fact that she probably isn’t going to be happy with sharing Carly. And I don’t know if it was the right call for her to ask to veto that transformation in particular… but she did.”

A sigh escaped her lips and she hung her head. “I just hope it works out…”

Kim, eager to change the subject, spotted a good place to pounce on the conversation. “So tell me about your veto. You could have grabbed Dani’s transformation, right? If you did, would that mean you wouldn’t care if Nick sees you or touches you? You wouldn’t even enjoy it?”

Sylvia nodded. “There would probably be a bit of a shift,” she agreed. “But if someone likes Daddy’s attention, it wouldn’t make them stop liking the attention. It would only really affect them if they didn’t like being stared at or touched.”

She let out a wistful sigh and her eyes glazed over. “As for attention… Daddy doesn’t give me a lot of that anyway.”

“Yeah, your night is coming up, huh?” Marley nodded thoughtfully. She placed her hand over Sylvia’s. “Good luck.”

Sylvia smiled a little. Hopefully, things would work out.

“It could be worse, though,” she laughed. “I could have been like Rose today, and gone without any clothes!”

That was good for a few laughs. Seeing Rose covering her body all day, stewing in discomfort, had brightened Sylvia’s mood. Eventually, she even retreated from the kitchen, because she wasn’t comfortable enough with cooking while buck naked, showing all the girls her naked body. Even though a lot of them had seen a lot of her.

“I’m surprised she did that,” Marley agreed, chuckling a little. “It’s Rose, so it’s not that hard to believe, but in spite of how she acts, she’s actually pretty reserved and modest!”

“Hey, she’s not immodest just because she’s going around naked,” Kim protested. “She’s doing it for, what, 1000 BP? That’s not a bad deal if you ask me.”

“Says the girl who walks around in her underwear every day,” Sylvia pointed out with a smirk. “Feeling a bit of kinship for your fellow exhibitionist?”

Kim’s face heated up. “I’m not an exhibitionist,” she protested. “It’s not like I want people to stare at me or anything!”

Sylvia and Marley both thought that she was protesting a little too strongly, but they decided to keep their feelings to themselves, for Kim’s sake.

“You know, we should have invited Rose to come play with us, too,” Marley considered, stroking her chin thoughtfully. “After all, she’s going to be all alone in her room right now…”

“Pheew! I never thought I’d be so happy for Sylvia!” Rose flopped down on her bed, her naked breasts bouncing as she sank back into the plush comforter. “Dani, too!”

With Dani and Sylvia taking Carly and Marley respectively, Rose had the whole room to herself. And that was quite a relief, because she didn’t like the idea of walking around exposing her sensitive bits to the other women in her life, even if they were girls.

After all, her body was something to be treasured. And even if they were girls, she wasn’t thrilled by everyone looking at her like she was a piece of meat.

…It was different when she had sex with Carly! Completely different! And this wasn’t like posing in a mirror, either!

“This is the limit, though,” she said, turning over in bed. She focused on the BP she was going to win; that was what really mattered.

She’d put up with a lot for 1000 BP, but she really hoped she wouldn’t have to go around naked again. Feeling everyone’s eyes on her…

A sigh escaped her lips.

“I really wanted to make the pizza, too,” she mumbled into her pillow. But unfortunately, she couldn’t cook AND shield her unmentionables from the eyes of the others. She knew they probably wouldn’t be staring at her, but… what if they were?

She couldn’t shake that possibility.

“…Anyway, I’m going to take it easy for a while,” she decided, sitting up and stretching. Without anyone to leer at her, she could walk around like normal. “No more BP bounties for the rest of the round, I’ve saved up enough!”

She had a nice little nest egg saved up. More than enough to go on another date with Nick to Paris, if that’s what they wanted! Or maybe something else…

Her mind was abound with possibilities, and considering them brought a smile to her face. She squirmed with excitement, and the hopped out of bed.

“Now, time for a shower! I need to wash the feeling of everyone’s eyes off of me.”

Rose had a penchant for showing off her body. But there were limits.

Once she got into the shower, she crouched down and screamed internally, her face red as a beet.

“I can’t believe I did something so embarrassing!” She wailed. “I’m just glad Nick didn’t want to spend any time with me…”

If Nick had been ogling her, that would have been great! …And she also would have died of shame.

It’s one thing when we’re both naked, but parading myself around like that… no way! Too embarrassing! And yet, Rose felt warmth between her legs, as she considered the possibilities.

Not happening! She chastised herself. I’m not some Kim! I’m a girl with some class!

Sure, it might have been remedial Home Economics, but class was class.

“You think they’re screwing?”

On the subject of class, Gina was proving once again that she had none to speak of. Mary made a face and glanced at her roommate, and then sighed.

“Gina, I really wish you wouldn’t talk like that,” she mumbled.

“But come on, you’ve gotta be thinking it!” Gina said, sitting up in bed and looking down at the redhead who was just trying to read her mystery novel in peace. “I mean, Dani’s a lesbian, sure, but even I’ve gone to the other side of the fence every now and then. You don’t think she’s at least a little curious?”

“I don’t want to have this conversation,” Mary said, squirming in bed. She turned her shoulder away so she didn’t have to look at Gina. “Dani likes girls. I don’t want to think about her questioning that, it’s very rude.”

Gina was sounding a lot like the people who went to her church, and how they talked about gay people. And as much as Mary loved her church and the people there, she was perceptive enough to realize that their perspectives on things weren’t always the best.

“Look, I’m not saying she secretly likes guys or anything,” Gina assured her, her tone turning serious. “All I’m saying is that maybe she’s curious. Nothing wrong with that. I’ve gotten curious myself, and slept with girls before. Have you ever…?”

“No!” Mary snapped, slamming her book shut. She turned and glared at Gina. “I’ve never gotten ‘curious’ like you’re suggesting!”

“Okay, okay, sorry!” Gina held up her hands in surrender.

“You have been very rude and vulgar recently,” Mary scowled. “I thought… Gina, I thought you were getting better… what happened?”

Gina’s expression soured. “…What does ‘getting better’ mean?” She asked, her tone cold.

Mary flinched. She was used to Gina talking a big game, but not being that intimidating.

Now, though… she was reminded about why girls like Gina always bothered her back in college.

“I-I… I’m sorry…” She stammered. “I didn’t mean to… I just thought… aren’t you trying to be good now? A nicer, more polite person?”

Gina snorted. “Nicer? Sure. Of course I’m trying to be nicer. But Mary… how do you think I should go about being a ‘better’ person? Hmm?”

“I-I…” Mary stammered.

“No! I really want to know!” Gina got out of bed and paced around the bed. “What’s the matter with me, that you think I need to change myself? Is it because you don’t like my clothes?”

“No! I didn’t say that!” Mary exclaimed, shaking her head.

“Oh, then is it because I’m so slutty? Because I keep seducing your husband?” Gina sneered. “Isn’t your bestie locked in a cage in his room every night? I don’t see you looking down on her for that. Or, wait, is it different because you know that she’s locked away? Not a threat to you?”

“Gina! I never said anything like that!” Mary wailed. Where had this come from!? It was like the bitterness from this morning had come up in her again, and she was taking it out on Mary!

“Then what? What do you think about me isn’t ‘good’ enough, huh!?” Gina demanded, shoving Mary’s shoulder.

“You’re so unhappy, that’s why!” The words slipped out of Mary’s lips before she could stop them. She gasped and slapped her hand over her mouth, but it was too late. They couldn’t be unsaid.

“…Oh, I see,” Gina said, her face hardening. “You think I’m unhappy?”

“I-I didn’t… but… you’re so…” Mary fumbled for the right words to describe why she felt the way she did about Gina, but she couldn’t verbalize it.

Gina snorted and rolled her eyes. “I’m perfectly fine being Nick’s submissive sex ****. Him using me for blowjobs every day? It’s fucking amazing! You think I really care about that? Because I don’t! I’m perfectly fine and happy, and I DON’T need you to tell me I’m not!”

Mary looked like she was about to cry. She didn’t know what had come over the other girl, or how to take back what she said.

Gina stormed over to the light switch and flipped it off.

“Good night,” she sneered, returning to bed and pulling the blanket over her head.

Mary sighed and slumped over, turning the other way. She felt just miserable. She wanted to help Gina, she really did. But how could she help someone who refused to help themselves?

I wish we could just go back to when Gina was playful and upbeat, she thought. Having her all sad and upset like this just stings.

Dawn walked out of the shower and flicked her tail through the air. Water slid off of it, which was about as close as she could get to drying it. Her ears she could dry off using a towel, but when it came to her tail… well…

Wrapping a towel around that tended to not go so well.

“Bathroom’s free,” she called to the pile of blankets huddled on the bed. “If you want to write in your diary, go ahead.”

Morgana’s head poked cautiously out of the stack of blankets and she gulped.

“Come on,” Dawn said, resting her hand on her hip. “What’s up? You’ve been hiding in here all day. Your night with Nick went great, didn’t it?”

Normally, someone would have thought that Morgana hiding out here would be a sign of bad things. But having listened to so much giddy giggling from the bed, Dawn knew just how well it had gone.

“I’m, um… it-it did,” Morgana stammered, unable to stop the crooked smile from spreading across her lips. “Nick and I… we… and then I…”

“Stop, stop, I don’t need all the details,” Dawn said, holding up her hand to cut her roommate off there. If she had to hear about all the stuff Morgana did with Nick, she’d never forget it- and knowing how kinky Morgana was, that could be a problem.

“So what’s up?” Dawn hung up her towel and slipped on a sleek white nightdress. “Why were you hiding away in your room all day? Embarrassment?”

Morgana nodded sheepishly.

“Um… is it okay if I ask you something?”

Dawn’s ears perked up.

“Sure, what’s up?” She turned back to Morgana curiously. She saw uneasiness in the other girl’s expression, and had a feeling that this was something serious.

“Dawn… we’re friends, right?” Morgana’s eyes pleaded with Dawn to say yes.

Dawn had no problem with admitting to that. “Of course we’re friends!” But her uncertainty and doubt were rooted in Morgana herself.

Why would she ask something like that?

“Oh… good…”

Morgana said it was good, but the look on her face said otherwise. It was clear she didn’t believe that they were really friends.

“Morgana, after everything we’ve done for each other, do you really think we’re not friends?” Dawn couldn’t believe this. She walked over to the bed and sat next to the goth, trying to search her face for answers.

Dawn was a smart woman. But even she had no idea what the other girl was talking about.

Morgana bit her lip and looked away.

“…What, exactly?” She muttered.

“Huh?”

Her voice got a little stronger. “What exactly… have I done for you?” Morgana asked clearer, turning to Dawn. She looked like she was about to cry.

Dawn blinked. “…Morgana…”

“You… you helped me out so much at the Amusement Park!” Morgana wailed. “And- and that was AFTER you chose me as your buddy! You’ve been giving me advice, trying to support me, and I… I haven’t done anything!” She wailed.

“Morgana, where is this coming from?” Dawn couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You… you don’t have to do anything for me!”

“I-I know, but…” Morgana’s voice cracked, and she started to shake. “Last… last night, when I was with Nick… no, before that, during our date… I thought about Karen. She… she’s my cousin.”

“Okay?” Dawn frowned.

“And… my cousin, she’s amazing, and perfect, and special, and great, and everybody loves her, but… but Nick said… he said that he likes me, better than Karen.”

Well, of course he does, Dawn thought. He’s never met Karen before.

Obviously, Dawn would never have voiced that thought.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Dawn asked.

Morgana nodded glumly. “I thought so at the time…” She muttered. “But… after my head cleared, I started thinking. About the show… and about you.”

Dawn frowned. “About… me?”

Morgana winced. “Dawn… you’re so smart… you’re so nice, and you help everybody… you’re… it’s like you’re as perfect as my cousin! And me, I’m just a clumsy screw-up! You know what I did this week? You know what I did? I got people transformed by mirrors and messed everything up! That’s my contribution this round!”

“Morgana, that wasn’t your fault!” Dawn protested. “You didn’t know!”

“I know that!” Morgana cried. “But… but you never would have done something like that! You’re so perfect, you don’t make mistakes… in this next challenge, I just know… I know I’m gonna screw everything up! I’m gonna fail… there’s no way I can beat you, Dawn! You’re too good! Even if it was running or something physical, I STILL think you could beat me! Because… because I’m a loser…”

She hugged her knees to her chest and wept. Dawn’s heart ached.

“Morgana… you’re not a loser.” She patted her friend on the back. “You’re just feeling anxious. Because the challenge is in a few days, and we’re going to be competing. I understand being nervous. But I’m not some amazing, perfect girl.”

“Yes you are,” Morgana mumbled into her legs.

“I’m really not,” Dawn shook her head. “You want to talk about a screw-up? I made a way bigger mistake than you EVER have. Believe me.”

Morgana stared at her, confused. Dawn screwed up? She made a mistake? “Huh?”

“It was the first round,” Dawn said, her face darkening. “Fuck, it was before we even got to the first challenge! I was so certain of my plan, to take Sylvia’s cane and use it to take us all home… and it backfired. Really badly. Gina, Dani, and I… we all got punishment transformations. My tail and ears turned into erogenous zones, Gina’s arm got covered in tattoos, and Dani…”

She looked down at the floor. “…Dani got the worst of it. And it’s all my fault. Because I was stupid, and let myself get played. I thought I was the smartest person in the room, and it backfired. And that’s something I’ve gotta live with. The guilt… the mistakes… it’s not fair, but it’s the way things are. And no matter how much I tell Dani I’m sorry… it’s not going to make a difference.”

Morgana’s mouth flopped open and closed. “I-I didn’t know about any of that,” she mumbled. “I never heard…”

“Well, it’s not something I like talking about,” Dawn replied, shaking her head. “But Morgana, don’t think that you’re the only one who screwed up. And DEFINITELY don’t think that you don’t have a chance against me! I’m not Karen. I’m not some perfect girl who can do anything. I’m just some woman. That’s all.”

“Dawn…” Morgana’s eyes started to water, and then she burst into tears. “I’m so scared!” She wailed. “I love Nick so much! I want to spend forever and ever with him, I don’t want to lose! I don’t want to be eliminated!”

“Shh, shh,” Dawn said softly, hugging her friend tight as Morgana bawled herself silly. “It’s okay. All you need to do is your best.”

She sighed, and helped Morgana to the bathroom so she could finish her diary entry for the night. As Morgana scribbled away, she leaned back against the door, and contemplated what was coming.

There are only a few days left until the next challenge, she thought. And whatever Dakota has planned… I don’t think it’s going to be good for any of us.