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Volume Eight (ish): Issues 613-695
Urged on by Hitomi’s eagerness, Caitlyn allows herself to be led to Coates and Astrid’s place. At the door, Astrid greets them both in a stunning and revealing white dress and escorts them within. She introduces Caitlyn to Coates, and they make small talk for a time over Caitlyn’s extracurriculars. Astrid leaves to get tea and asks Caitlyn to come with her. In their absence, Hitomi asks Coates half a question about Caitlyn, but Coates hushes her and tells her to undress. In the kitchen, Astrid and Caitlyn discuss Astrid’s field work as an archaeologist. Astrid claims that it’s mostly boring potsherds, but then offers to show Caitlyn something more. She opens a door and allows Caitlyn within; Caitlyn is washed over in blinding light and seems awed; she cries out in ecstasy as whatever is behind the door seems to bring her to climax, and Astrid smiles and says she’ll be back for Caitlyn soon. It is yet to be revealed what precisely is behind the door, but whatever it is clearly has some controlling power, as when we next see Caitlyn, she is nude, kneeling, and gazing in wide-eyed wonder as she masturbates. Astrid eventually retrieves her from the trance, and from her subsequent words and actions, she seems utterly subservient to Astrid because of the artifact’s influence.
At the hospital, Julian checks in with the desk clerk and sends Erin and Dani to visit Cherry. The women position themselves to block the room’s camera and open Cherry’s eyes so that Dani may begin using the Watch on her. While Dani claims the Watch ought to be working, Erin says it feels like parts of Cherry’s mind are beyond the device’s reach. With few other options, Erin decides to delve into Cherry’s mind to examine the blockage.
Miriam and Reka, still fuzzy but horny from their night at the theater, have been enjoying Weston’s company in bed. It seems, as well, that both of them are attempting to persuade Weston to join them and Adrian for a foursome, where Weston would get to watch Reka fuck Adrian while Miriam blows him before the girls switch places. Whether this proclivity of Reka’s for a sexual in with Adrian is simply base interest or a result of either her time under the crystal’s influence in Miriam’s mind or unknown commands Adrian gave her is currently unknown. Miriam does mention as well that she is not ruling out the possibility of fucking her own mother as well, if Adrian wants it.
It seems Miriam and Reka are not the only ones with Adrian on the mind, as Amy and Laura are taking advantage of Hayley’s new programming at Dani’s hands to tease her with ideas of a fourway between themselves and Adrian, to which Hayley seems putty in their hands, all former doubts forgotten.
In the dreamscape, Erin interacts with Cherry, partially in memories, partially in the present. Cherry calls her out for refusing to say that she loves Cherry, forcing Erin to admit that she doesn’t love anyone, ever. Before they can sort out their muddled feelings, Erin brings Cherry up to speed on the situation and convinces her to let her attempt her healing. Cherry, however, seems resistant, and Erin tells her to stop fighting her; however, behind Cherry appears a figment of Jakob, who claims to be preventing Cherry from allowing Erin access. Erin says Jakob isn’t real, to which he counters he is real enough. Jakob claims that, as Aiken has said, Cherry cannot control her power, and that he will forever be in her head so long as she is alive. He claims Cherry was a disappointment, but that she brought him Erin. When Erin asks what he wants, he brandishes the Watch and sinisterly replies, “You, of course.”
Adrian and Julian wait anxiously in the lobby as time ticks away, Adrian making small talk with the desk clerk to pass the time. He drops by the room to let Dani and Erin know their time is running short, and Dani informs him of the difficulties. Adrian tells Julian to use the crystal on the desk clerk to buy them some time, contrary to his prior wishes. Julian does so, entrancing the clerk and toying with the idea of convincing her to fuck him. As he and Adrian spar, they hear a scream from the room.
In Cherry’s mindscape, Erin protests that the Watch isn’t real, but Jakob again counters that it is real enough, as Cherry holds plenty of memories of her own exposure to it. Intent on using it to warp Erin to his desires, he comments that she and he both renounced love to claim their birthrights. Erin protests that she loves Adrian, but Jakob coldly reminds her that she said herself she does not love anyone, and that he does not require love of his slaves. Abruptly, Dani interjects, having joined the mindscape, and determines the Jakob fragment to be the blockage. Jakob claims arrogantly that Dani does not understand much of what is happening, that in spite of her useful contributions, he commands the Watch. Dani brandishes the scallop in hand and counters that she controls the Watch, having sabotaged it unbeknownst to Jakob. Angrily, Jakob claims she did nothing, that he was the true visionary, but using his distraction, Dani and Erin plunge him into an abyss, seemingly breaking his hold.
This breaking of Jakob’s control removes the blockage, and all at once Cherry is awake, her scream being the one heard by Adrian and Julian in the lobby. Erin seems able to absorb the brain damage and heal it, and the desk clerk (her trance broken by the sudden distraction) ushers everyone out. Before she leaves, Cherry calms, notices Erin, and says she loves her. Erin pecks her on the cheek and responds that she loves Cherry as well, before bidding her to rest.
At a 24 hour coffee shop nearby, Adrian, Erin, Dani, and Julian recover from the ordeal. Julian thanks them for their help, and Erin and Dani explain the trap Jakob had laid for Erin in Cherry’s mind. As they ride home, Julian calls Claudia to update her and asks if she knows Jakob’s location; she responds that she thought he was dead. Julian tells her to put on a pot of coffee and tells Adrian he will reconvene with him in a few days when he has found Jakob. He also recommends that Adrian have one of his girls teach him to shoot. As they climb the Infirmary porch, Dani and Adrian discuss whether Adrian is trustworthy or not, but they are cut off by Erin, who sees a spectral figure which eventually resolves into a busty redhead in witch’s garb who appears a dead-ringer for herself. Adrian and Dani cannot see her, and after a moment, the apparition vanishes for Erin. Jacqui welcomes them inside, and Erin notes that she is apparently having visions now. She asks Adrian what his mother’s full name is, and then they proceed to enjoy themselves, Jacqui joining in the fun. In the night, Erin calls Aiken and says she needs help, to which he promises to come to Kearsarge. When she asks if “this” is going to kill her, he says it might before promising to see her soon.
The morning after their meeting with Astrid, Caitlyn and Hitomi return to their dorm, Caitlyn gushing over the previous night. She says she will need to tell Adrian about them, but that it shouldn’t ruffle his feathers so long as he remains the priority. They discuss in nebulous terms the new arrangement with Astrid, to which we as an audience are still not fully privy, but Caitlyn says that Hitomi should let Adrian have her in order to reduce suspicions, implying a nefarious purpose.
By the fireside, Erin confirms that Cherry is out of the ICU and likely to be released from the hospital soon. She and Adrian discuss Erin’s lingering fear of and for her, and Erin also asks if they are truly going to kill Jakob upon finding him. Adrian says they have not made a promise to anyone, but Dani counters that she has promised herself that she will kill Jakob.
The morning following their fun with Dani, the twins and Laura diverge for their classes. However, Laura is confronted by Detective Mirabel Barthe with the Wilmot College Police, who has questions about Vikram. She and Laura both sit down with Professor Compton, and Laura explains #49 to the detective. Barthe reassures Laura that the police are aware Pink Clouds was an accident; however, the detective does mention that the officer found in her squad car (whom Vik abused on the highway) has been adversely affected by her exposure to the compound. She wishes to find Vik in order to stop him from continuing to produce PC, but Laura claims he does not understand the formula and cannot. They discuss the antidote, and Barthe begins to question Laura regarding Q’s involvement with the history of PC.
Miriam shows up for her first day on the job at the pet supply store, working for her boss, Heidi. She remarks that they need to get another female pufferfish, cheekily remarking the males are happier with a two or three to one ratio. Heidi bemoans her own lackluster numbers, and Miriam claims she can likely get Heidi laid if she is interested, much to her boss’s shock. As they close that day, Heidi turns down what seems to have been Miriam offering to set her up with Adrian. Heidi prepares to leave her, but seemingly at a touch from Miriam, asks if Miriam would instead like to get a drink. The two go to a gay bar and discuss Miriam’s sexual past; Heidi wistfully wishes she were bisexual, and Miriam suggests (with more skin contact) that perhaps she hasn’t found the right girl. Heidi haltingly attempts to rebuff Miriam, but with more skin contact, her resistance melts, and Miriam eventually coaxes her back to her apartment
Adrian and Erin discuss the events of the night of Cherry’s healing. Adrian can tell that Erin is bothered, but wants more specifics. Erin claims, much as Rain did, that Cherry is their responsibility now, for better or worse. She asks Adrian how he would feel about her fucking other men, bringing up Aiken’s iminent visit. Adrian appears thoughtful, but gives his blessing so long as it can help with what they are about to face down. At work, Jacqui asks for details, but Caitlyn bursts in before Adrian can spill many to inform him of her tryst with Coates and Astrid. After a short list of rules, he gives her leave to fool around with them, and she thanks him before heading to class. Erin leaves, met by a surprisingly skimpily dressed Raven for the cold weather, and heads with her to rehearsal, where Raven has the pleasure of stripping Erin several times over. The rehearsal ends, and Erin asks Weston if she is able to come over the next evening.
Still seeking answers regarding Vik, Detective Barthe is seen meeting with Kanti. Kanti says Vik likely assumes she is working with the police due to his phone going straight to voicemail. She also deduces that in spite of the blood found at the gas station, the detective must assume Vik is alive if she is meeting with Kanti. Kanti says that Vik being her brother doesn’t change what he did, and laments that her parents will likely blame her for everything when they find out, before proceeding to the topic of Q. Later, she meets with Q and says she will not ask if he’s mixed up in everything, warning him she will not protect him if so; he insists he is not. They discuss mass-producing the antidote, and Laura helpfully pops up. After they’ve brewed enough to serve for the time being, Q says he will ask Yves about setting up a lab for the mass-production, though Kanti is hesitant to get him involved. She offers to walk Laura home, though the other girl refuses, and asks Laura to leave some of the antidote behind so they may sample its side-effects.
At the Infirmary, Dani and Mallory practice their pole dancing as they await Adrian’s return for the evening, though Mallory is still having difficulty. She wonders if she can do a dramatic reading instead before suggesting she start with dinner. Dani offers to provide entertainment for her, Marliese, and Adrian, and Mallory agrees.
At Miriam’s, Miriam handcuffs Heidi to her bed and begins fucking her with fingers and strap-on. Miriam asks once they are through if Heidi is up for more, and though Heidi is originally exhausted, upon more skin contact, Heidi says she wants Miriam in her ass. Miriam knowingly smiles and tells her to get on her hands and knees.
Sidenote: As has been demonstrated several times now, Miriam seems to have suddenly manifested some sort of touch-based mind control ability. While at this point in the story one might consider the possibility of this being an ability she has gained from training with Erin’s arts, it is far more likely that the ability is genetic, as we will see when we receive a flashback to Patrick and Miel’s college days in the early 1000s.
At practice with Rain, Adrian has trouble focusing. Rain asks if his concern is over Erin and Aiken, but Adrian counters that he needs Rain to be less cryptic and more up front about what exactly he has gotten involved with. Rain admits that Jakob was a mistake she made, which she now needs Adrian to fix. She wanted Jakob to repair the campus Campanile. Jakob wanted something else, which Rain said he could not have. Adrian asks why this makes him responsible for cleaning up Jakob’s mess, and Rain replies that he was in the right place at the right time, and that there are worse fates than the one to which he has been consigned. He agrees that is fair enough.
Caitlyn and Hitomi casually fuck as they discuss Caitlyn’s seemingly constant horniness, as well as who they should next bring to meet Astrid. Caitlyn suggests the twins will be a perfect fit.
After rehearsal, Erin and Raven go home together, and Erin doms her, using her abilities to switch of Raven’s gag reflex as she trains her to deepthroat her strapon. Raven seems incredulous of the ability, but Erin seems to make her cum with a mere touch, silencing her questions. Erin proclaims she is getting Raven ready for Adrian and orders her slave onto her hands and knees.
Later, Adrian returns home for his evening with Dani, Mallory, and Marliese, but they are unexpectedly interrupted by a ring of the doorbell. Mallory goes to answer, assuming Jacqui is arriving as she said she would, but is surprised by Reka, who asks if Adrian is home. Reka sits with him on the sofa and discusses Erin’s imminent evening with herself and Weston the next evening. She confesses just showing up like this is not her usual forte, again indicating there may be lingering influence on her from her time with the crystal. Adrian has Marliese go down on Reka, then calls for Dani to do the same for him, before Dani fits him with a condom and he begins fucking Reka. She asks what he would like her to call him, and he defers to her; Reka says she will think of something but calls him sir at the end, once again suggesting lingering submission towards him. When Jacqui arrives, she finds a full-fledged orgy in the works, and the night devolves into various characters across the town enjoying each other’s company—the SJI orgy, Erin with Raven, the twins with Laura, Q and Kanti using the PC antidote, Caitlyn with Hitomi, and Miriam with Heidi long into the night. When Reka returns home in the wee hours of the morning, she disrobes and offers to tell Weston about her escapade with Adrian while they have sex, still not satisfied after her visit to the Infirmary.
The morning after, Raven awakens an exhausted Erin with coffee. Erin asks her what she is doing that night and, upon hearing Raven is free, tells her she will be fucking Adrian, much to Raven’s delight. At breakfast at OverRoasted, Adrian informs Erin of Reka’s sudden interest, and Erin informs him of her intention to whore Raven out to him. Jacqui joins them and asks if she can join the fun, to which Adrian agrees.
Kanti and Q dress after their evening together, promising to see each other again that evening and Kanti ensuring that she has some of the PC antidote stowed in her bag before she departs.
Miriam and Heidi head to work together, Miriam stopping to meet with Reka for a morning coffee. They swap gossip on their previous evenings, and Reka hesitantly reveals that she hooked up with Jacqui while at Adrian’s. Miriam, surprisingly, claims she is sorry to have missed it, expressing further and further openness for incestuous union since her night at the theater.
In Zenon’s office, Caitlyn joins Amy and discusses the overload of obsessed patients still desperate for their hypnotically suggested “therapy.” Amy mentions that there are dozens of girls needing to be deprogrammed, and that Dani thinks she can manage. Caitlyn claims the idea is uninspired, asking Amy to imagine Adrian fucking each of the patients. Amy calls Dani and discusses possible details of their scheme, and Dani tells her to begin scheduling the reprogramming appointments. In spite of her arousal, Amy says they’ll all go to jail over the affair, but Caitlyn dismisses her and texts Astrid to say “It’s on.” With the appointments scheduled, Caitlyn prepares to head to class, asking Amy what she and Hayley are up to that weekend. She offers for the twins to come to a party at Astrid’s, heavy petting with Amy all the while, and Amy shivers out her agreement. Caitlyn calls her a good girl in response.
STOP
I choose to break here, as the next cover is imminent, and this seems a fitting place to stop. Major developments of this section include the healing of Cherry, which also reaffirms Cherry’s claim that Jakob is very interested in acquiring Erin for the sake of her powers; the aftermath of the theatre, which sees Miriam, Reka, and Raven all giving into increasingly slutty impulses, perhaps at Adrian’s whim, perhaps at Jakob’s; and the reeling of Caitlyn into Astrid’s still-mysterious web.
Julian begins looking into Jakob’s whereabouts, but as we will see in the late 700s and beyond, this seems to be more than he anticipated, as we will not catch a glimpse of him again until he is bleeding out on the floor of his motel room. Cherry will also remain on ice for a time until the events at the hospital and motel which signal Vik’s return sweep up herself and the other characters into Cherry’s domain.
Astrid’s plan is the one which currently most fascinates me as a long-time reader. Obviously, the current rate of release from the site leaves doubts as to the serial’s continued longevity in spite of all protests to the contrary, but assuming things do return to normal at some point, I would love for the BE arc to conclude with haste so that we can return to Astrid’s machinations. With Caitlyn being programmed as a Trojan Horse in Adrian’s ranks, with designs on getting all of his women to Astrid’s to be exposed to her artifact, and with her double intentions in reprogramming all of Zenon’s patients along the same lines, it seems like setup for a classic harem struggle of the genre which would be highly entertaining to see, as it would be refreshing to have a break from Jakobin drama and see a new villainness take center stage… hopefully to be eventually humbled by Adrian and co, after an extended sequence of her overtaking his harem.
As mentioned, all of the theater girls seem to be turning even more sexual than they had been prior. We will see Erin lay further seeds in Reka’s mind about potential subservience to Adrian during her threesome with Reka and Weston, but Reka’s abrupt arrival at the house indicates the lingering influence of the crystal is strong upon her. With Miriam’s sexuality previously unlocked, it seems the crystal’s influence on her is continuing to expand her horizons, with less and less reluctance to the potential of being Adrian’s slave, more expressed interest in incest with her mother for Adrian’s approval, and her dominance of Heidi expanding on her increasingly domineering sexual persona, to come to full fruition during the BE arc of the modern day.
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