In Tykhe's Grasp

REVISED Chapter 4: Calibration

by time_to_occur

Tags: #dubious_consent #m/m #m/nb #multiple_partners #ownership_dynamics #scifi #3rd_person #ownership

Consent is paramount in real life. I do not condone non-consensual acts.

Rhys and the Doctor proceed with virtual reality calibration, which Jasper comes to enjoy more than he thought he would.

[NOTE: This chapter has been substantially revised from the original!]

"... And just in here is our last stop of the day." the doctor said to fill the silence as they walked the halls of the clinic. Finally, all the physical exams were done. Next was to test the efficacy of the scopolamine for Jasper and see how he reacted to virtual training.

The adrenaline from their earlier activities was wearing off, and the scopolamine was making Jasper woozy and compliant again. He leaned a little against Rhys as they made their way to the virtual reality testing suite.

"That patch should be working just fine now." As the Doctor approached the room, the display panel lit up and the controls flickered to life. "We'll start simple. Let's just get you to stand in the circle there while I set things up."

Jasper hated virtual reality — his body was already growing tense and his stomach was flip-flopping at the mere thought of how it usually made him feel. Nevertheless, he sighed and did as he was bid, still wearing that loose robe, which left him feeling awfully exposed. He had been teased so hard earlier that the robe was still damp with his generous pre. Jasper padded over to the centre of the circle and stood there, glaring a little balefully at the Doctor. He crossed his arms and scratched his elbow, waiting for the Doctor to tell him what to do next. He could see Rhys watching. It made him feel strangely good to be watched.

Rhys was anxious to see how Jasper would handle full-dive VR with the anti-nausea medication in his system. It was clear that the pet's shoulders were already tensed. It was such a shame that some people couldn't enjoy all that VR had to give. As Jasper stood in place, waiting, Rhys gave him what he hoped was a comforting smile. He nodded in approval.

"The machine is already measuring your biometric data, so try to keep still," the doctor said as he busied himself with the system setup. "It will go faster that way."

A moment later, a long, many-hinged arm lowered itself from the ceiling.

"There is a headset clipped to the side of the arm. Put it on and rest your back against the plate at the end of the arm. It will do the rest."

As the machine took hold of Jasper and immobilized his head, the harness pinning him to the pads of the arm, he squirmed. There was something that felt strangely sensual and forbidden about being pinned like this. The headset was conforming to his head in a way that made Jasper uncomfortably aware of his now-limited range of head motion. To his utter shock, his dick stayed hard. He wondered once again what had been in the cocktail of vaccines that Doctor Constantine had given him.

The doctor wasn't surprised at Jasper's reaction. The newest generation of machines had only come out recently, and they had a much different setup. He waited patiently as the machine wrapped a simple harness around Jasper's torso, and the whirring little servos adjusted the headset perfectly to every curve of Jasper's head.

"Older full-dive systems have you lying down, but this one is a bit different," he explained. "The system integrates itself so well that there is a small chance that your muscles can overcome the paralytic systems. If that were to happen, having this arrangement allows you to move your body safely." He waited for the last of the measurements to come in. "And, since the machine primarily interacts with surface-level nerves, it also allows us to tilt your body. It is a much more convincing experience when your brain doesn't have to tune out the balance changes as much."

"You might experience some strange sensations as the machine calibrates a few things," Rhys reminded his pet. "Don't be alarmed." He constantly had to remind himself that Jasper had very little exposure to VR.

A soft tone sounded and the console lights turned blue, indicating that the system was correctly set up. "We're all set. Are you ready Jasper?"

He swallowed the nervous saliva that already anticipated his nausea. Who knew? Maybe the scopolamine would work. As the visor slid over his eyes and the interface connected to the precise magnetic controls activated, Jasper gasped. This new technology was smoother, but his instincts wanted him to thrash. He felt less nauseated than usual — functional — but whether it would curtail his nausea entirely remained to be seen. He gave the barest of nods, secured by the equipment.

"Good," Dr. Constantine said. "We'll start with a basic test. Now, the first drop into the system might be a little disorienting. Just bear with it." With the press of a button, the visors slid down over the eyes, and Jasper started to go slack. He was in. "What do you see?"

He blinked and found himself standing in a field full of tall wheat. The wind whispered across the hairs on his skin. He could smell the earthiness of the field, feel the wheat beneath his fingertips. It was hyperreal. He felt a sudden lurch in his stomach and suddenly he was back inside the Doctor's office...but Rhys and the Doctor were not present. "Saw...a field...for a moment...now...the office?"

The field must be some kind of loading and calibration screen. This program, though very realistic, felt less real than the field. That field must have been polished by the programmers until every part of it was perfect — to show off the equipment, of course.

Rhys quietly sat by a monitor across the room from the doctor's console. It gave a view of what Jasper was seeing, though it wasn't very clear without calibration yet.

'I hope this series of programs is as effective at provoking natural reactions as advertised,' the Coin thought to himself.

"Very good." Dr. Constantine spoke into the microphone as he reviewed the read-outs on the console. "That means things are going well so far. Now we're going to shift things to something more dynamic and fun." He said happily. Feel free to explore the next space. The activity will help us to get a good read on you." With a keystroke, the doctor had started the next phase. "Turn around and look at the back of the room now."

When Jasper turned, there was an ornate door, taller than any of the others in the clinic. It was inlaid wood, carved with grapes and vines. There was a large, vertical handle, equally ornate, around a foot tall and made of a metal that Jasper thought was probably brass. Hesitating a moment, he walked toward it and pulled it open.

— Executing calibration protocols — loading Sleepover Simulation program. —

Jasper blinked and the image behind the door came into focus. He stepped into a very spacious bedroom with a wildly oversized four-poster bed. The semi-sheer curtains were drawn, but Jasper could still see a few silhouettes inside. Jasper could hear voices, attempting to speak in hushed tones, but breaking out into laughter more often than not. He approached tentatively. "Uh, what am I here for? Who's there?"

Surprised gasps could be heard from within the carefully arranged bedding. "They're here!" one excited voice exclaimed.

"Oh, contain yourself," another voice said playfully. "Jasper, right? Come on over! We were just talking about you."

"Where I'm from, gossiping is considered rude," teased Jasper, crossing his arms and adjusting his posture. It was an instinctive, protective move to slip into a more well-heeled persona. "But yes, I am he."

"So formal!" A warm brown hand poked out from between the curtains and made a beckoning motion. "Over here, sweetness!"

Jasper smirked at the AI's playfulness even though he was still feeling a bit nauseated from the VR and uncomfortable with the intimacy of these strangely sexual exams. This looked like it was going to be another sex thing. "You seem to have me at a disadvantage," Jasper said. "Who's in there?"

Taking a few steps forward, he cautiously opened the curtains to look in. The bed inside could have been its own room. Five people side by side could have easily slept the night without complaining about a lack of elbow room. Three people were piled into it, each in a different attitude.

The person with the warm brown skin that had reached out through the curtains was still kneeling on all fours on the bed in front of him, looking up at Jasper and smiling. They had light green eyes and thick, curly black hair. Behind them, a short, generously proportioned pet, thick-thighed and soft-looking across their whole brown body, their chest and back tattooed with honeysuckle flowers, was lying on their side, one eyebrow raised and a smirk on their lips as they studied Jasper with pale blue eyes from behind a waterfall of brown hair. The last pet was all angles, tall and pale, with pale grey eyes and hair so blond that it looked white. They had their hands behind their head, reclined, and they glanced only briefly at Jasper before looking back at the one with the honeysuckle tattoos.

The first pet pointed at themself. "My name is Peridot. That one over there with the chubby tummy and the pretty decorations," they said, pointing to the one with the floral tattoos, "is Honeysuckle. And the tall drink of water who looks like he never sees the sun is Lux. We're here to welcome you to pet training and calibration!"

Jasper let his eyes roam respectfully, trying to take stock of the situation before responding. All three were wearing translucent underwear, gossamer-thin and alluring, along with different styles of collars at their necks. Honeysuckle's was a transparent vinyl-like material, not interrupting the line of sight to their tattoos. Peridot's was a thin band of green leather that matched their name. Lux's was a thick black posture collar that contrasted sharply with their pale skin.

"Thank you, that's kind," Jasper answered. "I'm not really sure how the calibration works. Are you supposed to give me some kind of especially warm welcome?" He looked again to each of them in turn but found his eyes kept on being pulled towards Honeysuckle.

Honeysuckle caught Jasper looking, and his smile widened. "There's no set agenda here, hon. All you have to do is interact with the world, and just be."

Peridot reached a hand out again for Jasper to take. "Why don't you jump in here with us? There's plenty of room, and I can guarantee you'll be comfortable."

Some intuition made Jasper look down at his body. He was dressed in almost nothing, just like these three pets. The only concession to modesty was a small, tight pair of shorts over his lower half and some kind of bolero jacket over his shoulders. He shrugged and decided to take Peridot's hand, lowering himself to the bed and crawling to the center, amid all three of them. "So, are you all pets, then? Or do they make Coins in more flavours than the metallic hues I usually see?"

Lux laughed and rolled to face Jasper more directly. "Metallic hues. I like that, and you're not wrong. To answer your questions, Coin colours depend on the fashions that year, and we are pets."

Peridot hooked a finger under his collar and mimed pulling himself by the collar onto the mattress, gently flopping onto his side. "What gave us away?"

"Uh...honestly, your choice of dress and the fact that you're all playing around with each other on a bed might have something to do with it," admitted Jasper, sitting cross-legged between them. "Not that I'm judging you for that."

"Don't worry, it's useful to be able to pick us out," Honeysuckle added. He gestured to the vinyl he wore, "We do tend to follow specific trends. An 'un-dress' code, if you will."

With a grin, Jasper relaxed a couple of degrees and decided to lie back with the others. "You all seem very clever. Who owns each of you, anyway? Or are you still looking for owners? I imagine getting your personality copied is pretty well-paid."

Finally showing a more overt interest in the conversation, Lux rolled onto his side, facing Jasper. "Thank you, we are clever," he said with a smile. "Smart and sexy enough to convince Aristotle Brandywine to take us in as pets."

As much as Lux looked like he might have been made of ice, Jasper wasn't expecting the cold lance of fear that shot through his stomach when Lux said Aristotle Brandywine's name. He felt an immediate spike of adrenaline and a strange kind of horrified negation. "...I...uh..."

A soft beeping alerted Dr. Constantine that the pet's vitals had suddenly spiked drastically. His heart rate in particular seemed to have skyrocketed. Jasper must have been bothered by Lux's personality in particular. Constantine shifted the parameters to let Lux slip into the background for now.

Honeysuckle rubbed a hand in a circle on Jasper's back, trying to soothe him. "It's all right. We're not snobs or anything. We want you here, no matter who your Owner is. Promise."

Jasper used the time that Honeysuckle spent talking to take a steadying breath. "No, it's fine. I'm going to be Thamyris Fairmount's pet."

"Rhys?" Peridot echoed, "We love Rhys! He and our Kyrios — that's what we call Mister Brandywine — are close friends. Does this mean we'll get to meet in real life, too?"

Honeysuckle made no effort to hide how he looked Jasper up and down hungrily, his hands still on Jasper's back. "I should certainly hope so."

Having heard all of his life about the hypersexual pets and their Coin masters, not to mention his occasional contact with them when he came to rob them, Jasper was unsurprised that their way of trying to make him feel better about whatever they thought was wrong was to flirt and try to initiate sex. He didn't know why Aristotle Brandywine's name filled him with dread, except that he had been caught at his university, but he trusted his instincts.

Not that it mattered right now. Jasper turned toward Honeysuckle and, heart still pounding, started to trace his hands over his tattoos. "I hope so, too. You are each of you beautiful in a unique way. I think I understand why you were chosen by a man with such discerning tastes."

With mild relief, Dr. Constantine saw that Jasper's heart rate was starting to dip back down. It was not yet low enough, but they still had time.

"Do you, now?" Honeysuckle teased. He gently took up Jasper's hand and pulled it onto his chest. "Maybe you can point out what parts of us you think are the most tasty?"

Well aware that he was still being watched, Jasper performed. He traced a dexterous finger along the outlines of Honeysuckle's tattoos. "I wouldn't want anyone to feel that there's a part of them that has been overlooked. I'll have to taste every bit of you to figure out what parts are tastiest."

Honeysuckle's eyes closed in pleasure as he bit his lower lip. "That sounds like a fun way to spend our time. Don't you think so, Peridot?"

Peridot tucked a glossy black curl behind his ear, fixing his green-eyed gaze on Jasper. "Don't be greedy, Jasper. You can't possibly taste all of us in one go. You'll have to come back for more some other time. And you wouldn't deprive us of the chance to taste you, would you?"

"You're right," said Jasper with a theatrical sigh and a squeeze of Honeysuckle's pectoral. "Maybe I should just give Honeysuckle all my attention."

With an equally theatrical gasp, Peridot pretended to be offended. "And exclude us? How terrible!"

Honeysuckle slid closer to Jasper, leaving himself open to Jasper's wandering hands. "Now, now, if this is what our new friend desires, why should we deny him..."

"How about a compromise, then?" Peridot offered. "We all lay him down and play with him instead. How does that sound, Lux, Honeysuckle?"

The other two pets nodded their assent. Jasper laughed at the fact that he was not involved in this decision. He laid himself on his back and spread his arms open good-naturedly. "All right, then..."

Honeysuckle was the closest. Their warm hands pressed Jasper's shoulders into the bed, followed by his chest, hips and upper thighs. Jasper felt a heaviness spread through his body at the firm touches and he exhaled, sighing heavily. He had very rarely had a professional massage and it was clear that Aristotle's pets had been trained.

The thought of Aristotle brought a little frisson of fear with it, but Lux had already crawled between Jasper's legs and chose that moment to take Jasper's cock to the hilt. He jolted in surprise at the spreading pleasure overtop of his sudden anxiety spike.

Peridot laughed as he settled in beside Jasper's head, "You'll have to forgive Lux. Once he sees something he wants, he just goes for it. No patience at all." With soft, gentle hands, Peridot reached under Jasper's skull to support the back of Jasper's neck. "Just relax and let us work out all the stress you are carrying."

Dr. Constantine noted the twin increases in anxiety and arousal, following quickly on the tail end of each other. Jasper's outer expression was one of dazed pleasure like he couldn't quite believe his luck in having these other pets playing with him. But there was something else going on. Did the pet perhaps feel intimidated by the idea of satisfying three partners at once? Or was there something about the environment that was unpleasant for him? A scent evoking some old trauma? He wasn't ready to pull the plug on the scenario yet, but he hoped that Jasper would relax into it so that they could get some baseline readings.

A radiating warmth spread at the base of Jasper's skull almost as soon as Peridot's careful, perfectly placed fingertips began their work. Jasper hadn't realized how much tension he was holding. Peridot's hands shifted minutely down Jasper's cervical spine as he massaged every inch firmly and attentively. The massage felt almost as good as the blowjob. Almost.

Lux's soft whiteish-blond hair trailed across Jasper's lower abdomen as he swallowed around Jasper's shaft, the peristalsis trying to pull him deeper and massaging the length rhythmically. The pale pet hadn't yet come up for air. Jasper wondered if their abilities were adjusted for virtual reality or if Lux could do this if they met at a party.

Honeysuckle's firm pressure into Jasper's pectorals complemented Peridot and Lux's expert work perfectly. They had achieved a rhythm that took up most of Jasper's attention, without any one person overshadowing the others. A heavy fullness welled up inside the broad muscles of Jasper's chest as Honeysuckle kneaded them. The warmth of it was like his chest was submerged in a hot bath.

Jasper opened his eyes to look at Honeysuckle as he felt them shift and climb onto him. The gorgeous tattooed pet was straddling his waist to work at his pecs and the sight of them like that made Jasper spurt pre-cum down Lux's throat. Honeysuckle's whole demeanour made him feel curiously horny and comfortable. The virtual pet's eyes were filled with concentration, his tongue subconsciously lapping over his lips as he worked, like he was hungry for Jasper's body.

The contracting muscles in Lux's throat worked Jasper's shaft in slow, rhythmic waves. Every time they squeezed and slid along his cock, Jasper squirmed with a bit less control and panted a little more. It was all he could do to not buck his hips into the air. Lux slowly pulled Jasper's dick out of his mouth, seeming not the least bit winded. "You're so cute when you're being used. I'd wager that if you weren't already bought and paid for, our Kyrios would already have you meeting us in person."

Jasper gasped in terror as Lux's words brought Aristotle Brandywine's sneering face into his mind's eye. He tried to gain control but Honeysuckle's weight on his chest suddenly made him feel as if he couldn't breathe and he couldn't hold back any longer. "Get—get off me...!" Jasper kept his words as calm as he could, but even he could hear the strain.

The doctor carefully watched the biometric readings and the progress of the calibration. Jasper's struggles alerted him and the readings started to flash, clearly indicating that the subject was trying to control his emotional state but was obviously terrified of something. Jasper kept himself tightly controlled, if not calm.

'This won't do at all,' Dr. Constantine mused. 'If he doesn't relax and let the machine work we'll be here all day. Was he overstimulated? Perhaps I'll need to select something with a smaller cast for the next calibration.' With a few taps on the screen, the doctor pushed Jasper to the Waiting Room, immediately watching Jasper's viewpoint fade to dark before returning him to the open field. The doctor considered the next step carefully. 'I don't think this pet is likely to stay stable if they were antagonized. I'll keep that for last. But maybe he'll respond better to positive stimulation from a more experienced pet.'

Constantine knew just who would be able to make Jasper feel comfortable and good. Orion's program almost always worked.

Seeming to have recovered from his terror, Jasper crossed his arms and waited impatiently in the tall wheat. "I'd like to move on to the next step of calibration, Doctor, I'm tired."

All the audio and visual stimuli seemed to fade, and just when it was about to be too dark to see, the light returned. The surroundings had completely changed.

`— Executing calibration protocols — loading Bath House Orion program. —`

"Than—" The room began to fade around him, and Jasper finished his phrase in the dark. "—nks."

As the next location resolved itself, it stayed dimly lit in an intentional way. Jasper realized that his lower half was wrapped in a towel and nothing else. He blushed, his nose detecting the faint scents of saltwater and chlorine. There were various half-walls in this vast space. It had a vaulted ceiling, painted with nude bodies cavorting about.

As he relaxed against the inside wall of his bath, Orion tried to give the guy a moment to adjust to his surroundings before he spoke. He lazily drew in the condensation on the tile with his finger as he quietly counted to ten.

By seven, Orion was already standing and leaning out of the bath to look for his fellow pet. Glancing about twenty feet down the walkway at the cute, bewildered man as he clutched at his towel, Orion called out softly. "Heyyy!" He smiled playfully. Honestly. "Hi, Jasper. Come on over here. It feels like I've been waiting all day."

Jasper startled a little as a person in a very tight bathing suit called out to him from a nearby bath. He flushed a little and let go of his towel, which shifted to hang lower on his hips but did not fall away. This must be his guide — like the pets in the previous scenario.

"Don't mind the others," Orion said as he motioned to the other stalls throughout the room. He appeared to rethink that for a second. "Or do, but don't watch too long before coming over, okay?" He winked, and let himself slip back into the water, his tight red very immodest bathing suit bottom squeaking on the rounded edge as he went.

Jasper would not have glanced into the other baths if it hadn't been for Orion's comment. In the dim, atmospheric lighting, he saw bodies pressed up against each other, flesh meeting flesh, meeting mouths... and hunger... there was so much hunger. But these people were taking the time to indulge themselves slowly. He flushed again slightly, but he had a goal now. The person in the bath.

He carefully picked his way across the tiles, not expecting them to be damp or dangerous, but long years of public poolside experience kicking in just in case. He approached the tub. The creature sitting in the pool had striking eyes. It was hard to tell their exact shade in the dim lighting, but they were larger than average and very shapely. They glimmered with humour. His ash-blonde hair was damp and collapsed against his face. His smile looked sincere, welcoming...like Jasper was an old friend.

"You must be my guide through this scenario. You have me at a disadvantage...What should I call you?"

"Call me Oree," the friendly bather said, "but I think I'm better suited to be your companion than a guide. Though, I suppose that depends what you want to do here." Oree gently pushed himself off to the side a few feet to give Jasper room to climb in. "In fact, why don't we talk about that? Come on in. No need to be shy. I can see you blushing even through the steam. You don't need to be bashful about a skimpy bathing suit here."

"I don't think that I was provided with a bathing suit," observed Jasper, his voice carefully neutral. This person looked like Jasper imagined a naiad might — wonderfully charming and fey.

Oree's eyes went wide with amusement. "They didn't give you one?" he laughed. "Oh, someone must be messing with you. Hold on, I've seen this kind of thing before." The simulated sub looked around, and behind him. "Ah-hah!" He exclaimed. Oree hopped up and bent over the edge of the tub to reach out toward the dividing wall, unintentionally presenting his backside and tightly bound package to Jasper.

Taking Oree at their word, Jasper took off the towel and hung it on a nearby towel bar. He slipped into the hot water without a further word, sighing as the simulated heat seemed to warm over his muscles.

'Good.' Rhys thought to himself. 'He's at the very least accepting some aspects of his new life.' Watching the scene on the holographic display in front of him, the Coin couldn't help but take in his new pet's body as the water made his curves glisten.

Realizing that he was erect at the sight of Oree leaning over and wiggling his firm ass, Jasper crossed his legs and decided to appreciate the view. Oree was clearly doing it on purpose, and, anyhow, he was just a simulation, so he probably wouldn't mind...

"Well, would you look at this!" Oree called out triumphantly. With a brief wiggle, he turned himself back around and dropped back into the tub. Seeing that Jasper had already tossed the towel aside and climbed into the tub, he smiled again. "I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to share, but I'd feel bad if I didn't tell you about these." He held up a pair of green swim shorts. "I'm guessing these fit you perfectly. I found them laid out quite neatly up against the wall. These are nice." He tossed them into the water just in front of Jasper. "Do with these as you like. I don't mind."

Jasper thought back to what Oree had said a moment before. "Wait, you said you were a 'companion'. Are you also a pet?"

"Yes! Pet extraordinaire." Oree said with playful self-assurance. "Just ask anyone. I love being a pet, and getting to help people unwind, have fun, and just feel better about themselves." He looked up for a moment and rubbed his chin in thought. "I guess you could say I'm like a submissive life coach with benefits."

Despite the fact that he was just a computer program, Jasper found himself smiling at Oree. He was a well-designed artificial intelligence. Attractive, genuine-seeming. He found himself warming to the other pet almost immediately. Was this what a skilled pet could do? Charm people like this? He leaned over and took hold of the swimsuit, pulling it on under the simulated water.

Dr. Constantine smiled. He had been right. While the previous scenario would have provided more multidimensional data, Jasper was very receptive to Orion. Everyone was. Especially the real Orion, who was probably off somewhere in a very similar scenario right at that moment.

Jasper had never been in such a realistic virtual environment — this was some high-end shit. And his nausea wasn't actually all that terrible. He could still tell that he was in VR, but it was a kind of background hum instead of making him unable to do anything. "A submissive life coach with benefits...you must belong to a lucky Coin. And what is it that you're here to coach me about, Oree?"

Rhys watched Jasper carefully. He knew one of the main goals here was to make Jasper feel happy, comfortable, safe, as well as aroused if possible. That being the case, Jasper's distinct hard-on after he watched Oree display himself gave Rhys an idea. With a thought, he messaged Dr. Constantine over their implants. 'Doctor, I think you should intensify the stimulation here. Make Orion seem even more appreciative of Jasper's body. I want to see how he would react to it. I would be willing to gamble that the results will be positive.' If this simulation was going to be as effective as Rhys foresaw, he'd need to get a version of Orion for their at-home training.

Rather than send a message back, the doctor just glanced up at Rhys, smiled, and gave a nod. Now, how would it be best to adjust him? After a few seconds, he'd already altered the settings as Rhys requested. That ought to do it.

The water in the hot tub started to very subtly shift to a clearer state with fewer bubbles and surface movement. Another subtle change to the refraction in the water made the image of Orion's lower body stretch out more towards Jasper while magnifying the image. The doctor hoped that would make it easy for Jasper to see how Oree's own cock was hardening as it stretched out the already tight fabric. The cock itself was almost ready to pop out the side, but his smooth, firm balls would now also be visible from the right angle.

"Oh, I don't belong to any one Coin," explained Oree with a contented sigh as he settled deeper into the water. "I'm a sort of freelancer who gets to meet lots of interesting people and engage in my favourite pursuits while doing so." He gave Jasper a sly wink. "For example, seeing cuties like you in skimpy bathing suits. Or out of them."

As Jasper shifted his body underwater to get comfortable and adjust the bathing suit, Oree made no attempt to hide his appreciative glance at the new pet's body.

Eyes still roaming, Oree put a thoughtful finger to his lips. "When it comes to me 'coaching' you, that will depend on you," Oree looked into Jasper's eyes. Their gaze was attentive but entirely non-threatening. More warm and comforting than anything else. "Why don't you tell me about yourself first? Tell me, what made you interested in becoming a pet."

Oree's attention was flattering. Jasper was hardly a green youth, but he had rarely been shown such open lust that wasn't accompanied by creepiness. Somehow, with Oree, the interest was clear, but...respectful. Jasper blushed with pleasure. He let down his guard for a moment, forgot that he was being observed, that Oree was a simulation.

"To tell the truth, I...don't remember my decision," he said, the words slipping out easily. His eyes widened at the admission. "Ah...I guess, what I mean is... I never thought that I would become a pet until it sort of...happened."

'That could be... problematic,' Dr. Constantine thought. He kept his highly refined blank doctor's expression on and considered Jasper's words. If the pet didn't remember making the decision then this could be a morally questionable situation. It was not the first time he might have to step in to confront a Coin or contact a higher authority, but it was not a thing he would relish doing again. He needed to be sure, or the risk of angering a Coin was too great. But, how to dig deeper while maintaining a natural appearance?

It took a moment for Rhys to realize that Jasper might still be uncomfortable or even upset by his lack of memory of his conversation and agreement with Aristotle. This was a sensitive period for Jasper, after all. Rhys hoped this would not cause Jasper too much stress or interfere with the doctor's procedures. Keeping in mind that Dr. Constantine was a professional, Rhys sat back in his seat and continued watching. He had to trust the doctor to handle this situation.

Jasper's eyes were drawn to Oree's body, and he licked his lips without thinking. "Uhm...other than what the general public would know...maybe you can show me what skills a pet needs to have to please their Owner..."

Seeing an opportunity to tease out whether this arrangement was consensual, the doctor quickly wrote out a bit of script to insert into the conversation and waited for the right time to hit send. He just hoped that it wouldn't arouse too much suspicion in Thamyris.

"We should probably start at the beginning," Oree said pensively. "What was it that solidified in your mind that you wanted to be a pet?"

Jasper swallowed and considered what the ramifications might be if he told Oree the truth — knowing that Oree was just a virtual reality construct, no matter how charming he was. He did not want to go to prison. He had to come up with something plausible...maybe even close to the truth, without giving the game away. He realized that he was taking too long to answer, and took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Well...if I'm honest...like I said, I sort of didn't see it coming. Rhys is very charming. Becoming a pet was my way out of a bad situation," Jasper said, thinking that anyone might assume that he was talking about being poor. "I'm very grateful that Rhys helped me." He tried to move the conversation along quickly. "Uhhh...but as a result, I didn't train as a pet. I would appreciate any insight or tips you could offer me."

Hearing Jasper voice his appreciation for Rhys pulled at the Coin's heartstrings. Though it was very early in their relationship and he knew that Jasper's previous profession required a silver tongue, Rhys still dearly hoped that Jasper was as taken with him as he was with Jasper.

"I see." Oree nodded in response. "You know, in many ways, becoming a pet to escape hardship isn't uncommon. You essentially leave your whole previous life behind and move on to something new." He smiled up at Jasper again. "Of course, not everyone is as successful as you or I."

Jasper nodded in agreement, grateful that Oree had interpreted his answer in the way that he had expected. Better that they think he was escaping a bad living situation and the poverty of the streets below.

Oree straightened up for a moment. "But more to the point, as long as you are in here with me, I can give you lots of tips. Metaphorical and otherwise." Oree barely hid their smirk. "One of the most common and important things we do as pets is to help our owners relax. So to start, if you like I can help you relieve all that strain you're putting on that little green thing you're wearing? Unless you want a lecture on boring ol' public protocol instead."

Adjusting himself underwater, Jasper flushed at Oree's forward suggestion, unused to the openness with which most Coins and pets approached sex, and having no way of knowing that Oree pushed that envelope even further. The other pet was so sensuous — so casually able to go ahead and say what he wanted, with grace and good humour.

"I'd like that very much," said Jasper, biting his lip. "But maybe first you can give me the lecture. That way I have a reward...a carrot...to look forward to, after the lesson."

"Delaying gratification, huh?" Oree sat back and slid lower into the water, grinning again. "You're going to find that to be a useful skill, too. Don't worry about frustrating me though. When it comes down to it, I'm highly gifted in all forms of 'gratification.'"

Jasper was surprised at how quickly Oree was able to make him flush with his comments. Not knowing what to say, he smiled back a little shyly.

"Hhhmmm..." Oree closed his eyes and visibly relaxed in the warmth of the water. "Where to start? I suppose the most important thing is knowing your owner. Or maybe your partner or escort, if you're temporarily with someone else," he corrected himself. "Obviously, whatever they say goes."

Orion gave a gentle shrug. "Still, most of the time you need to be able to read the rooms, or social situations, as they come. It's kind of like knowing how to act in different circles of friends and code-switch. Once you are used to it, it's as simple as breathing." Oree opened his eyes and seemed to come out of his little reverie. "It's a lot of fun if you like that kind of thing. Learning it just takes a little time and a patient owner."

The simulated pet sighed, his legs drifting a little more open on their own. "I wish your owner was here, too. I'd be able to get a better read and maybe give you some tips that would suit him best."

"I'm pretty good at that — the whole...listening and reading the room. Reading the situation. It's good to know that it'll be an asset, but I imagine that there are many new situations that I will never have encountered before. I guess I'll be making a lot of mistakes until I get used to those," said Jasper. Orion's charming manner made it easy to speak up.

"I'm glad to hear it!" Oree said. "Try not to worry about the mistakes too much. If he is an even halfway decent Owner, he'll be able to recognize that this is a time of transition and learning for you. Mistakes are normal." He gazed up at the ceiling, looking for something.

Rhys felt himself flush at Oree's words. It was almost like he could still hear people mumbling rumours about his ability to train. About Marin, about his failure from almost a decade prior.

'This is much better. Exactly as I predicted.' Dr. Constantine smiled as he watched. The system was able to read Jasper much more easily in this scenario. Orion was just so useful for all this. They would be able to move to the last scene momentarily. But first, the pet had earned his carrot.

"Maybe we can do a practical lesson now," said Oree playfully. "After all, they say that hands-on learning is very effective."

Jasper nodded. He was keyed up after what had happened during the scanning procedures, when Rhys had brought him to the edge and stopped, and Oree made him feel safe and good in a way that had been in short supply since his capture. "I would love that, Oree."

Oree stood in the shallow pool and leaned forward, and fuck, even the curve of their spine as they stretched was sensual. Jasper thought that emulating him would probably take months of practice -- it was artful and precise, and, importantly, it looked uncalculated. Oree's hand pawed playfully at Jasper's bulge underneath the wet shorts, which clung to his erection and stretched across him in a strangely compelling way, like the material was trying to pull him outward, to envelope him further in itself but also expose him. He wondered if the suit was programmed to cling that way.

Even knowing that all of this was an expensive, designed experience and that Rhys and the Doctor were watching his every move didn't stop Jasper from wanting this. In fact, he sort of found himself eager to give Rhys a bit of a show.

Jasper reached over with both arms and gently grasped Oree at the waist, pulling the other pet forward, causing their hips to touch and their erections to brush up one against each other as Oree threw his hands to the side with a surprised giggle to balance himself, but found himself on his knees, body pressed up against Jasper's.

"Oooh, I like the way you think, Jasper," said Oree, rubbing his cock up against Jasper's through the fabric of their suits. Everything was so wet and warm and delicious. The two bathing suits stretched and warped obscenely, becoming see-through over the heads of their cocks.

Oree panted softly, his lips parted and his breath warm on Jasper's neck. Jasper was surprised at just how alluring Oree was, even as an artificial intelligence. Someone had lovingly programmed a very charming version of this person. He slowly thrust his hips against Oree, rubbing his cock up and down the other pet's, relishing the dichotomy of an erection both totally firm and yet with a yielding give to it.

With another soft groan, Oree lowered his forehead against Jasper's neck, allowing himself to become lost in the sensation. Jasper found himself reaching for Oree's hair, running his fingers through the shorter bristles at the back of the other pet's neck. Oree thrust his head into the touch like a cat, arching his back backwards and exposing his chest, which Jasper couldn't help but touch with his other hand. His nipples were a dusky deep pink, about the width of Jasper's pinky, and they were firm to the touch. Jasper danced his fingers over them, enjoying the verisimilitude of the texture and their warmth.

The two stayed like that for a few minutes, rubbing their crotches together while Jasper played with Oree's body and Oree encouraged him, occasionally moving his hand to a spot that he especially wanted toyed with.

Then, after a time, Orion looked up at Jasper with a mischievous grin. "You know, in this simulation, I can hold my breath basically forever. Would you like me to do a little pearl diving?"

"Pearl div— Oh. Yes, please," said Jasper with a needy little thrust.

Tilting his head, Orion gave a wink and then lowered himself below the water. He worked Jasper's suit down and freed his cock efficiently, hungrily. And then…and then Jasper was completely engulfed, including his balls. It was as though Orion's mouth was a perfect fit for him. He supposed that was a VR trick, but he hoped to get the chance to meet Oree in person and see, if Oree was up for it.

Oree's throat muscles and mouth sucked Jasper rhythmically, contracting and releasing, the tongue working around him, swirling and swiping around his shaft. Jasper sank into the warmth of the water a little, holding back his moans, his face distorted with his silenced cries, brow furrowed with pleasure. He wondered what Rhys was thinking, watching him like this. Was this what they had expected for his 'calibration'?

Oree made it hard to hold back, and by the way that he coaxed Jasper with that fantastic mouth of his, it was clear that Oree didn't want him to. So Jasper stopped trying to avoid his orgasm and chased it instead. When he came, the heat and pleasure of it rushed into his toes and up to his stomach into his spine. He let out a series of cries, each like a long, sustained groan, practically a yell.

Rhys, for his part, was trying to appear dispassionate to the doctor while registering every expression of pleasure on Jasper's face, drinking in what his pet looked like in this state of wild abandon. In a way, Jasper was returning Rhys' earlier favour, as the Coin could only steep in his arousal, his hard cock bulging against the fabric of his pants.

When Jasper was finished, Oree emerged from the water and sat next to him, leaning his damp temple against Jasper's shoulder. "I hope that was nice."

"Very, very nice, Oree. You have a talent," said Jasper, combing a hand through Oree's damp hair, down to his cheek.

"If your Owner were here now, we would be able to go over more things with him, but his presence would distort the calibrations," said Oree wistfully, kissing Jasper's inner wrist. "Which are just about done, I think."

"Oh...right...the calibrations. Well, maybe some other time..." said Jasper. "I would like to spend more time with you and I'm sure Rhys...Er...my owner, Thamyris Fairmount...Uh...he might be able to provide some input, even if he's not...visibly present..."

Jasper trailed off, realizing that the simulation seemed to be deconstructing itself, starting at the edges and on the ceiling. It was a tad unsettling — more than a tad. The nausea that had been at the periphery of Jasper's senses through this entire experience, pushed back by the pleasure that Orion had given him, came back full force.

"Thamyris Fairmount?" said Oree, raising an eyebrow with an intrigued, surprised smile. "He —"

The simulation cut off there, and Jasper blinked. The scene transitioned to a grungy, familiar-feeling bar. Sitting across from him was…Julian?!

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