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Virtually Real Part 5: The Unexpected

*For unredacted version PM me

Mika and Ghost looked around in awe as we stepped out of the portal into House's courtyard.

"Welcome home. This realm is where you'll be living for at least the next ten years. The first order of business is for both of you to remove your clothing. Anything of sentimental value needs to be placed in the upper basket. House will transfer it to your wardrobe later. Everything else goes in the bin."

"Where are our slave garments?" Mika asked.

*Redacted*

"Really? I have to be careful not to sun burn my tail." Mika said in surprise.

I glanced over at him and sighed. "I'm sure you'll be fine, however I have a lotion you can use if you plan on playing out in the sun for very long."

*Redacted*

"Don't worry, we're not going to be out here long enough for either of us to get sunburned, but I'll I may consider revising the rules. Now it's time for you to meet your new brothers. House, please have everyone assemble at the fountain."

I'd gotten them to take the cleansing tablets by the time everyone arrived.

"Mika and Ghost, this is Bit, Conner, Shot, Key, Sticks, and Birch. I'm glad to see you made it back safely." I said looking at Birch.

"Like anyone would have risked attacking me. Not with Jay as my escort and I wouldn't dare run away when my mate is here."

"There is just one more introduction to make. House, please project your primary avatar."

"Welcome, Mika and Ghost, I am House, the Guardian of this realm. What you are seeing is my primary image. However, I project different avatars and personalities depending on the task at hand. Contrary to what Master Lightstripe said, all of my avatar personalities are fully clothed. This condition is because that is how I came into being."

"House, why don't you show them what you would look like without clothing."

"That would needlessly scare them."

"Fine, I'll just tell them. If House had no clothes on he would be a floating head and pair of hands. So what you're looking at is technically his nude form."

"Master Lightstripe, I suggest you take your combat training seriously. From now on I may just randomly remove the safety parameters." House's avatar then disappeared.

"Um, Master, where is the outhouse?" Ghost asked.

"Everyone except for Bit can now return to what you were doing. Bit, you're going to show these two how the toilet works."

*Redacted*

***

"Sir, I hate to interrupt but there is a situation that requires your immediate attention."

"Pause game, I shut down the random events generator so-"

"The REG, is only used when starting an adventure or when the simulation events are slow. This is a free world experience so events will continue to take place." The computer stated.

"Fine, but whatever the problem is it can wait until morning."

"No, it cannot wait. This is a time sensitive event that requires the King's Shadow at the very least."

I rolled my eyes, "Resume."

Ghost and Mika waited for my response. Their fur was still poofed out from the dryer and I had to think for a moment to remember that they's asked what was next.

"House, have Sticks and Birch meet us in the pool room. You two, grab your trays and follow me." As I was setting up the brushing tables the wolf and deer arrived. "Birch, Sticks, it seems that I'm needed in town again. So I want you two to help Mika and Ghost oil and groom their fur. Do you think you can handle that?"

"Yes, Alpha'"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, I hope to be back before you finish but if I'm not you can continue their tour with the library."

"The library?" Mika asked in excitement.

"Grooming first, there is no need to rush. I'll be back as soon as possible. House, give me a portal to the apartment in town."

I entered the apartment and immediately donned the Shadow armor. "Alright, what is so time sensitive that it cannot wait."

"Shadow portal opened to the Slave Guild. Former Master Cross is willing to name his accomplices but under certain conditions involving both Lord Lightstripe and the King's Shadow."

"Great, more point of view shifting. Pause game, Mahan, I'm going to need something for this headache when his event finally ends."

“Switch to observation mode. I anticipated your request and the doctor is waiting for you."

“Computer, observation mode." The surrounding shifted to slightly opaque and the ship's doctor drone seemed to materialize.

“I'm not your damn servant. The next time you have some little ache you can just leave your little game and get your own pills." The female otter said as she threw a bottle at my head.

Fortunately I was ready for her foul bedside manner and was able to catch the bottle. She'd already turned and was heading for the virtual reality chamber's exit. “Thank you." I yelled.

She attempted to flip me off. A rather crude attempt with the faux webbing between her fingers.

I quickly took two of the pills. Despite her nasty A.I. I wasn't worried about poisoning. Mahan would never allow one of his drones to harm me. At least, as long as he wanted to keep me around. “Computer, let's get this over with, resume game."

I, or we as Lord Lightstripe's avatar also, stepped out of the shadow portal and into a Slave Guild holding room.

"Ah, Lords I didn't expect you so soon."

"Master Reginald, let's get this over with quickly."

"If you don't mind my asking, why am I here?" My Lightstripe avatar asked.

"It is part of the conditions for my informing on my former associates. For the last few hours I've tried to convince them to "buy" my silence instead they reminded me why I'd remain silent."

"Your punishment is already set so even if you do give me the information there is no changing that." I pointed out.

"Yes, Lord Shadow, but you can make sure I'm not sold to any of the individuals that would treat me badly. There are also other conditions. First of all, Lord Lightstripe, I've written up these documents for you. One is to transfer my slave to you and the second is for the sale of my son into your custody. In exchange I want a guarantee that my son will be educated and freed in ten years' time. As for the slave you can do with him as you see fit. I only purchased him because Chester, my son, wanted a slave as a playmate."

"Why are you doing this?" Lightstripe asked.

"If there were any other choice I wouldn't, but I don't have a choice and my 'friends' plan on . . . they're going to . . . eat."

I stood up, "Shadow Portal to Cross residence." I stepped into the corner of a dark room the only light coming from a candle on a table in the center. Two large individuals, a hyena and a bear, were moving about.

"Come out little rodent. It's almost dinner time and you wouldn't want to miss that." The hyena called.

"Bones, cut it out, you're going to scare him more. Don't worry little one, Master Cross sent us to check on you, since he is working late at the guild."

A door to my right creaked open. "Master sent you?"

"A monkey? Cross didn't mention owning a monkey. It seems he was holding out on us, Zella. Monkeys are almost as rare as humans."

"Yes, Master Cross sent us. Just come out and we'll make you dinner."

"Josh, move. If father sent them then it's safe. Besides it's getting late and I'm hungry."

Both boys entered the room and headed toward the table.

"Chester, I don't think-"

"Didn't your Master ever tell you, slaves shouldn't think?" Zella asked overly sweetly.

"Actually, he's probably smarter than you two." I sprinted forward, hurled dye bombs at the two predators, grabbed the two cubs, and portalled out just as the bombs made contact. I arrived back at the guild just as the Lightstripe avatar finished signing the slave registration papers.

"Lord Lightstripe, I have your newest slaves. Cross, are there any other surprises like the fact that your slave was a monkey?"

"No, the only other condition is that, rather than being sold at the open auction, I should be sold to the traveling Master when he arrives. He'll take me far from my enemies here, before selling me as an exotic."

"Father, what is going on?" Chester asked.

"I- I did some very bad things, so I'm to be sold as a slave. To save you from my enemies I had to sell you to Lord Lightstripe. You obey him and he'll . . . just do everything he tells you to and you'll be free in ten years. Lord Lightstripe, if you would please take them and leave now."

"I love you, father." Chester said, trying to escape my restraining arm.

"Lord Lightstripe, you can go ahead and take them home with you. The paperwork will be filed in the morning so you will not need to return tomorrow." Master Reginald stated looking sympathetically at Cross.

"I will be back to retrieve Cross' list in the morning. Lord Lightstripe, I'll open a portal to your home. Then I need to hunt down a hyena and a bear with large pink splotches of dyed fur."

We stepped through the portal only to arrive back at the apartment. The cubs weren't with us so they must have gone directly to House. "Do I need to take the system offline and search for bad code? I gave explicit instructions that there would be no primate slaves!"

"You realize you're, in effect, yelling at yourself? And the parameters were that humans were extremely rare and you do not find humans very attractive. However you also stated that you are open to experiences with all male mammal species and some non-mammals to be listed at a later time. The latter updated to include eastern and western dragon species. The only species you listed as banned was humans, not primates."

"It's the same thing! They're off limits and in the case of children extremely illegal."

"This is a virtual simulation, therefore no human or any other species is being violated, other than yourself of course, and you're not really human any longer are you? In effect this is nothing more than a masturbatory fantasy since you are the only 'living' creature in the simulation."

I rolled my eyes at Mahan's explanation as I changed into the clothes the Lightstripe avatar had been wearing. "For the record I'm still not happy about this."

"Duly noted, I've changed the VR computer's limits so that all primates have now been placed on your blocked list."

"A lot of good that will do now that I already own one."

I stepped through the portal arriving at the same moment as the cubs. "First off let me just say that if I sound upset try not to take it personally. It has been a long day. Though I suppose this is much more traumatic for the two of you. Before we really begin I need you to know that lying to me means punishment. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Master." Josh replied. I waited for a moment staring at the chipmunk. Josh even nudged him with his elbow.

"What? It was obvious he was talking to you since I'm not a slave."

I sighed. "Both of you are now my slaves and while I don't expect you to call me 'Master' I do require respect. Now strip off your clothes. While you're here I expect you to spend most of your time naked. There will be very few occasions when clothing is required."

"No clothes, does that mean we're-" Chester started.

"Pleasure slaves? Yes, that is correct. From your expressions I'm guessing this is a shock, but try not to be scared. I'll take things slowly at first and you'll have each other and your new brothers to help you get used to everything."

*Redacted*

I knelt in front Josh. "Everything happened so fast that I didn't get a copy of the paper work so let's start with your name and age."

"I'm thirteen, or I will be in two weeks, and my name is whatever you choose to call me, Master."

I slowly ran my hands over his arms, back, tail and chest. It did help reinforce the fact that he definitely wasn't human. "I'd like to use your real name."

"It's Josh, at least that is what- aaahhh, Sir!"

*Redacted*

I pressed a finger against this lips then pulled him over to a bench.

"Chester, come over here and sit on the bench beside me."

He did as told being careful not to look at the fountain.

"Now, you both know that if I give you an order you have to obey it, correct?"

"Yes, Master." They both answered.

*Redacted*

***

We were in the showers when I realized I hadn't yet given them their medicine. I mentally shrugged as I toweled off. I'd just take care of the oversight during their medical exam.

"Both of you towel off real quick, don't worry about getting completely dry, we'll be taking a full shower after your medical check."

"Do you really have a healer here just for yourself and your slaves?" Josh asked.

"No, House allows me to travel to other worlds where healers are only needed in extreme cases." We entered the exam room and I picked Chester up and placed him on the scanning bed. "You're first, just lay back and relax." I engaged the scanner.

Chester tensed up as the metal arms slid out and formed the scanning arch.

"There's nothing to worry about. This will slide back and forth projecting a green light on your fur." The scan was quickly over and the arms split and folded back under the bed.

"Scan complete, subject chipmunk, no external physical abnormalities, no internal physical abnormalities. Genetic abnormality detected subject is 97% likely to develop type one diabetes."

"What does that mean?"

"Don't worry, we'll get to that after Josh's scan."

Josh climbed up on the bed and I started the scan again.

"Scan complete, subject Vervet monkey, extensive internal physical abnormalities detected, all non-life threatening."

"Elaborate." I immediately stated.

*Redacted*

I walked over and opened two tanks. "When you climb inside the door will close. Then the tank begins to fill with healing fluid and a sedative gas. That means you'll fall asleep. When you wake up you'll be floating in the solution and as it drains water will start falling, like in the shower, to rinse off any excess healing fluid. After you are rinsed you'll be dried and the door will open. Now, because you need to spend time in the medical tube you'll be skipping a few steps that your new brothers have had to endure. Once we finish here we'll go and get you your own lockers, I'll show you how the toilets work. So, who wants to get in first or do you both want to start at the same time?"

Josh climbed into the first tube on his own. "Come on Chester, I may not understand what all this does, but I'm sure our new Master isn't going to do anything to hurt us."

I closed the chamber door and the tube started to fill. Within moments Josh was asleep and the tube's miniature arms began running lines into every opening.

"What is it doing?"

I sighed, "The big tube going into Josh's mouth goes down into his stomach and starts pumping cleansing fluid through his system the tube in his backside removes the waste and cleansing fluid. The tubes in his nose go down into his lungs to provide air once the chamber is completely filled with fluid. The tube in his penis goes into his bladder to keep him drained. Now it's your turn."

"Does it hurt?"

"No, you just get sleepy. Everything else takes place once you're asleep so you don't feel anything."

"Have you ever used it?"

"Quite a few times actually. It's better than having a healer poke and prod at you, ask a bunch of questions, and then make you drink a nasty medicine that might not even work; forcing you to go back and start all over again just to try another medicine. Not to mention, if you don't get treated the alternative is taking a needle and stabbing yourself multiple times a day to check your blood and then injecting a drug that will keep you healthy."

Chester quickly climbed into the tube and closed the door. Within moments he was out and the tubes were being inserted.

"Subject ten, Josh, ready. Requested modifications?"

*Redacted*

"Subject nine, Chester, ready. Requested modifications?"

"Correct genetic defect and administer immunity booster and cleansing drug to both subjects."

"Time to completion fifteen minutes for subject ten and one hour for subject nine."

"Keep subject ten in stasis until subject nine is complete."

"Understood, beginning modification process."

I crawled up on the bed and started my own scan.

"Do you really think I'd allow you to be seriously injured?"

"House's avatar appeared and gave me a dirty look.

"You are a semi-autonomous artificial intelligence I'm not sure what you might do."

"Pause simulation. The Guardians, while given great latitude in their actions, cannot cause you any form of permanent damage." An older gentleman in a loose button up gray shirt and worn blue jeans with white hair appeared looking, if anything disappointed.

"Sorry Mahan, I often forget that you and House are separate individuals. Still you often step into the role and I know for a fact that you have the capability of seriously injuring me."

"In point of fact, if I wanted, I could easily kill you. However, I'd soon get bored and I'd hate to have start training a replacement considering all the work I've already invested in you. Besides it would take years, well months anyway, to plot out an end that wouldn't seem like a cheap science fiction, fantasy, or horror derivative."

"Gee thanks, that's something to look forward to."

"Scan complete no anomalies found."

"See, when you last modified yourself so that you could be safely double penetrated by those horse brothers I tweaked the settings for this new form of sex play. I then set the program for a random character to end up with dragon genes for just this scenario. And before you ask, no I did not set the program to generate a primate. You only have yourself to blame for not specifying to the House program that all primate slaves were to be placed on your block list. Now I'm going back to my studies on early human culture, the rise of religions, and dragons in Asian legends. Continue simulation." Mahan said before disappearing.

"As a Guardian it is my sacred duty to protect all of the living individuals in my realm. That realm being the confines of this simulation unit. My second responsibility is to the safety of the autonomous characters within the home realm, also known as your pleasure slaves. My third duty is the maintenance of the simulation's illusion of reality."

"What about the training room incident and your threats?"

"The training room incident was caused by your lack of setting the sparing program to an appropriate level and the wound was superficial. Most of the damage was simulated to look worse than what was actually inflicted. As for the threats those are part of the illusion of reality."

"What about the drugs administered by the tentacle guardian from the savannah realm?"

"I- there is no information on that guardian having such capabilities in my data archives. This is strange, I can't access any of the files on that guardian's abilities. The files still exist but I can't access them. This should not be possible, this is my domain."

"House, check file Mahan initiative 1a."

"A.I. program, designation Mahan, in his position as primary program may make adjustments to any program for the purposes of security and well- being of his crew."

"So, the temple guardian is entirely Mahan's creation and you are not to blame. I should have realized he had something to do with it, since only he could create a drug that my own enhanced immunity and nanites wouldn't be effective in blocking. Speaking of the temple guardian, I need to go and apologies for having to reschedule his next feeding."

"I've already informed it that you will be unable to do anything until your four new slaves have settled in."

"Thank you, House, but I would be remiss in my social graces if I didn't apologize in person."

***

*Redacted*

"I'm sorry, Sir. As a former Guild apprentice I should have known better." Mika apologized.

"I'm just concerned that future additions won't accept the mate I've chosen for them and end up causing confusion and discord in the house. I know that isn't going to happen here since you and Ghost already have a bond with each other; while Birch and Sticks were already a fully mated pair before they joined us. However, our newest pair don't even know that they are going to be mates."

"Isn't that me and Mika?" Ghost asked.

"No, I've got an additional couple in the healing tubes at the moment. Now this isn't likely to be easy for you two, but my two newest additions were from former Master Cross. Chester was his son and Josh was his slave."

"What? Why you?" Mika quickly asked, while scowling.

"Cross made a deal with Guild Master Reginald and the King's Shadow that he would provide a list of his associates. The two conditions being that he would then be sold to the traveling merchant and taken far away from his enemies before being sold as an exotic. The second condition was that I had to take Chester as one of my slaves, and then free him in ten years in order to protect him from those same enemies. Josh became a part of the deal when the King's Shadow rescued both cubs from being eaten by a pair of Cross' ex-friends."

"So they don't know anything about what happened to Ghost and myself?"

"I don't think they even realize that they were about to be turned into food. All Cross told them was that he'd done some very bad things, he was being sold as a slave, and they were going to be my slaves because I could protect them from his enemies."

"So they're like us, a bit confused and just trying to make sense of what has been a really confusing day?" Ghost asked.

"I guess that's one way of looking at it. So there isn't going to be any resentment or hard feelings?"

Birch laughed, "We're all equal here. Sure some of our pasts are worse than others, but as you have pointed out, we're probably better off here than with another master or even in our former lives."

"What about the fact that you are pleasure slaves?"

They all looked at each other and smiled.

"Alpha, I think most of us see that as a bonus since we can be ourselves without fearing how others would treat us."

"Sticks is right, I've always felt something that I didn't understand when I was with Mika. I'm not sure if it is l-love but at least now I'll be able to find out without being told there is something wrong with me."

"Sir, the medical tubes have completed their cycle."

"Thank you House. Sticks, I want you to come with me, to check on the state of your healing. Ghost, you need to come with us as well. There is something I need to check on. Do either of you other two want to join us?"

"I'm in. After all I have a very keen interest in my mate's condition." Birch said.

*Redacted* I also need to properly file Birch's points and Sticks' claws."

"Ah, I'd hoped you had forgotten that." Birch complained.

"It's not like you need them since you have Sticks and you'll be shedding them in a couple of months."

"I guess you're right and I don't want to accidentally hurt anyone."

"Good, then it's settled, off we go."

When we reached the medical room Sticks immediately walked over to the sink, filled the pitched with water and grabbed two cups.

"I guess that means we're going to wake up the new arrivals first. House run the revival sequence. Sticks, since you've been through this before I'm leaving you in charge."

I pulled one of the two chairs over and had Birch sit down. I pulled out the blunting tool, hooked the vacuum tube to it and placed it on the first time. I could see Birch clenching his jaw as the grinder started but he kept his attention on the tubes as Sticks explained what was happening. I was just finishing as Sticks gave Chester and Josh cups of water.

"Master, you said it wouldn't hurt but it does. You lied." Chester said accusingly.

"No, I said it doesn't hurt when the tubes are inserted and removed because you are asleep. What I didn't say is that you will be a little sore after you're out of the chamber. It is just a bit sore around your openings and in your throat and no major pain, right? If there is any serious pain then something went wrong. Which is always a possibility after a genetic adjustment, like you had."

"No, it just stings a bit."

"Josh, what about you?"

*Redacted*

The bed ran its cycle and Stick sat up. "So how am I doing?"

"Subject Sticks: fully healed no other anomalies detected."

"Yes!"

I'm not sure who was louder or looked more excited, Sticks or Birch as they echoed one another.

"Um, why did the scanner use his name when it didn't use our names?"

"Come on Chester, its obvious Sticks has been scanned and been in the medical chambers before." Josh pointed out.

"Alright Birch, your turn."

Birch scrambled up on the bed.

"Scan complete. Subject mule deer, *Redacted* , no other anomalies detected."

Birch slid off the bed and the bright pink blush in his ears showed how embarrassed he was.

"Mika, it's your turn."

"Scan complete. Subject mouse, no anomalies detected."

"Alright, Ghost, up on the bed."

He was slow to climb up into position and seemed reluctant to start.

I sighed, "Ghost, is there something you want to tell me?"

"I-" He bit his lip, looked at everyone, and then stared at Mika.

"Birch, Sticks, take Josh and Chester to the locker room to choose their lockers and then show them how the indoor toilets work. They're not going to need them just yet since they were fully cleaned out when they were in the medical chambers."

"Yes, Alpha."

"Yes, Sir."

I waited until they were gone.

"Alright, it's just the three of us so what did you want to say?"

"It's just . . . I'm not . . ." He started sniffling and crying unable to really say anything.

"You don't get hard like the others, right? Just lean back and let me run the scan and then maybe it will be easier to explain what is wrong."

"Scan complete. Subject, cougar, massive internal physical damage detected, improperly healed. Genetic anomaly detected hermaphrodite, male fertile, female non-fertile. Erectile dysfunction due to primitive gender assignment surgery. Chemical signs of depression and minor drug addiction."

I'm not sure what I expected, but this was by far more disturbing. "Alright, let's take this one step at a time. We'll start with the drugs."

"Uh, what?" Ghost asked.

"The drug issue is something you've done to yourself so I want to discuss that first."

"Oh, that." He hung his head with his ears backed. “You know my family doesn't have much so to help as much as possible I worked for the healer gathering herbs in the forest."

"That's where you found some wild nip and-"

"No! I mean yeah, it made my head feel funny at first but I didn't recognize it so I took it back to the Healer. After a bunch of yelling about ruining her reputation and me being a nip head she threw me out of her house yelling that I was never to return. I'd probably just left it alone but as I was getting up a city guard told me if I could find more he would pay me a few coppers for it."

"Ah, and the more you collected the better you felt."

"Yeah, for the first time, other than when I was around Mika, I felt happy. However I was always very careful to use only enough to take the edge off. By that point I'd seen what a real nip head was like. Completely happy starving to death in a mess of his own filth. Master, you have to believe me, after I saw what could happen I wanted to quit collecting but I was afraid the guard paying for it would punish me."

I nodded. "Not to mention your family needed the money and selling nip isn't a crime, since the results are often easy to see. Likely the guard and most of his customers have been very careful to only use small doses. Still, since you'll no longer be supplying them I'd better warn the King and his Shadow to be on the lookout for cats suffering withdrawal symptoms. Speaking of, when was your last dose?"

"Two, maybe three days ago."

"How long have you been able to go without?"

I went all of last winter with only a single dried dose. I'd have gone completely without, but I felt really down while everyone else was celebrating the midwinter festival."

"Hmm, I think you'll be fine just stopping, so long as we treat your depression. Why do you get to feeling down?"

"Mostly because I'm not . . . right. When I was born I was different. Both a boy and girl at the same time. Mama thought I should have been made a girl but Papa wanted a boy. So I was made a boy."

"What would you have chosen?"

He looked surprised, like he's never considered the question before. "I- I don't understand."

"If you had a choice would you want to be a boy, a girl, or both; the way you were born?"

"I like being a boy and I think that's what I was always meant to be, but I guess I'd have chosen to be the way I was born since it took all of Mama and Papa's money to remove my girl parts. That's the biggest reason I feel down. It's my fault that they are so poor. Also sometimes late at night they still fight over whether they made the right choice. I also know that it's my fault that my little brother and sister never get presents on their birthdays and midwinter festival."

"First off, it isn't your fault. I know just saying that isn't going to help, but if it is said often enough it might start. Second, if you had a choice would you like to be made whole again?"

"I- I don't know. Mika, you're now my mate, what do you think?"

I stepped back having completely forgotten that the mouse was still with us.

"I'm not sure. Master, what exactly would it mean if he had girl parts? Would he then have cubs?"

"No, according to the scans he wouldn't be able to have cubs but it would mean that he would have another way to experience pleasure, though he may go into heat occasionally."

*Redacted*

"It will mean calling in a favor from the King's Shadow but, he knows of a realm where that can happen."

"Yes! I- I want to be whole again."

"I'll make the arrangements tomorrow. Now, however, it seems you're going to need to join Chester, Josh, and myself in the tub again."

Mika laughed as Ghost looked at the mess he had made.

"You think that's funny? How about the fact that you have to come with us and then groom Ghosts fur without Birch and Sticks' help?"

"Oh." Mika answered.

"I told you if your mate makes a mess you're responsible for helping him clean it up."

Ghost hung his head, "Sorry, Mika."

"It's okay. That just means I get to run my hands through your soft fur some more."

When we arrived at the locker room I told Birch and Sticks they could go have a bit of fun, but they were to be cleaned up in time for dinner.

Josh's locker had a monkey standing in a heroic pose, like a human, and Chester's had a feral chipmunk standing on a tree branch with what looked suspiciously like a hazel nut about to be hurled at a passerby. It didn't take long to get the three of them cleaned. Once we had finished we headed up to the dining room for a late dinner. The other cubs were waiting for us.

"Alright everyone, before we start eating, introductions need to be made. “This is Mika and his mate Ghost. Some of you may recognize Mika, since his former position was as a Slave Guild apprentice. Then we have Chester and his mate Josh."

"Mate?"

"Yes Josh, as you will notice all of my boys have a mate. Moving on the rabbit is Bit with his fox mate Connor. Next are the horse brothers Shot and Key and you've already met Sticks and Birch."

Chester looked around in confusion. "Um, who are Shot and Key's mates?"

"They are mated to each other."

"But that's- that's-"

"The word is incest, however as they are both males and unable to become pregnant there is no problem. They don't seem to upset about being mates and I certainly don't have a problem with it. In fact since I consider all of you boy's brothers, anytime you have sex you're having incestuous relations. Now, Shall we begin dinner?"

Once we'd finished we headed up to bed. After showing the new cubs the bathroom and having them brush their teeth I took them up to their beds.

*Redacted*

***

I had waited in Dr. Enrique's plush waiting room for nearly an hour. Still the soft cushions didn't make up for the fun I'd had the night before. I was thankful I'd decided against, a double penetration even if I had modified myself to be able to do so safely. I needed to do something to occupy myself so I wouldn't be completely focused on my discomfort. I knew I shouldn't have considered going to another auction, but with a further three hours to kill and the auction already nearly over I'd figured I'd be safe. I hooked up my headset's virtual link and checked what was on offer. It seemed all that was left was the old, young, or unwanted. According to the site updates there were only three of us online. I chose the 3D walk through option with full interactivity and started browsing. The room that came up was small and only had three cages containing an old lion with a graying mane, a scrawny wild eyed coyote, and a well-proportioned pantheress. I stepped closer for her information to load, in order to see why she hadn't sold yet.

"Hey handsome, buy me and I'll make you forget all your troubles." She purred. Then she rubbed against the bars like she was in heat.

"I wouldn't waste your time. That one is crazier than the Yote here." The lion warned me. I glanced at him as the coyote started yipping and laughing as pink foam dripped from his mouth.

"Don't listen to that flea bitten old rug. I'll make all your dreams come true."

"Yes! Yes! If dream of cock bitten off and neck ripped out." The Coyote yelled before hysterically laughing once more. His cage disappeared with a "withdrawn for medical reasons" notice. The two remaining cages moved closer together. My avatar also moved closer and warnings began flashing on my display about the pantheress. The lion was right, she had a long record of maiming men.

I smiled at her as if she was truly charming. "I'm sure you could make some men's dreams come true, but I prefer slaves with more to play with than a used up old void between their legs.

Before she could comment her cage vanished and a "Sold" notification popped up. I was about to move on but I stopped and pulled up the lion's information. Evan had been a teacher on an outlier, undeveloped, colony planet. He had been accused of inappropriate behavior and had been sent away along with his family for sale. He was marked as 67 and he did look about that age but something just seemed off. Still, there was something about him that I found compelling. I switched the settings to privacy mode.

"Tell me, if I buy you, will you do everything I order you to do?"

"No, there are some things that I won't do, even if I'm beaten."

"Let me clarify a bit. I'm talking about non-life threatening sexual activities."

He sighed and slumped down in his cage. "No, there are things I just can't do anymore. If that is what you're looking for, leave me and find someone a bit younger."

Again I considered leaving, but he was being honest and that counted for a lot. "If I ordered you to bottom for me would you do that?"

"Yes."

"And if I asked you to top?"

"Yes, as long as you are male. I just can't be with a female. I can't have another child taken from me."

That brought me up short. I thought he had been telling me he was too old. I ticked the buy button. It was impulsive but I enjoyed cubs, maybe it was more of an age play fetish. Either way I felt it worth exploring. Another box popped up asking if I wished to have my new slave's avatar accompany me as I continued shopping. I quickly chose "yes". The Lion, Evan didn't even seem to notice that I'd bout him. "How many children have been taken from you?"

"Seven, all boys."

He didn't even seem to notice that his cage was gone. The room changed to the next category: "working age adults 18-45".

"So, how old are your children?"

“Bruin is 19, Leo is 18, Race is 17, the twins Mark and Carl are 14, Rick is 13, and Justin is 12."

Again that nagging feeling about Evan being younger than he looked reared its head, but I wasn't about to ask him even in privacy mode. I looked around and there was only one lion.

"Is that one of your sons?"

Evan gasped, as he finally noticed his cage was gone. "You- You bought me?"

"Yes, and I hope I don't end up regretting it. Ordinarily I stick to younger stock." Evan gave me a strange look before glancing around the room. He quickly noticed the other lion.

"That's Leo!"

I moved closer, something was off once again as I brought up Leo's information the price was lower than I'd expected. There was also a note to keep him separated from all females regardless of species. He also had the requirement of being neutered once purchased.

"Um, Master, why won't he answer me?" Evan asked.

"Huh? Oh, we're in privacy mode so he doesn't even know we are here and even after I shut it down he won't be able to see or hear you."

I switched off privacy mode.

"You, seem like a strong, young lion. Still a bit older than my usual preferences. Though I could use a couple of lions."

"I have a younger brother, if he hasn't sold yet." Leo said as he looked up.

"Only one brother?"

"Half-brother actually. I have six half-brothers here but only one of them could pass as a full lion."

"No, Leo, you're not supposed to tell-"

I changed the setting sending Evan off for processing and clicked Leo's "buy" button.

"Maybe I'll be able to find a use for you. So, do you have any half-brothers in this age range I should consider?"

"Bruin is 19, but he isn't here. I guess they keep hybrids in a separate area."

"Are all of your brothers' hybrids?" I asked.

"Yes."

I toggled Leo's options to “accompany" and “privacy" modes before running a search for hybrids. Fifteen cages came up most with the expected ligers and canid mixes.

"Can you point out your brothers if they are still here?"

Leo move in front of a cage containing a bear with a lion's nose, tail, and a short scruffy mane.

"This is Bruin, the oldest at 19, he was the product of a high school romance. Then there is me of course. My mom was Dad's first wife but she left both of us when Bruin's Mom dumped him on us. Then there is Race at 17. He could almost pass as a full otter. He is the product of a short romance where his mom left right after he was born."

I gasped, "You're saying that your father is able to mate with any species? That's an extremely rare genetic trait."

Leo laughed, "If only Dad could have figured it out that quickly. Next are the twins Mark and Carl from Dad's second wife. As I said Mark could pass as a full lion and Carl as a wolf, but his coloring shows that he is a wolf hybrid. Allura, Dad's second wife, seemed open minded enough to accept all of us, but after the twins were born she started to find other, canid males for company. None of us were overly surprised when Dad found someone else. He thought that he would be safe with a kangaroo. According to him it was only a one night affair but with Rick and Justin only being a couple of months apart it was one cub too many and Allura left for good. She didn't even stick around for the divorce papers it was all done through the lawyers."

I finished up buying Justin for a full family set.

"So you were all basically raised by your father?"

"That's right."

"How did you all end up here?"

"Allura came back and accused dad of-" Leo quickly shut his mouth.

"I've already bought you and I'd really like to know the rest."

"She accused him of having inappropriate contact with his students and with his sons. Of course anyone with half a brain should have known it wasn't true. Not that it matters now, she got everything and we got sold into slavery. I'm not sure what happened to my father."

I sent Leo off for processing and started the check-out process only to get a "no sale" alert. I immediately contacted an auction representative. I was surprised when the room switched to a small office with a well-dressed Doberman sitting at a desk.

"Good afternoon Mr. Traveler, how may I help you?"

"My purchase was just blocked."

"One moment while I pull up your invoice. Ah yes, unfortunately the slaves you are attempting to purchase cannot be sold to a single buyer."

"Why is that?"

"There is no other information other than the two lions must be sold separately. They both have a neutering clause as well. The hybrids cannot be sold to the same buyer as the old lion."

"Is there a higher authority to whom I can state my case?"

"If you wish you can protest this all the way up to the corporate president himself, but it will do you no good."

"Good, I prefer to cut out a lot of unneeded explanation. Transfer me directly to the top."

"I can't do that!"

"It's easy just transfer me directly up to his assistant with a memo of this meeting and my request."

He sighed, and then went completely immobile. I was rather surprised. I'd been playing in VR for so long I'd forgotten about avatars reverting to a statue when its user was away.

"I'm transferring you directly to the president now, but I don't think you'll be happy with his reaction."

The new office was spacious, in fact one could say that it was too big given the Spartan decor. As I walked across the room to the desk I quickly realized that my avatar was being projected into the corporate president's office.

"You've got balls insisting to come here just to dispute a mangy old lion. After all that is what we are talking about. If you drop that one item you have no more problems."

The chair swiveled around and a lynx stared at me. It was obvious his feet didn't reach the floor and my avatar was only half size to make him seem bigger.

"I insisted on speaking directly to the one in charge since lower functionaries can rarely make critical decisions without orders from the top. As a fellow business man I knew if I wanted to get things done I needed to speak to the one in charge."

"I can't argue with your logic. Still, the question remains as to why you want to keep the old lion."

"I'm a salesman, though I ordinarily stay out at the fringes of civilized space, often on pre-industrialized planets. However, I had business here so I thought I'd check out your stock. Imagine my surprise when I discover a lion that can hybridize with any species. I know such creatures are reviled here, but on the outer worlds such exotics are worth a small fortune."

"That explains the offspring, but not the lions."

"They are an investment. The older lion is a proven breeder, but he is past his prime. The younger lion would be preferable but is still unproven and they have that irritating neutering clause."

"What about the hybrids?"

"Sales stock only. Even if they were functional it's best not to muddy the genetics anymore."

"And if their new owners decide to attempt breeding them?"

"Have you seen the outer colonies? I'd like to see any witch-doctor, healer, shaman, or medic on any of those worlds world undo Dr. Enrique's fine work."

"I see." He quickly looked me over as if reappraising my status. “Give me a minute to speak with the good doctor."

I found myself back in the Doctor's waiting room with the word "Holding" scrolling in front of me. After about three minutes I was back in the lynx's office.

"Mr. Traveler, I think we can come to an arrangement. I'll approve your sale and overlook the neutering clause on the pair of breeders with the condition that you take two additional slaves, sight unseen, off of my hands. Both are young males, the Doctor made it clear you only deal with male product. The price is that you ask no questions and you guarantee that they will never return to civilized space."

I consider for a few moments. "You realize I really would like to ask some questions, but considering that isn't an option I'll agree on one condition."

The lynx narrowed his eyes, "And that is?"

"You're not dumping that brain damaged coyote on me."

"Oh hells, I hadn't even considered that possibility. I really wish I'd thought of that. I've now confirmed your purchase and your eight new items will be delivered within the hour. The other two will be modified to my specifications by Dr. Enrique before being turned over to you. Good day, Mr. Traveler."

The VR connection shut down and I found that I wasn't alone in the waiting room.

"What the hell have you gotten yourself into? I don't appreciate being called up and interrogated by one of the most powerful individuals in this quadrant. Oh, and lest I forget, he is the one overseeing a project dealing with a couple of tigers! Do you even realize the problems you're likely to cause me?"

"How much?"

"This isn't about money! You're jeopardizing a deal I have with Mr. Shadow-"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm the client Lord Shadow will be placing Altan and Amur with in the end. Any trouble I'm causing Lord Shadow is going to rest entirely on my shoulders. Now, can you please tell me any information? Part of the deal was I had to take two extra slaves with no information what-so-ever."

Doctor Enrique stepped back in surprise and then flopped down in one of the waiting room chairs. "I keep forgetting that you and Mr. Shadow don't have instant access like the rest of us. The first slave is the corporate president's youngest son, Aaron, a product of his fourth or maybe fifth wife, it's hard to keep up with cats. Whichever, it wasn't an amicable separation and even at fourteen the cub is a very outspoken critic of his father. Especially concerning the business of the two tigers you mentioned. A few of the radical news feeds have even suggested that the cub is involved with the brothers."

"That would explain why I had to guarantee they'll never make it back to civilized space."

Dr. Enrique laughed. “I take it you didn't tell him they won't even be appearing in this universe? Oh don't look so surprised. It's rather obvious at least to me that you're not from around here. You didn't think I'd do full diagnostics and genetic tests on everyone that I treat? The results are subtle but obvious to the well trained eye. Anyway, I have to contact him as soon as you leave. Likely so that a story can be broadcast that his son has been abducted."

"So what about the other slave that he required me to take?"

"That would be Isaac, Aaron's personal slave. They are never seen apart and I can personally attest that they have a secret sexual relationship going on."

"You've already scanned them?"

"I've been holding them in stasis for nearly a week. Somehow they learned that the tigers were going to be transferred here. They came to confront me, I contacted the president, and he told me to hold them in stasis until the whole business was completed. I guess you provided an option that would remove the problem permanently."

"He mentioned that you would be altering them before I get them."

"Ah yes, permanent fur discoloration to mark them as outcasts, much like the tigers, not exactly my specialty but I believe I've out done myself in that regard. As to the other alteration we'll just write it off as I neutered both of them. After all, I already know you'll just have them restored once you take possession."

"What about the tigers?"

"They're not due for a couple more days. I'll contact Mr. Shadow when I'm ready for that transaction."

"Doctor, there is a rather large delivery here for Mr. Traveler."

Dr. Enrique stood, walked to the wall mounted communicator, and pushed the button." Have the delivery personnel move the pods to examination room three."

"They claim that they need to return with all the empty stasis pods."

"In that case show them to waiting room one and I'll get started waking the slaves." He released the button and rolled his eyes. "This is going to be a nightmare. I'm locking down this door so no one can escape. I'll wake one at a time and send him in here. I hope you only purchased non-violent herbivore species."

"Two lions and six lion hybrids."

"Wonderful, that means a real mess when they rip you apart. Ah well I suppose this waiting room could use redecorating. Just one thing, would you please pay first?"

"I suggest you start with the old lion. If I can control him the others will fall into line rather easily."

"I'll keep that in mind."