Becoming Monsters: in the Mirror

This is still a story of the Becoming Monsters universe by Ai Loves, setting used with permission. All canonical and mechanical errors are my own. The yarrb is the creation of FelisRandomis, used with permission.

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Chapter 22: Networking

As it turns out, getting a spare change of clothes for a male, approximately 6'6" and 280 pounds, is not exactly the easiest task in the ready rooms of a cheap strip joint. I ended up with a trench coat that was SUPPOSED to be loose, cutting a couple of wing slits, and wearing it like it was painted on. There was zero hope for pants, the coat reached about halfway down my thighs. If my underwear lost containment, it wouldn't hide anything. At least it had some pockets for my phone and baton.

We seriously debated leaving immediately. Right now, if I left, I could claim to have been attacked when I came here for conversation. Even had the advantage of being true. If I did any exploring, the police would not believe a word of that. Still, given who we were dealing with, I needed information. I needed to see if I could get ahead of him. My face and name were not private. I could not hide from him, not for long. No matter what his history was, he represented power. A spellcaster of some kind, strong enough to trap a sorceress and two friends with a snap of his fingers.

"Amber, Paige, any idea where his office is and what he's capable of?"

Paige was already striding towards a door in the back. "Over here!" She pointed out a plain door. Only private office I could see, so it made sense. Door was locked. I could kick it in fairly easily, or Lucy could rip it out, but I didn't want to do anything that blatant in case Marcus tried to come at me through legal channels.

Amber had our back, though. She reached into one of her Pockets and pulled out what looked like a Swiss Army knife... but one that unfolded into a set of lockpicking tools. It glowed for a moment, and she got to work. Her voice sounded oddly calm and soothing as she focused on the lock in front of her. "Hm... cheaply made, should be easy. Nothing on one, two is binding, good click on three... and we got it open!"

The door swung open, she put the tool away, and we entered. The office behind it was... sleazy. A desk. A leather couch. Couple of cameras. Filing cabinet. Nude pictures of his female employees on the walls, with notes written on them. "Look around for anything significant, but in five minutes we need to be out of here." The ladies nodded and we got to the search.

Amber unlocked the filing cabinet with the same speed as the door, then started opening drawers. Paige was searching the desk, while Lucy focused a moment. Lucy was the first to get a hit. "There's a ton of magic running around. Either a lot of thaumic engineering went into making this place, or he uses it for rituals."

A desk drawer slammed, and Paige pulled out her phone. "Got some of his finance books, getting pictures of information."

"Jay, check this out. What are these? Never seen them before" Amber had a drawer open, and even across the room I could see an odd glow. Almost like something was casting shadow the same way others radiate light.

"Anticrystals. Rare mystic component. Amber, what class is Marcus?"

"Wizard, he was level eight when I last saw him."

Oh, you have got to be kidding me... "did he by chance have a necromantic focus?"

"Yeah, said the skeletons argued less than hiring people."

"Amber, we have a LOT to talk about later. For now, see if you can find his spell book, and if you have a manashed bag in your pocket take what you think he won't miss." Seriously. How did one sleazeball wizard have the time to date and enslave a girl, run a seedy strip club, level up, and try to rob multiple banks with the local mob? And who the heck put me in the path of all of the above?

"He doesn't keep a spellbook at work. One at home, one in a deposit box."

"Alright. Two minutes, then we get out of here." I had one last thing to make sure of before we left. The working girls here were desperate. They didn't deserve to starve because their employer was... well, that. I took down pictures, names, information. A few calls later tonight might help some or all of them get better places, even if I couldn't get them out of this life entirely.

Time was up. We had to move, or risk getting caught should someone arrive. Amber led us out the back door, into an alleyway I would not have wanted to come alone, and we walked off into the early evening. There were a few people starting to gather at the front door, Paige took a moment to let them know that there had been a bit of a labor dispute, and the place probably wouldn't open tonight. They were rather disappointed with that, though they recognized Paige and knew she was one of the girls. I could see her Aura get a few sips from the interaction.

Alright. I either needed to get home, or get a change of clothes and THEN get home. The bus did not come here often, especially in the evenings, so we needed to move one way or another. We needed to get safe, get caught up. I was outside of my normal territory and comfort zone, not to mention nearly naked. I just didn't know the likely directions threats might come from.

With a crack, one of Paige's whips snapped out and struck the arm of a man we were passing as we went through another alleyway, wrapping around it in a steely grip. "Drop it!" He did, knife clattering to the floor. "Jay, get out of your head. You're in my turf right now, not fighting monsters in front of the hospital. You can do your thinking later." Alright, yeah, the next hour or so should occupy my thoughts.

"Halt, nightwalkers!" As we emerged from the alleyway, a different threat. Vigilante team. Self-righteous young punks who thought they were Surface Hunters, but ended up taking down people of unfortunate or monstrous Race more often than not. Four guys who thought themselves knights in shining armor. They were drawing weapons. Three obviously nonhuman, attractive ladies walking the night obviously had to be up to no good in their eyes.

I mean, the fact that I was dressed the way I was didn't help, either.

They didn't give more warning than that before diving in. Amber didn't have a chance to invoke her skills, but Lucy more than made up for it when they slammed face first into Shield wall. The scuffle could hardly be called such, less than sixty seconds later they were on the ground and tied up with some rope Amber kept on hand.

I addressed them. "Now, I know you all are too young to be Delvers, but let me tell you something. You can't tell what people are capable of or what they're willing to do. You got lucky this time. Next? You might not be going home. Quit it. Just some personal advice."

We kept moving. "Jay, you were way too nice to them. You know what they would have done to me if they caught me alone? I mean, if they won?"

"Paige, you're new to my side of the house, but here's the deal. We exist to protect the people of this city, regardless of their opinions of us. Why would we risk our lives fighting giant monsters if we were going to turn around and kill four of them ourselves? No. Not them. Save that for the ones who are actual threats, not misguided children. Notice that I didn't even kill the bouncers? Now, Marcus? If he'd thrown down, I might not have held back. There's a difference. Please learn it. It's important."

The ladies got catcalled a few times as we went. I got one as well. We ignored them. I took mine as a compliment, it was a new experience. I could see how it would get old before long, though. Nothing more came before we got to the next bus stop. "Amber, you're up first. Spill the details. Paige, if you spot something you can fill in, do it."

"Okay. Marcus. We were dating when the Change hit, he wasn't so bad back then. Between his Race and his Class? It got ugly. We survived the First Year, we stayed together, and that's when I made the decision to give him my Wish. There were red flags, looking back. He picked Necromancy really quickly, hated dealing with people who could tell him 'no.' It turned out that is what he wanted in people. He'd backstab anyone who could betray him, control or blackmail anyone he couldn't backstab. After he was controlling me fully, we'd go on dates down in the Dungeon, just looking for stuff for him and his experiments."

"Sounds fun," Lucy said, deadpan.

"I mean, I know you meant that sarcastically, but remember that I was under Wish influence. I was enthusiastically obeying his every command. If he had told me to sacrifice myself to a monster to let him escape? I would have done it with a smile. I definitely like being under new management. Jay likes women who are more independent."

I coughed. Paige quirked an eyebrow. I spoke up before it got more awkward. "ANYWAY. Segue. Paige, any of this sound familiar to you?"

"You'll have to explain that to me later, but yeah. I didn't even know he had a girlfriend at home. He opened the place up right when the Silk Laws got revised, and started taking in anyone he could find with nowhere to go. Half of them were homeless, or had felonies in their backgrounds. Others were addicts or thought they had no skillset that would let them feed themselves. Put a spell on us that let him track how much money we got, took his cut, and told us that the only person who was more right than the customer was him. His cut also included one to two girls a night."

... okay, so that explained why I felt like he was an utter sleazeball. "Anything about mob connections, either of you? We've had to deal with his brand of evil a few too many times alongside them to ignore." Both started speaking passionately at the same time. "Whoa! Chill!" Both fell silent. "I'll take that as a yes?" They nodded. "Paige?"

"He definitely had major scuzz and pigs for guests that he demanded we give everything to for free. Including ourselves."

I looked at Amber. "Lots of stuff he couldn't get over the table, not even at the Guild Hall."

Alright. "Any clue about levels? He could do some things I was not ready for, but if he was delving and casting all the time it makes sense." They shook their heads.

The bus chose that moment to pull up, and we got on board. The driver looked at me oddly. "Buddy, you gonna put any pants on?"

A facepalm that I managed to keep inside my head. "Sorry, stores were closed and I lost mine. We're heading home right now. Looks like there isn't anyone else on board?"

The driver looked behind him and realized that I had a point. "Just don't mess up my seats." We carded on and went to the rear bench seat. My arms were around Lucy and Amber. Paige just leaned back. I closed my eyes and thought for a second as the bus started moving. I pulled out my phone.

"I have a couple of calls to make. Lucy, wasn't Gena the one who worked strip clubs?" She nodded, clearly thinking of something else. I called our old coworker up and started asking about places that might be hiring several dancers suddenly out of a job. I was deep in discussion when I felt a tug at my underwear. I thought it was the coat catching on random things, until I felt the distinctive warm wetness of my wife's talented tongue. I looked down sharply, as Lucy gave the tip another lick, then touched a finger to her lips in a quiet sign. She took me all the way to the base and started going hard. She was trying to make it quick.

"Jay? You okay? You kind of stuttered there." Gena was a good person. I apologized for being distracted on the bus as Lucy quietly went about the business of sucking my soul out through my balls. I didn't resist, and about the time my contact promised to go looking for more info I came down my wife's throat. We hung up. Lucy swallowed everything, not spilling a drop.

"We have to make sure not to mess up the seats, after all," she whispered as she sat up.

Amber looked impressed. "How long until we get back to our street?"

We were passing some places that I was familiar with. "About twenty minutes at this pace, why... yai!" She had pulled out the hem of my underwear and sucked me down to the base in one dive. It was Paige's turn to look impressed. I was hard again in moments, and Amber was using all four of her hands to good effect along my thighs, butt, and dick.

"Shhh, Jay. Can't have it be all public!" Lucy's smirk was incredible. So was Amber's throat. She couldn't match Lucy's pure talent and skill, but her enthusiasm and determination combined with her lung capacity and utter lack of a gag reflex were very good substitutes. I was highly sensitized already, and before long I found myself going off again, a sudden and sharp kind of orgasm. Much like my wife, not a drop spilled. She leaned against me, lightly stroking at my now-deflated length. Thing is? She didn't stop. About fifteen minutes from home, I was hard again. I knew what was coming, too. Amber and Paige switched spots, and Paige went to town on me as well. Not a word was said between them, none were needed. Nor to me. I had apparently already done all the impressing that I was going to be called to today. Lucy leaned in, watching her close.

"Oh, well, now I understand her boast. Look at her go, I bet that feels incredible. I might need to see if I can do that one, it looks fun..." Yeah, trust Lucy to know how to make sure my engine was revved at all times. Paige's eyes were closed in concentration, the sounds of her throat combining with a look of pure bliss on her face. It felt frankly incredible, especially the knowledge of how she was both willing and able without supernatural aid or compulsion. It took her longer than the others, though that was at least in part due to me cumming twice in the past thirty minutes. When I orgasmed, it was a much smaller and softer thing. She, too, made sure not to spill any as she gently tucked me back into my underwear. We were only a couple of minutes from home, and got ourselves straightened up before our stop.

The bus driver didn't say anything, but his face said that he knew precisely what had happened in the back seat. I didn't say anything, either. Just hoped he didn't get a recording.

As we approached our door, I could hear the voices inside. It sounded like the twins were in as well. We went on inside, and there were a lot of loud welcomes, asking how it went. This is when everyone seemed to notice what I was wearing. Chaske looked over, looked like he was about to ask, but then saw Paige. "Diamond! You're here, too?"

I looked at him. "Chaske, why is it that you recognize every former sex worker I've had in your general vicinity?" He stuttered and sputtered something. "You know what, don't answer. Same rules apply." He nodded, and ducked back into the kitchen to keep talking to Gloria. I could smell seafood.

I took the opportunity to go to the bedroom to get changed. Granted, it was into a pair of pajamas I liked. I had no intention of going out that evening again, short of a monster attack. I could hear the others eagerly discussing the fight from earlier, but for once, I just needed a moment alone. I was sore from the fight, and made sure to use the first aid kit to disinfect a couple of the cuts. It wouldn't take much, I could trust Regeneration for almost everything, but best not take any chances. Shield arm had taken a couple of shocks, legs sore from impacts. Definitely sore in the crotch region, too, though that was less of an issue. Status screen was encouraging. I was back up to 25% capacity on Hunger, my MP and SP were a bit low. Over half on Health, which was frankly remarkable given the state I was in eighteen hours before.

I was doing little things. Folding some clothes. Putting them away. Stretching. Enjoying the moment. I heard the door creak. It was Sarah. "Jeremiah? You okay? Went to ask you something and realized you weren't out there. I like the quiet, too, sometimes."

"Yeah, it's just a lot. Guessing you heard some of what went down this evening?" She nodded. "That kind of day has become my new normal. That's not normal. We just took down the biggest demon this city's ever seen, but life presses on."

She sighed. "I hear you. I'm tired, too. There's so much to do, though, I just can't stop." She shook her head a bit. "You know, I'm a Sloth demon. I might not be a lazy slob like some of my kindred, but I'm not meant for all of this. I do it anyway with all of you, it's not

too

bad, but it can still be a lot. Oh, almost forgot. Not sure when your birthday is, but happy that." She handed over a paper-wrapped package. Soft and floppy, felt like clothing. "Go ahead, open it up!"

I did. What emerged from inside was a white shirt, long sleeved and trimmed in gold. It was remarkably lightweight, and I could see interspersed lines that shone with a metallic gleam. I recognized it. "This looks like a manashed design? Really high quality, too."

"You're right, and I made it myself. Should work better than those off-the-shelf ones, and survive the next time you get struck by lightning. Yes, I phrased that deliberately, we both know you're going to keep doing it. Should fit you increasing size up to about 30%, Emily warned me about how that works."

I took off my shirt and put it on. Sarah's gaze was appreciative as I did so. It was... actually, really comfortable. Most weren't, not really. The makers figured you were wearing one as a matter of life and death. "It came out perfect, Sarah."

Her smile was a small thing. I sensed it then. Something a bit wan. There was something else. "Sarah, tell me the rest."

One tear fell from her left eye. A sob. I gathered her into my arms, more tears fell. "You always know, Jay. How do you always know? Can you answer a question, Jay?"

"I'll do my best."

"Everything should make sense. The Races make sense. My Enchanting makes sense. Why doesn't life make sense? My parents are dead, Jay. A week before you found me. The people at the OPP told me when they checked my credentials. It wasn't a monster attack. My enchantments didn't blow up. It was a stupid traffic accident. A drunk driver going way too fast. They were good people, Jay. They did the best they could in this world. Why would that ever happen to them?"

I kept her in my arms for a few more moments as I contemplated just how I was going to respond to that. It was a question I and many others had long tried to answer, with generally very little success. "Sarah, before I respond, I want you to know that all I can offer is my own answer. This isn't a question that can be solved conclusively." She nodded against my chest. "Every person has choices to make. Every choice has outcomes. We can all try to make the best choices we can, but no person can possibly know all the outcomes. Sometimes, a good action has bad outcomes, for perfectly logical reasons you just couldn't see at the start. Sometimes those outcomes go to people you will never know, or maybe not even ever see. All any of us can do is the best we can. Does that, at least, make sense?"

She nodded again, no longer shaking with sobs. "And you tell us, too. We go out and make the choice to go into harm's way to let others have their lives."

"Exactly, Sarah. In the aftermath of the fight with the Balar, several of the victims had gunshot wounds. You may have noticed, that thing didn't use a gun. That means either myself, Paige, a police officer, or an armed bystander shot them. Did we mean to? Probably not. All of us probably wanted to help stop the demon. I'll go out on a limb and say most helped, and without the extra assistance we might not have won. It still ended with bystanders being shot. We all have choices to make."

"So some of us choose to shoot demons, and some to drive drunk. Not exactly the most sense out there."

"I did warn you it was the best I got. Now, if my nose is right... and I have no reason to doubt it... Gloria just pulled something that involves seafood out of the oven."