[NSFW] The Fine Print (Yume Kuribayashi & -NekoUke-)

[Yume Kuribayashi]

SUMMARY TO DATE​

The Fine Print was originally hosted on Fiction Depot, running from June 11, 2021 to September 29, 2023, where it temporarily concluded due to/ahead of the site's closure. Below is a summary of the RP's events to the present.

It is common belief that, when humans die, they are destined to one of two realms: Heaven or Hell. Though this dichotomy is preached as the truth, in practice there are actually a plethora of afterlives, divided by both religious denomination and the weight of one's sins. Heaven and Hell, Nirvana and Jigoku, and among them lesser-known realms only known to those who are sent there, with very few returning to the world of the living to tell the tale. That is, if the rulers of those realms will even allow them passage out of their new homes… A recurring element of these so-called "modern afterlives" are that their rulers are often female, coming off like dominatrices moreso than traditional deities. As such, their realms are viewed as "hells" moreso than "heavens", yet for every soul sent there upon death, it was all a matter of whether they were into the sort of torments doled out by the powers that be. And it wasn't uncommon either that the rulers of these realms often fraternized with one another in pocket realms of their own making, sometimes for business but most times for entertainment.

One such fraternization took the form of a poker game, played between four of these "realm rulers". Khar Altanzul, the demonic and hermaphroditic ruler of a nameless realm that she treated more as an extension of the typical Hell than its own underworld. Kaori Nakamura, a.k.a. "The Candy Tyrant", the current ruler of Wonderland, the dementedly saccharine realm known for housing humanity's most twisted souls. Naeemah, the queen of a subset of the Egyptian afterlife, infamously reputed for trapping the souls entrusted to her possession into sarcophagi with little reason or care. Hatsumegami, the lord of a Japanese afterlife whose finer details were commonly unspoken of outside the realm in question, apart from being heavy on the punishment side of things as her name suggested. The game, a typical affair for the ladies just as it would be on Earth, ultimately came out in Khar's favor, and as such, she received the prize for victory: the eternal soul of a randomly chosen human.

Said human being Naoto Itakushi, a 23-year old Japanese man whose effeminate appearance earned him modest personal success as a fashion model. Despite this, all he worked to achieve either dissipated or came crashing down through what seemed like pure happenstance; incidents physical and medical for which he saw consistent involvement, and for which he lost his job and many of his social ties. But what he thought was a scheme concocted by a jealous rival from the shadows, was in truth Khar's means of ensuring his soul's collection was done without drawing any attention, especially to his sudden disappearance from the world of the living.

From that day forwards, Naoto became Khar's personal plaything, and by extension, a resident of her household at the center of her netherworldly realm. Among her keep were hundreds of souls, if not thousands, at her complete mercy, be they trapped within the wailing wall that was her "latex pool", or exposed for more direct torment. But being among those with enough of Khar's trust to be given freedom over their own actions, Naoto's peerage primarily consisted of Khar's "inner circle". Setsufumi, also known as "Setsu", a dickgirl oni from Jigoku, who serves as Khar's second-in-command. Hana Yun, one of Kaori's underlings from Wonderland, known as a "Jester", who wound up in Khar's realm while chasing an escapee and lucked into the position of chief disciplinarian. Yukari Konno, a mid-rank subject of Khar's who, while possessing greater freedom than most, regularly and preferably acts as her house pet, a position for which she takes the shorthand "Kari". These three would act as Naoto's closest companions on his level, though with Hana returning to Wonderland in a fit of inadequacy so soon after his arrival, Setsu and Kari were the only ones to fill those roles. Setsu, in particular, would be a reliable hand for Naoto to rely on when Khar wasn't around, guiding him through the numerous need-to-knows pertaining to his new life in the greater sphere of netherworlds, as well as the changes happening within him as a newfound denizen of this specific realm…

When a human is brought into an afterlife before their time comes, especially without going through the process of dying, they don't remain human for long. Their unjudged soul, influenced by a realm meant for only those humans who have already received judgement, morphs to match the nature of that realm and its rulers. From the moment he entered her realm, Naoto began his slow transformation into a demon, just like Khar. What's more, his "inner self" – a sort of split personality containing deviant desires he never knew existed – started to form. And though Khar played a role in helping Naoto realize his "inner self" and know what to expect of him, it was Setsu who helped him embrace this persona, his wants and his needs, everything except that final push which would allow the "inner self" to emerge at long last. In his emergence, he would merge with Naoto as he presently was, likely creating an all new being… But what would happen as a result of that merge would have to wait for the anticipated moment of emergence.

That is, the Banquet in Wonderland.

The banquet, to be held in Kaori's realm, was arranged in celebration of Khar finally getting her hands on Naoto's soul. Following her return to Wonderland, Hana found herself working the arrangements for the banquet that would occur in several days' time alongside several of the realm's other Jesters. Like Hana, Kaori's Jesters are human souls given the opportunity to exert control over the typical lot of doomed souls populating Wonderland, while remaining at Kaori's mercy (or lack thereof) nonetheless. Among those Hana worked the most closely with were the other high-rank Jesters besides her. Denieru & Mitsuru Shuji, "Den" and "Mitsu" for short respectively, fraternal twins who were the closest thing Kaori had to right-hand underlings, and as such performed whatever tasks were asked of them no matter the realm they visited; Kaito Kirinaga, "Kiri" for short, a spirited and enthusiastic femboy Jester who, like Naoto, was brought into Kaori's ranks before his time and had his personality altered to match the highly perverted (though less attractive) Jesters that comprised much of their ranks; and Theodore Sumner, "Ted" for short, one of the newest Jesters, an abrasive and entitled cultist who was sent to Wonderland upon his death and placed in his present position out of Kaori's own amusement. But not only were the five Jesters preparing the banquet to celebrate Khar enslaving Naoto, but another enslavement that was the prime reason Kaori held the banquet in the first place.

In addition to the souls sentenced to her realm, Kaori also likes to make use of those still alive that she would deem perfect playthings, if not for their still-living status. Such is the case of Yukiko Nakamura (no relation), a Japanese brothel owner/dominatrix with a notorious reputation for the rough treatment of the girls in her "care". Though nowhere near as repulsive as the war criminals and other ne'er-do-wells lining the cages and cells of Kaori's keep, the other Nakamura's attitude drew the Candy Tyrant's curiosity to the point that she wanted her. And so, after sending Den and Mitsu up to observe and, in the latter's case, infiltrate her activities, Kaori was able to lure Yukiko into Wonderland through an abandoned soapland bearing the realm's name, which contained a portal leading directly there. Yukiko entered the portal with the intent of investigating the rumors surrounding it, and in doing so left behind many of those close to her, namely her personal assistant Chie Kugimiya and her younger brother Satoshi Nakamura. And naturally, upon entering Wonderland, she immediately found herself at Kaori's whims.

Kaori's goals for Yukiko initially appeared to be simple torment: physical torture and locking her in mental nightmares of her own design, meant to break her down from the inside out for her own twisted pleasure. However, being as whimsical as she was sadistic, there was another layer to Kaori's machinations: she wanted to transform Yukiko into a realm ruler of her own, one whose aesthetic was steeped in that of the red light districts populating Tokyo in the Edo and Taisho periods. And Yukiko's nightmares proceedably doubled as internal meetings with her own "inner self", taking the form of the Madam she would become upon being granted her realm in full. She was so close to her own emergence and subsequent merge, and just like Naoto, it was anticipated that it would happen at the banquet.

With Kaori hosting the event, Khar attending as an invited guest, the Jesters providing service both menial and sexual, and both Naoto and Yukiko as the living centerpieces, it appeared that the shortlist for the banquet was as complete as it was solid. However, such a formal meeting between two realm rulers was bound to attract other visitors, be they Naeemah or Hatsumegami – expected to crash the event, as it concerned the poker game that sparked half of the overall impetus – or a guest whose attendance was all but assured, as was the case of the ruler of the Henten Realm.

The Henten Realm was the closest a modern afterlife could get to true Heaven: only the pure of heart and spirit could seek entry upon death. But unlike Heaven, the souls accepted were those whose moral integrity was contrasted by kinks and fetishes that were no doubt sinful, rejected from the pearly gates and sent towards a place where punishment was as much a reward as the rewards that came with them. Ruling over Henten is Kiyomi Ichijou, an angel from the Japanese realm of Heaven who was placed in charge as a means of preventing her from causing trouble in her native afterlife. Despite the practical excommunication that was her placement as Henten's ruler, Kiyomi embraced her status thoroughly, starting many traditions both personal and communal, and all concerning her many subjects.

Of Kiyomi's subjects, a select few were kept close as personal assistants and extensions of her will. One such assistant is Makoto, a jack-of-all-trades (or jill-of-all-trades, to be more precise) who carried out many duties as Kiyomi's unofficial second-in-command, most notably head disciplinarian and spymaster, utilizing many of the realm's inter-dimensional surveillance tools to keep her mistress informed of happenings in the other realms. Another would be Yume Kuribayashi, a cheerful girl in her late teens with a laundry list of turn-ons who, as repayment for being brought back to life after an early death and judgement resulting from a breathplay incident, serves at Kiyomi's whims as a beck-and-call toady, entering the realm to either assist or pleasure her – oftentimes both at once – whenever the "Deviant's Heavenly Queen" sees fit. In one of her most recent assignments, Yume was tasked with helping Kiyomi judge the newest soul to enter Henten: Kyra May, a 20 year-old Englishwoman who also passed from erotic asphyxiation and, being non-religious enough to avoid consideration to her nation's typical afterlives, was sent directly to Henten for processing. Her judgement would be the center of Kiyomi's attention following her arrival, though at the cost of a more dire matter taking second priority…

As with all others, Henten has had those who both failed to reach it despite acting as their destination, and those detained within other realms with little hope of returning freely. One such subject, Sumire Arakawa, had found herself in Wonderland despite judgement deeming she spend her afterlife in Henten, and in the process became an imprisoned gimp. Despite fitting the bill of the "lost souls" Kiyomi regularly schemes to bring into Henten, her concerns laid with the disappearance of another: a devoted collector of lost souls, and Kiyomi's own daughter, Aimi Ichijou. Aimi was tasked with retrieving Naoto's soul from Khar's realm, a daring effort to rescue him from a fate whose right was in her mind dubious, but found herself captured by Hana, tied down and tormented by her, and then handed off to Khar for more… intimate forms of suffering. Within 24 hours, she was wrapped around Khar's finger, accepting of her fate as the demon queen's plaything… though with a few caveats, one of which was shared by Kiyomi herself.

Naoto's soul was won fair and square by Khar in her game with the other realm rulers, and Aimi's masochistic tendencies made submitting to Khar far from a bum deal for the fallen angel she now was. But Kiyomi needed to be appeased for this two-in-one loss, and like mother like daughter, they had an ultimatum in mind to keep everyone satisfied: another of Khar's subjects was to be offered to Kiyomi in place of Naoto, and in extension to replace Aimi in Henten's halls. A two-for-one deal that all parties agreed to. In Khar's case, it was especially easy, as she already had a subject in mind she was more than willing to trade. Salranis, an incubus who was a failure in his duties despite his physical attractiveness, likely because of his tryhard fashion sense, his uncordial personality, or both at once. With little motivation to improve himself for his mistress's sake, he had taken to wandering between realms, only returning to Khar's when important developments such as Aimi's capture needed calling to her attention. She had been looking for an excuse to be rid of Salranis's interruptive presence once and for all, and Kiyomi had a deep-seated craving for putting an incubus through her personal wringer. The deal was made, and the exchange was set to happen at the banquet.

Before long, the evening of the banquet arrived. Kaori and her Jesters had prepared her personal panopticon for all the anticipated guests both invited and not. Khar and her accompanying guests – the mobile Naoto and the restrained Aimi and Salranis – arrived in Wonderland through one of the many passages within her manor. And sure enough, Kiyomi and the other realm rulers from that fated poker night were gearing up to make their intros as well. Upon the arrival of Khar's entourage, with Hana turning down the offered task in favor of helping Ted with the finishing touches, Kaori greeted them and proceeded to lead them into her keep: the towering terror looming over Wonderland, and the place where the dark magic was soon to happen. And it's from that point where this RP, 697 replies in, now resumes…

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

Liminality. In both definition and atmosphere, that was the word to best describe what accounted for the "outside world" of Wonderland. A cloudless sky both bright and deep in its blue color, a harsh green-yellow field of grass that felt as fake as it looked, and a dearth of plant life, even nonsensical in nature, to give the illusion of reality. Random objects emerged from the ground to populate it some - a toadstool here, some sort of confectionery-looking object there - but they barely even made up 0.1% of the ground cover, only further demonstrating just how surreal the realm was, even before getting to the castle in the center: the sole shelter from mind-numbing monotony, yet the absolute last place any visitor who knew of the realm would ever want to find themselves. And yet it was that destination the guests of honor were heading toward for the long-awaited banquet.

Kaori, the ruler of Wonderland and its aptly named "Candy Tyrant", led the way in the direction of the castle. With a cheerily discordant tune humming from between her pink-painted lips, a manner of walking that involved pronounced steps and raised knees, and the occasional showy twirl of her scepter, it was almost like she was leading a marching band of the damned. In contrast, however, her "followers" weren't having any of it. Khar, the visiting realm ruler, strolled behind at a reasonable pace, leading her entourage along in the meantime: by her side, her acquired soul Naoto, and behind her, her newest plaything Aimi and the soon-to-be-traded Salranis. While Naoto walked free, following the two demonesses with a cautious eye, Aimi and Salranis hopped along in their restraints, blinded from where they were going and what they would see once they could see again.

No one could see them - and if one did, they hid themselves very well, like a monster from liminal space would - but even so, Khar couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed at Kaori drawing nonexistent attention to them with her showmanship. She didn't show it with a blush, but instead a side glance and a frustrated growl. She would have clenched her fist as well to easier bear it, but instead squeezed at the air in her palm, her own form of stress relief for the situation at hand. She also occasionally looked at Naoto, wondering how he was holding up to Wonderland so far since Kaori began leading them. As a visitor, she hoped he wouldn't be too tormented by what he was to experience... but of course, that would be up to how Kaori and her Jesters would choose to act once everyone was seated.

Before long, the group arrived at the castle, the only structure for miles and miles of sight, standing as tall and as ominously as it always did. Made of stone yet colored in a hyperactive array of bright shades which alternated with little concern for taste, it certainly matched the Candy Tyrant's tastes to a tee. A single glance at the castle, which she rarely saw up-close like this, was enough to make Khar wince at its gaudiness. As she looked back down, she noticed someone standing at the entrance to the castle, ready to greet them and lead them inside.

It was none other than Kiri, finished with his menial prep for the evening and waiting patiently in his full Jester garb, complete with a smiling full-face mask that hid the only normally exposed part of him. Not that it left him unexposed, his cock and balls wrapped in the perfectly conforming sheaths of his uniform. Bouncing a little in excitement at seeing Kaori and her guests, making the bells on his hood's horns jingle, he returned to attention and bowed in greeting.

"Welcome back, Mistress!" the femboy greeted. "I see our first guests have finally arrived?"

"Hello to you as well, my dear Kiri," Kaori replied, coming to a stop a few feet from the Jester as she placed her scepter orb-first against the patch of faux-grass before the entrance. "Indeed, Mistress Khar and her entourage arrived at the perfect time, as I would expect from her~." She held her free hand up to her mouth and giggled mischievously.

Khar stepped forward and bowed to Kiri. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Kaito. I see you have been trained well in Hana's absence."

"You bet~! And please, Kiri's fine. I hardly ever go by that name any more..." He glanced off to the side behind his mask, blushing in equal embarrassment and flattery at being called by his first name.

"A matter of personal courtesy, that is all." She then stepped back, patting Naoto on the small of his back, just above his rear, in a silent urge for him to introduce himself.

 

[-NekoUke-]

Khar did not need to look back at nor ask how he was doing since all things considered, Naoto was holding up surprisingly well. Albeit as one who had barely begun their transformation could in such an environment. The bright colors and hyperactive patterns of Kaori's little circle of hell making his head spin; though he pushed it to the back of his mind and continued along side the procession that would indeed eventually lead up and to the castle. The main base of operations for Kaori in this saccharine domain. His eyes skirted the building over quickly, taking in the outright tackiness of the place. Kaori sure had a rather...unique sense of style, if one could call it that but he realised he might have preferred the more muted tones of Khars realm. At least there, one knew what they were getting themselves into. Not an acid trip like Wonderland.

His attention was drifted away from the castle and onto the appearance of a male, who seemed to be decked out in a more fetishised variant of the typical medieval Jester attire. Somehow, even though this was a sight that was even more unnerving than whatever the heck Kaori was wearing. Naoto sensed that the man wearing the outfit wasn't as sinister as his appearance suggested. But rather he was friendly and excited to see a new face.

With Khars urging, Naoto stepped forward. Looking at Kiri in his eyes. "I'm Naoto Itakushi. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kiri-kun...Kiri-san?" He said. Unsure whether or not he should address Kaori's underling formally or casually. They might have been equals in hierarchy but he was a guest in another's realm, so it was wise to give her and her underlings the proper respect.

"Kaori-sama, if I may. What are your protocols?"

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

"Either honorific is acceptable," Kaori answered, straightening her posture and tracing her scepter along the ground so it was now at Naoto's feet. "Though as you have been in Mistress Khar's possession longer than Kiri has mine, Kiri-san would be the proper form of address."

After allowing Naoto the time to introduce himself proper to him, Kiri giggled, stepping forward towards Naoto. "And it's a pleasure to meet you as well, Naoto-kun~!" He stopped a couple inches short of Kaori's scepter, then leaned forward from that position. His right hand took Naoto's and shook it, while his left settled at his crotch, feeling up the other's bulge. Finally, he brought his masked face close to Naoto's, not so much to frighten him (which it surely did) but whisper something to him, and in their native language.

[I can't wait to have my way with you tonight~.] He then snickered in excitement, quickly pulling himself back, and then backflipping his way to his prior place at the castle gates.

Kaori let out a soft, if no less mischievous chuckle as well, pulling her scepter back and tapping it against her other hand. "The two of you are going to get along very well, I bet! Even if it takes a while on your end, my dear Naoto~."

Khar simply sighed, as if to remind everyone present of what was at hand. "Whatever the case, let us head inside. The preparations for tonight's banquet are surely done by now."

"Of course. Kiri, lead the way." Kaori pointed her scepter towards the main entrance.

"Roger that, Mistress~!" Kiri gave Kaori a salute, twirling around 180 degrees on the front ball of one of his feet, and then started marching down the entry hall of Kaori's keep, in the direction of the panopticon where the banquet was to take place.

Kaori followed behind, with Khar following suit, once again tugging the invisible leashes on Aimi and Salranis to get them moving. It was only a matter of time before the festivities were to properly begin...

If there was any time for Naoto to fully prepare for what laid inside, that walk through the main hall would be it.

 

[-NekoUke-]

"Ahh, right." Naoto nodded in response to Kaori informing him of the proper way to greet Kiri. The latter of which proceeded with his own form of introduction which seemed innocent at first but quickly swerved into sinister when he leaned forward to whisper into his ear, all the while rubbing his member. Okay, so maybe Kiri wasn't exactly as unthreatening as he thought. Though while Kaori was near-by and in command of him he should be fine, right? This was going to be a long, unnerving night. And the best he could do was either stay close to Khar for protection or just grin and bear it.

Regardless, the festivities were about to begin in earnest as the procession made its way through the castle gates and into the main hall beyond as their destination was indeed a panopticon style room, the walls lined with cages upon cages of Kaori's prisoners while in the dead centre sat not only Kaori's lavish and loud throne but the equally outlandish dining table, the food of which wouldn't be the most interesting sight but rather what was in the middle. An unconscious, nude, ball-gagged female. Hog-tied as if she was the proverbial pig with the apple in her mouth. If this was Kaori's idea, she certainly had a twisted sense of humor, Naoto thought.

The womans name? Yukiko Nakamura. The 'star' of the show.

"So, this is Wonderland.." He said, managing to drag his eyes away from the woman on the table and towards the various damned souls Kaori kept prisoner.

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

Between Kaori's departure and her arrival, the table for the banquet was prepared to a degree that even the Candy Tyrant was sure to be impressed with the speed with. Considering she had left for less than ten minutes to greet Khar and her entourage, that made the placement of the dishes and of the centerpiece that was Yukiko Nakamura all the more stand-out. Plus all the remaining Jesters of worth were there, ready to see Kaori's return.

And once she did arrive, Ted turned to Kaori and bowed in her presence. He remained silent, opting to let either Hana, Denieru or Mitsuru handle the greeting.

As Naoto gawked at the sights within Kaori's panopticon, Khar glanced at him with a solemn expression. Such actions would be normally worth a reprimand, but she remained silent on the matter, waiting to see if he'd return to attention in the next minute before they were seated.

 

[-NekoUke-]

And return to attention he did. Though it wasn't like anyone could blame him for gawking at the sights that lay before him. Kaori's realm was rather...unique in its architecture compared to Khars, so his wonderment was understandable. His eyes cast toward the Jesters in the room, recognising at least one of them as Hana; who seemed to stay quiet for now as another by the name of Denieru stepped forward, opting to provide the greeting over his sibling.

"Greetings and welcome to Wonderland!" Den bowed at the waist, placing his hand on his heart. "My name is Denieru, but please - call me Den. Regardless myself, Mitsuru and Hana here will be glad to serve you in any way we can." He clicked his fingers, prompting Hana and Mitsuru to move two chairs back for Khar and Naoto to sit. "Please, have a seat. Proceedings shall begin anon."

"What about those two? Ya forget about them?" Mitsuru nodded towards Aimi and Salranis, making Den blush a little.

"Ah, right." He looked to Kaori. "They are to be stored in a holding cell, yes Mistress?"

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

"Ooh! Don't forget about me and Teddy!" Kiri chimed in, bouncing on the balls of his feet and raising his hand to emphasize his addition to Den's opening remarks. Afterwards, he bowed as well, placing his own hand over his chest.

Ted begrudgingly bowed in the same fashion, grumbling at the embarrassing nickname Kiri often referred to him by.

"Under normal circumstances, yes," Kaori answered Denieru, caught up enough in Den's expert greeting that she waited to make her voice known in her own chambers until this moment. She held her scepter out and lightly rubbed Aimi's thigh with it. An innocent enough gesture, though the contact the orb at the end made with her exposed, angelic skin sparked an intense tingling sensation to the same degree as a masochistic burn. "However, seeing as the angel is another of Mistress Khar's subjects like her boy toy over here..." She looked back at Naoto, winked, then brought her focus over to Salranis, to whom she frowned. "...and the incubus next to her will be directly traded off to one of our later guests, I'd rather they be free from such bondage. Their current trappings are satisfactory enough, both for keeping them in line and for keeping them agonized as we feast on what's been prepared for this momentous occasion. Unless you wish for them to consume some of what's been prepared alongside the rest of us, Mistress Khar?" She turned to Khar and teasingly bowed a few times, eagerly awaiting her no doubt immediate and terse response.

"I would rather they remain gagged for now. Once Kiyomi approves my ownership over her kin, she shall consume our scraps." She curled her index finger inwards, tugging against Aimi's neck as she did. "The failure, on the other hand, shall receive nothing. He is only here to be handed over, after all." She then curled her middle finger inwards, this time prompting a tug against Salranis's neck.

"Just the judgement I would expect from you~." Kaori snickered, pulling her scepter away from Aimi and then pointing it in the direction of a pair of empty seats at one end of the table, neither at the head. "That being said, the angel and incubus shall sit over there. Something tells me Kiyomi-sama will arrive from that side of the hall, thus it will be convenient for her to pick them up then. As for you, Mistress Khar, dear Naoto, sit wherever you like. The Jesters assisting you will be more than happy to give you some pre-dinner service~."

"It would be my pleasure, Kaori." Khar bowed her head to Kaori, then headed toward the chair Hana pulled out for her.

At the same time, Kiri skipped over to one of the chairs left alone, pulling it out and patting the seat in an attempt to urge Naoto to sit by him. Clearly he wanted to pleasure him right away, but would the young man allow him the opportunity?

Ted, meanwhile, remained in place. He wanted no part of sucking anyone's dick tonight, at least not while he still had a say in such options.

 

[-NekoUke-]

"Ohh, and Kiri and..him I guess." The way Den referred to Ted suggested he didn't think too highly of him. And indeed he didn't, especially given his circumstances and reluctance to do as he was told. Still, that wasn't what tonight's festivities was about and he didn't let his disapproval of him distract him from what was really important. Hana on the other hand, while quiet was gently swaying back and forth. for as scatter-brained as she was; the woman hid quite the sadistic streak. Her eyes were darting between the two prisoners Khar brought in, as well as Naoto. Thinking up all kinds of torturous situations she could put them through.

The congregation eventually were sat when directed, with Aimi sounding a muffled cry that sounded much more like a moan when Kaori rubbed her thigh with the electrified scepter. She didn't resist however, unlike Salranis who continued to struggle to little avail.

Kiri seemed to be a little smitten with Naoto, something that did not escape his notice when he placed himself on the chair that Kiri had pulled out for him. Naoto thought about it, not being entirely sure a dinner table was the appropriate place for any kind of sexual activity. But down here, such etiquette was tossed out the window and besides, it wasn't like Naoto could ignore the urgings of his inner-self as it were. He looked up at Kiri, sensing his desperation.

"On your knees then, you know what to do~" He smiled.

"Oh, Mistress Khar, a question if you would." Mitsuru called out. "It's about the failure. I understand he's somewhat of a wanderer, for lack of a better term. Don't you have another one working for you? To be honest I'm surprised that's even allowed."

"Well, considering they aren't being led around with the failure, whoever it is has to be a heck of a lot more useful."

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

Kiri giddily bounced on the balls of his feet the moment he noticed Naoto heading to his chair, keeping it held out even as he sat down. But when he went and gave him the order to get on his knees and start sucking - the latter order unspoken, but as obvious as could be conveyed - he practically squealed in excitement. He stifled it to a high enough pitch to be barely audible, though, and immediately followed up with an at-attention salute to the male guest. "Yes, sir~!"

Right away, Kiri moved down onto his knees, shifting against the stone floor so he faced Naoto. Pulling the legs of his chair in as he would have done were the expectation of service not there, he then reached up and started rubbing Naoto's bulge through his outfit, as a way of warming him up before the real fun could begin...

As that went on, Khar turned to Mitsuru as she called her attention. Her responses were simple and short to start - a "Yes?" here, a nod there - but when asked about the second wanderer in her employ, she went into a more in-depth response, starting it off with a grin. "Ah, you must be referring to Meredieth. Yes, she does serve under me as a 'wanderer', much like this one did until very recently." She pointed back at Salranis with her thumb. "If you can call what he has done in the past years as 'servitude'." She then lowered her arm, sitting down in the chair Hana pulled out for her. "And you are indeed correct, Denieru, she is of greater use to me than the failure, regularly luring souls to my realm upon the coming of their times." She pointed down between her knees while giving Hana an authoritative glance, then nodding as a further wordless order for her to kneel and suck.

"As if anything less could be expected from she of the Constant Shadow," Kaori chimed in, seating herself down at the head of the table. From her perspective, Naoto was directly to her left and Khar to his left, while the seat to hers, the three to her right, and the other end remained vacant. Though the latter two by the head were in the process of being occupied, as Ted, who took Aimi and Salranis's "leashes" from Khar just as she joined in the conversation, sat them there with a notable roughness. Aimi was to Khar's left, in the seat pulled out by Mitsuru, and Salranis across from Aimi. After giving a brief observation of the scene, Kaori returned to the conversation. "But even then, I heard that she's been slacking lately, am I not correct?"

"To a degree, that is true," Khar nodded. "Her soul collection quota has dipped compared to previous years, but not without adequate reason. This past year, Meridieth has become involved with paranormal investigations in the mortal realm. She has even found herself a boy toy to keep herself entertained with when off-the-clock. Who also happens to be her partner in crime-fighting, as it turns out."

"Oh, is that so~?" Kaori rested her head against her right hand, curious to see what more Khar had to confirm about Meridieth's recent goings-on.

 

[-NekoUke-]

Bits and pieces of the conversation caught Naoto's interest. There was another one like Salranis and yet wasn't considered a failure? How did she manage to skirt by and not gain Khar's ire even long after her soul collection quota dropped? She had to have been good at what she did to earn that small reprieve. Finding out she was involved with paranormal investigations back on Earth was a surprise as well. A demon helping solve potential crimes? This was all new to him.

He didn't have much time to parse through what he had heard before the sensation of Kiri rubbing his bulge sent shivers coursing through his body, getting him hard before he knew it. His inner self was urging him on to just roughly fuck this Jester that was teasing him but he relented, letting the man do his work.

"Wait, she of the Constant Shadow?" Mitsuru just managed to contain a laughter at the epithet that Meredieth gave herself. "Did she really call herself that? Oh man, how chuuni can you get?"

"Well due to what we have heard...when you're as good as she is, you can call yourself whatever you wish." Den said.

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

With the way they talked about "wanderers", at least with regards to Salranis, it would be all too easy to conclude it was an undesirable position in Khar's hierarchy. Of course, just because one wanderer was met with scrutiny, it didn't mean what few others would be approached the same way, at least in theory. Merideith's successes were proof of that, as much as the leniency towards her alternate endeavors made her look like an exception to the rule, moreso than the standard that Salranis broke by being a failure in his own right.

Not that those nuances were of too high a concern for Naoto at this moment. After working him to partial hardness in rubbing his bulge, Kiri pulled down the young man's thong, letting his cock and balls bounce free. Without a single word, he snickered excitedly at the delicious sight, after which he placed one hand on his thigh while using the other to lift up his mask, revealing the lower half of his painted-up face, bright blue lipstick serving as the main eye-catcher. Without delay, he wrapped those same lips around Naoto's shaft and started bobbing his head up and down, taking it into his mouth with ease and enthusiasm. He additionally coiled his tongue around his shaft, using it to elevate the sensation in ways the proto-incubus never would have dreamed of while still among the living.

Ted scoffed lightly in response to Mitsuru and Denieru's comments on Meridieth's self-applied title, roughly sitting Salranis down as he chimed in. "Whether or not she deserves the moniker, it's better to have a lame title than lame fashion sense, if you ask me." He reached down and pinched one of Salranis's nipples, giving it a sharp pull for a few seconds before letting go.

Khar couldn't help but snicker some at Ted's comment, as well as what he did to emphasize it. "The way you say that, it is like Meridieth's fashion sense is not lame itself. Though that, of course, would depend on how you feel about body piercings."

"On her toys, or on herself?"

"A little of both, actually."

 

[-NekoUke-]

"Oh yeah I heard Meridieth is quite the fan of body piercings." Mitsuru said, grinning as Ted led Salranis to his seat roughly and made him squirm and cry out with the sharp pull against his nipples. "It's also just a rumor..one that Mistress Khar may be able to confirm but Meridieth has a small pocket realm. Small enough that it's just one room, a dungeon where she brings her claimed souls."

"She also has an Incubus slave."

"I was getting to that." She glared. "Oh and she's quite fond of stretching folk out on a rack, whipping their skin nice and raw before sticking all sorts of piercings and needles into their flesh."

While the conversation continued a pace, Naoto was too focused on what Kiri was doing to even care, let alone hear what they were saying about Meridieth. The moment Kiri wrapped his painted lips around his shaft, he felt himself become slightly overwhelmed with an otherworldly pleasure. As if Kiri's own supernatural status further enhanced his natural cock sucking abilities. Either that, or it was his other self prodding the mostly still mortal Naoto into surrendering his body to the femboy Jesters movements. "F-fuck~" He moaned gently, his lips quivering. "P-please be gentle down there..."

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

Really, now~..." Kaori chuckled at the thought of Meridieth engaging in all that those rumors said. In a pocket dungeon, torturing her incubus slave in the fashion described, with the added detail of him begging for more, to which she sadistically obliged... Quite the visual to put in someone's head, all at once like that. And for the Candy Tyrant, it was as familiar as it got. "With rumors like that, it's almost like she takes after me moreso than her own Mistress!" She let out a bolder laugh in further response.

Khar glanced over at Kaori in her fit of laughter, glaring and scowling in a fashion that exuded annoyance as opposed to fury. Her glance back, eyes closed and lips smiling now, further conveyed such emotion. "That may be the case, as wanderers do often take on their own identity separate from their ruler. Though I doubt Meridieth would ever have had a run-in with your influence, Kaori. Aside from maybe one or two interactions with Hana here." She reached down and patted Hana on the head. Whether or not she was doing as she directed of her earlier was unclear, as the conversation was just that enrapturing.

"Maybe," Kaori nodded, "but whether or not Wonderland had a role in making Meri-chan the succubus she is today, the important thing is, are any of what's been said about her true?" She pointed at Khar, as if demanding an answer through her questioning tones.

Khar gave Kaori another quick glare, beforehand wincing slightly at the term of endearment with which she referred to Meridieth - it was the honorific that did it, not the shorthand which Meri often answered to - and then closed her eyes with a returning grin as she went to confirming. "Yes, all of what your Jesters said of her is true. I will give her credit, she lives up to her reputation beautifully. Hence why she is the best wanderer in my ranks."

"Yeah, like her competition was all that stiff to begin with..." Ted snarked, having let go of Salranis's nipples after toying with them in disgust for a few moments. With equal annoyance, he brought his hand down to his crotch and started squeezing his shaft, almost like he was trying to make him stiff, were he not intending to deliver unto him a low-key yet precise form of pain.

All the while, Kiri continued fellating Naoto, bobbing his head back and forth and jacking him off with his tongue for a good minute. Speaking of stiff cocks, his was at full mast, twitching inside the conforming shape of his uniform as a small reservoir at the tip collected any pre that leaked out. He avoided stroking it, though, getting plenty of arousal just from the act of his blowjob. Yet with as much power as he held over the incubus-to-be, he remained subservient to his Mistress's guest, nodding once at his recommendation to be more gentle. His bobs got slower, and his tongue's motions as well. He didn't stop trying to make him cum, but he no longer tried to overload him into bursting as early as possible.

 

[-NekoUke-]

There was a chorus of pleasured and agonised moans from both Salranis and Naoto. Of course, while Naoto was feeling the utmost ecstasy from Kiri and his well-trained fallatio. Salranis was undergoing torture from Ted. Nothing less for a failed Incubus though, and knowing Ted he was enjoying punishing someone who was a 'sinner' let alone a denizen of the Underworld. When it pertained to Meri however, it wasn't like she would not have done the same thing. Though it was likely she would have used her favorite 'instruments' to assault the nipples and member of her victim.

"So, who have we got left on the guest list?" Den said, wishing he had a clipboard to bring up as cliche as it was. "I'm sure our friend here is just dying to get started." He looked at Yukiko, who squirmed and whined in her binds on the table. Hana meanwhile, responded positively to Khar's petting of her.

They seemingly would not have to wait for long as the door to the dining hall swung open, the guest just inviting themselves in unattended it seemed. What followed was the sight of a woman, standing around a good 6 and a half foot and clad in a revealing gown that appeared ancient in its design. She had flawless, golden brown skin and hid her visage with a similarly opulent burial mask that looked like it came out of Egypt. One didn't need to guess just who this was but in case she needed any introduction; this was Naeemah. The ruler of an Egyptian underworld that was known for its mummification kink.

Everything about her, her aura was intimidating. Naoto didn't exactly notice that she was the one that people spoke in hushed tones about much earlier as he was too busy being sucked off still; his face twisted in a delightful way, but he would eventually. Just not yet. Any-road, she silently sat down and gave a polite nod in Khar's direction. Not once acknowledging Kaori's presence even if she was a guest in her realm. She carried herself with confidence and grace, befitting a so called 'Queen'. There was something about her that did not add up however, like she didn't live up to her 'reputation'.

"Figures we were missing someone." Den nodded. "Her Highness graces us with her presence."

"Hush your tone, boy." Naeemah said lowly, her gaze once again back on Khar. "And that one over there is yours?" She motioned to Naoto

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

"Besides her holiness Kiyomi and whatever entourage she'll no doubt be bringing," Kaori answered, her emphasis of Kiyomi's title tinged with sarcasm, "no one I expressly extended a formal welcome to." Just then, her gaze narrowed. "Now uninvited guests, on the other hand... No doubt we'll be receiving a visit from Na-"

Before she could so much as finish that sentence, the doors swung open, as if to do it for her. The burst of aura that followed was enough to stop those caught in its range in their tracks, which was the case for those on the more subservient side. Ted paused his squeezing of Salranis's member, letting go as his gaze shifted to the entrance hall. Kiri likewise ceased sucking off Naoto, but only for a few seconds, as if to acknowledge the presence; he went right back to sucking once the shock wore off. No doubt Denieru, Mitsuru and Hana also felt it, as would Aimi, Salranis, Yukiko and Naoto. As for the two realm rulers, Khar kept her cool upon the aura's "impact", feeling more like a calm breeze than a splash of ice water. After a moment, she closed her eyes and grinned. Kaori, on the other hand, looked up with a slight pout, and traded out her unfinished sentence for a new one entirely.

"Well, speaking of which!" she remarked in a biting tone, lightly tapping her fingers against the table as she witnessed the approaching realm ruler alongside everyone else.

While her aura could have belonged to many a deity, her appearance made it absolutely clear: the uninvited guest of the hour was none other than Naeemah, the Egyptian punishment goddess ruling over a realm designed for sinners of a perverse nature. Whether they liked it or not - and there were plenty of both to spare - she regularly subjected them to mummification true to the ancients who worshipped her superior deities, as well as modern variations truer to those who she ruled over more frequently. And she didn't arrive alone, either. Walking behind her at a similar pace was another woman of considerable height for the average, sitting at just six inches less than Naeemah, and that included her tall jackal ears. Her raven hair, tied in place with gold manacles, was large and voluminous, finishing in a ponytail set low enough to be mistaken from the front for an actual tail. A pair of large paws for hands completed the zoologic comparison. The rest of her appearance was accented with various items of clothing and accessory: a black leotard, transparent sleeves connected to bands on her upper arms, a gold posture collar, latex thigh-highs with integrated platforms, and a full face mask akin to Anubis himself, but with golden lips. Whoever she was, she was clearly some form of attendant.

As Naeemah took her seat among the two vacants between Kaori and Salranis, Khar turned to her Highness, keeping her grin and nodding to her in greeting. "Naeemah. A pleasure to see you again." A greeting that necessitated a silent and respectful response.

Despite being right next to her, Kaori got no such recognition, to which the Candy Tyrant scoffed and glanced away.

"Figures we were missing someone." Den nodded. "Her Highness graces us with her presence."

"Hush your tone, boy." Naeemah said lowly, her gaze once again back on Khar. "And that one over there is yours?" She motioned to Naoto.

Khar glanced in Naoto's direction at Naeemah's acknowledgement and nodded once. "Yes. The one I won in our little game the other day. I bet you are jealous he wound up with me and not you, am I wrong?"

As the realm rulers exchanged dialogue, Naeemah's Anubis-esque attendant silently seated herself between the Queen and Salranis, quietly observing the contents of the table, as well as those present. Best to take stock of everyone she would potentially interact with before the evening kicked into higher gear...

 

[-NekoUke-]

Naeemah looked over at the current scene in front of her as it played out. It seemed like a fairly average banquet save for the blowjobs that were being had, and the fact there was a nude and hogtied woman on the table. Trussed up as if she was the proverbial pig. Was this Kaoris idea? From Naeemah's perspective it sure fit her sense of humor. She decided saying anything against the 'uncouth' displays and moved on to more important matters, like ignoring Kaori and answering Khar's own response.

Not that anyone knew it, but there was a good reason she pretended Kaori did not exist. Still, she had to break bread with and interact with her despite their shared differences.

"Jealous, maybe a little." Naeemah admitted, shifting in her seat a little after that admission. It was a bet that she surely should have won but either Khar was on a bit of a luck streak or it was rigged from the start. Either way, while it did bother her a little she got over it. "And in case you are wondering who my assistant is for tonight, this is Dendera." She motioned to the Anubis-esque woman beside her. "Please pay her no mind."

"And where is the usual lacky of yours?" Mitsuru folded her arms.

"The correct term is slave boy but..oh, Hasani?" Naeemah chuckled. "He's currently enjoying my embrace." Anyone who knew Naeemah and her methods did not even need to ask what she meant by that. She had a peculiar way of mummifying her victims. Sometimes full, but most of the time she left their feet and head exposed. With a small hole that allowed their nether-regions to poke through. Their mouth was also covered with the wrappings, effectively gagging them. All capped off with being shut inside a sarcophagus that bore her likeness, thus her 'embrace'.

Though she wasn't opposed to leaving them on a slab either.

"Anyway, this thing on the table...what is her sin?"

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

"I thought so," Khar mused, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair with a slight smirk.

"And in case you are wondering who my assistant is for tonight, this is Dendera." She motioned to the Anubis-esque woman beside her. "Please pay her no mind."

Dendera silently bowed in greeting as Naeemah introduced her, but in contrast to the expectation set by such a gesture, she turned to Naeemah and spoke up. "My Queen, don't say such things," she playfully bantered. "It's not as if I'm a nuisance without trying, at least, not on the level of your usual lackey~." She snickered softly behind her mask, making reference to Hasani just in time for Mitsuru to ask about him, and Naeemah to answer in kind.

As she did, she turned her visage towards Denieru. With a hidden grin, she raised one of her paws, curled the index finger equivalent inward, and then pointed down at the floor. As Kiri was doing with Naoto, and Hana was supposed to do with Khar, she intended for him to orally pleasure her, and she had confidence he would comply.

Kaori petulantly observed the conversation as it played out, glancing back and forth at whoever was speaking at that moment. Eventually, her gaze settled on the bound and struggling Yukiko, as Naeemah asked about her presence, appropriately enough. She considered giving no response, but just as readily relented. Their guest asked a valid question, and only a poor host wouldn't have answered in kind.

"Anyway, this thing on the table...what is her sin?"

"Prostitution." Kaori raised her scepter and poked Yukiko's buttocks with the orb end, sending pinpoint shocks throughout that sensitive region. "Yes, this one was quite the souteneur in the mortal realm, pimping girls out to all manner of lowlifes and reaping every last bit of coin for herself. Quite the despicable one, if you ask me. And yet..." She pulled her scepter back, closed her eyes and grinned. "...her spirit was just irresistible. Up close or at a distance, I knew she was beyond perfect a specimen for me to break to pieces and mold anew. And what luck I was able to procure her the same time Mistress Khar over here finally got her hands on the prize of our little game?" She glanced over at Khar, expecting her to chime in.

"It is quite the coincidence, I must agree." Khar closed her eyes and let another small smirk out. "These past days have been full of perfect timing, to the degree that realm rulers like ourselves must admit the cosmos are aligning just right."

"You sure said it, Khar-chan~!" Kaori put down her scepter and raised her wine glass with the same hand, as if starting a toast.

Khar slightly grumbled, looking down in muted embarrassment. Did she really have to call her that in front of Naeemah, let alone all of their servants? If nothing else, Naoto was too distracted by Kiri to notice or care, so she could take solace in that, at least.

 

[-NekoUke-]

"And I'm glad it's you I decided to bring and not Hasani. That boy is mine and mine alone."

Behind her mask, Naeemah wrinkled her lips at the debauchery going on around her. With Hana finally snapping into action and seeing to Khar, Naoto continuing to receive head from Kiri and even her attendant getting in on the 'fun' and instructing Den to see to her. They allowed this here? She thought. Though it wasn't the carnal sights that bothered her but rather the fact that the guests had no shame or decency to take it away from the dinner table. Naeemah had always considered herself to be one of the few underworld rulers that had some idea of what the word etiquette meant, after all.

Still, this was Kaori's house and it was her rules. She'd not say anything regarding the sights and instead remained focused on the bound woman before her as Kaori explained the circumstances of her being here in the first place; while Kaori made the woman squeal with her scepter of course. "I see.." Naeemah said, staring at Yukiko as she imagined her not in ropes but wrapped up and subjected to the tortures of her realm. "And I thought that would have earned her a spot among the damned of Wonderland. Still, she makes for a wonderful decoration. Though if I were you..I would have gone for something more...restrictive." It was obvious what Naeemah was hinting at.

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware of how possessive you are of him..." Dendera slyly remarked, her eyes following Denieru through the openings in her mask as he started his approach. With any luck, he wouldn't hesitate, not like the Jester that was kneeling between Khar's legs. The lack of even the slightest bit of pleasure from the expressions and vocalizations of one of the central visitors was enough for her to tell Hana was spacing out. That appeared to be changing now, based on the slight grunt Khar emitted as she finally "snapped into action", as it were.

As for Naeemah's further comments regarding Yukiko, Kaori responded to the first promptly. "And that she did, just not in the way one typically would." With a giddy snicker, she let the Queen finish, and then resumed herself. "I can't blame you there, but still, bandages are your thing more than they are mine, so...!" She tapped Yukiko on the rear with her scepter, sending another jolt of pain through her. "C'est la vie~."

"Which would be the point she was trying to make, Kaori," Khar interjected with a wry grin, grunting again as Hana gave her another lick. She took a glance over at Naoto, curious to see how he was holding up at the mercy of Kiri's mouth.

 

[-NekoUke-]

The conversation continued apace as the banquets servants fulfilled their current duties with Hana sucking off Khar, Den working on Naeemah's right hand woman and of course let's not forget Kiri pleasuring Naoto with his no doubt expert mouth. Which incidentally had just made him climax, with his 'other self' showing once more through his eyes due to the over-stimulation. Boy did that ever feel good. And he was willing to bet that Kiri was not done, not by a long shot. Though the fun did have to end some time and he did not want to greed Kiri, so he patted his head to tell him he was done.

"A-ah...that's enough." He panted. "You're a good boy."

"Those eyes." Naeemah squinted her own, staring at Naoto intently. "The transformation is beginning I see, Lady Khar. You've chosen to strip him completely of his mortal soul and make him one of your brood." She used a rather unique way to infer that Naoto's transformation would result in him becoming a demon bound to her service. "What rank will the boy hold..I wonder? Imp? Incubus?"

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

It was only inevitable that Naoto would cum at some point, so long as Kiri continued to blow him. The femboy Jester happily, almost greedily, swallowed his guest's seed, shuddering in delight at both the taste and the power it possessed, something that was just as indicative of his "inner self's" eventual surfacing. Bits and pieces were making themselves known right now, and it was only a matter of time before the whole package burst onto the scene, as it were. Most likely the next time Naoto himself experienced a "burst" to the degree Kiri pushed him to, and was more than ready to push him to again.

However, that time seemed to be over, as Naoto reached out and patted Kiri on the head. Obediently, his tongue ceased its motions, and he pulled away from the young man's crotch, licking his lips before fitting his mask back in place. With a cheerful giggle, he popped his head out from between Naoto's legs and snaked his way up his body, almost like he was going to molest him some more, and while he did caress his sides some, much of his action was verbal. "Hehehe, that sure was fun~! I look forward to seeing what more you have in store for me after the meal, stud~." He playfully poked at Naoto's chest with his index finger, then leaned forward, humming behind his mask as if he were expecting Naoto to kiss it, just above where his puckered lips were located.

From Naoto's climax to Kiri's show of thanks, Khar watched with a pleased smile. One that briefly faded as Naeemah took note of the shades of Naoto's "inner self", only to return as she gave her response to her fellow realm ruler. "Only in the sense that all humans who enter my realm before their time do. It was always my intention to see him transform, it was only inevitable, after all."

"What rank will the boy hold..I wonder? Imp? Incubus?"

"Definitely an incubus," Khar said with little hesitation, closing her eyes and shaking her head as she continued. "He is far too involved in sexual matters to be limited to the tasks of a lowly imp." She then raised her head back up, opening her eyes once more. "Besides, I am in need of an in-house energy collector, now that Meridieth has opted to operate outside of my realm in the long term."

 

[-NekoUke-]

What exactly did Kiri mean when he said 'after the next meal'? Of course, Naoto was not entirely ignorant. He knew exactly what he had meant but was he just content with playing coy or feigning his own lack of knowledge since he was a newbie to these realms; having not turned completely yet though he was definitely close. Closer than he might have hoped. As for the kiss, he of course reciprocated. It would have been rude not to as he leaned forward himself, placing a light peck on the mask in the expected place, showing his appreciation for Kiri's 'services' as it were.

After which, he'd turn his attention back to the current conversation. Naeemah leading the current topic.

"I suppose you already have Hana for such lowly tasks when she returns to your fold." Naeemah said which made Hana look in her general direction for a moment before she resumed in her current duties. "I'm not at all surprised Meridieth has decided to strike out on her own, especially given the soul that she is bound to. I wonder how she is treating him...hmm.."

"If I may." Naoto held up his hand, waiting for permission to speak more.

 

[Yume Kuribayashi]

Kiri giggled as Naoto kissed his mask, snaking his way out from under the table and back to its perimeter without a further word. Humming with delight, he skipped around over to Mitsuru and Ted, eager to see what they were up to while he was busy the past few minutes.

"That I do." Khar reached down and rubbed the top of Hana's head some as she continued to pleasure her. "Considering she abandoned her post in favor of her prior realm, she will need to work her way back up to her previous standing." With a soft chuckle, she then moved on to answering Naeemah's next comment, this time on Meridieth and her "boy toy", as it were. "Knowing her, I imagine the treatment is loving, yet at the same time sadistic. And that he is enjoying it just as much as she is~."

Kaori simply sat by and watched as Khar and Naeemah conversed, pouting some at feeling left out of the conversation so suddenly. Not that it was any huge issue, since the other two realm rulers barely talked since their little game night. It was only polite to let them catch up, even if "politeness" was a seldom-employed phrase in her personal dictionary. She even gave a glance up at the high ceiling of her panopticon, as if she were waiting for them to finish. But instead, she was sensing something, something from outside her realm and closing in towards it. The other invited guests were about to arrive, it seemed...

But before they could, after sitting back and simply basking in the pleasure that Kiri provided him, Naoto made a move to speak. This distracted Kaori's attention, the tyrant looking at him with slight offense but making no move to stop him. Ted mimicked his Queen's reaction, though not on purpose. Dendera, meanwhile, hummed curiously as her eyes moved to him. And as for Khar...

"Of course, Naoto," she spoke, turning to him with a genuine smile, almost sweet in how she delivered it. "Go right ahead."

 

[-NekoUke-]

The incoming presence would be stifling to those who were unfamiliar or not used to feeling it, especially the lower ranking denizens. But even then, the higher ups like Naeemah and Kaori could feel it approaching their location; and rapidly at that. A heavenly aura, that was very different to the one who had been bound and brought into the banquet alongside Khar and her guests. No, this one was stronger, more intense. Naeemah thought of making a move to stop Naoto in his tracks from asking what he had been given permission to. Instead, she watched as he seemed to stop himself.

Just before he could speak, his other self took notice of the divine oppressiveness that filled the air. And while the real him did not react, his other self was panicking - wanting to take over his host and flee as far as he could from the heavenly aura. He kept his composure however and finally spoke up.

"This is more of a question for Mistress...I mean, Queen Kaori." He bowed his head. "This place is shaped like a panopticon, a prison where the inmates are being watched at all times. Was that design decision a deliberate one? There's cages along the walls, hanging from the ceilings and walkways..Not that I'm complaining! Quite the opposite."

"I'd also like to thank you for hosting this banquet, Queen Kaori. May I kiss your feet?"

Naeemah chuckled. "Already wishing to show the proper respect for his superiors, and in such short a time. You've broken him in well, Khar. My compliments to you." She rose her glass in a toast. "He reminds me of Hasani, doesn't he so?"