* Cherry-Blossom *

I think the party of new players was ready to bail. It was clear from their startled expressions that they were expecting something else than the group they saw before them. They had come seeking pointers but were now questioning if they really wanted our advice. And to dissuade them more, Mack said, without looking at them, "Figure it on your own. No one helped us."

"Wait," I said to her and our party as a whole. "Maybe we can help each other. If they just entered they might have some information about what's happening."

Yarrow agreed with me, "Yes, we ought to find out what we can."

"You do what you want," Mack said. "I'm not wasting my time."

Crystal and Trogia both seemed to agree with this sentiment, although not as rudely. And Ellie seemed super uncomfortable with the way the group was gawking at her. They gawked at me too, and the men seemed about ready to start drooling (my high Presence score seemed to elicit this reaction a lot), but my curiosity outweighed my discomfort. 

The ones willing to talk to them went over to a long communal table to talk with these new folk. They were a little wary to join us, but couldn't resist the promise of some inside tips. Although honestly, I'm not sure if we had anything valuable to share.

We told them our names and they introduced themselves. All of them had the sort of names you'd expect in a fantasy RPG. Things like Velia, Danmagar, and Aellae. Yarrow immediately asked them how they got their names.

"Character creation," Velia, the otter-girl, said. There was a strong of course implied by her tone. 

"Tell us about the process," Yarrow prompted. But they pushed back, questioning why we didn't know this already. So, Yarrow elaborated. "You obviously have noticed things aren't like the ads or the game-play posted on YouTube. Things changed after we got here. I don't think our character selection was the same as yours."

"Okay. Yeah, you're right. I had a species and race all picked out, but it wasn't available when it came time to pick. So, let's see ... When I became aware after I was plugged into the pod, I was in this black void. A woman's voice started prompting me through the process, first asking me to select a gender, a species, then a class." (This was pretty similar to my experience so far, although it had been a male voice, "Since I couldn't find what I wanted, I went back and forth a few times checking out what I could get with the different species on offer. I ended up as a Lutrin Channeler, because I liked the way it was able to use magic to manipulate nature. I wasn't super crazy about the animal-hybrid part–I'd been hoping for an elf–but I could live with it."

At this point, Eiland, a human man with a crossbow, jumped in, "The process was super annoying. Almost every time I selected a class, the AI told me it was only available for female characters. Then, would ask me if I wanted to change my gender. And when I said no, it would ask again if I was really sure in this condescending voice. Like I was being a total idiot by not switching to female.  I got the impression it just wanted me to select a woman character." The big, muscular warrior with a mace, nodded vigorously in agreement.

I asked Velia to continue.

"After that, I was asked asked to assign my attribute points. It put 4 in each of the six catagories automatically and gave me 24 to distribute how ever I wanted. Then, there was the physical modification. You know, selecting hair color, height, yadda-yadda, you know the normal stuff."

"Except," the water sprite thief named Aellae said, "I found it strange that the starting body wasn't more generic. A lot of the sliders were pushed all the way to the extreme for me. I swear, it would have given melon size boobs if I didn't scale it down."

Targon, a male felinoid cleric, who I gathered was a woman IRL, said, "Yeah, same here. The preset gave me a damn horse dong. Who the hell would want to be running around on adventures with one of those."

From the way, the two actual men in their party turned their gaze nonchalantly to the ceiling, I figured they hadn't shrunk down this feature.

Velia finished up by saying they got to state the name they wanted, then when all party members were ready, they spawned into Feronia. The game placed them about an hour outside of the village. 

Yarrow said, "That was more or less what we went through. Although, probably more what you were expecting with less forcing of choices and plainer character designs."

This generated another hard look from the party, evaluating us as though trying to figure out why we'd made some of the decisions we did. Yarrow went on, "But after we spawned. The AI crashed and the game came under the control of a new one. The characters we picked were wiped clean, and new ones were generated seemingly at random."

"That must have sucked," Targon said.

"It's not so bad," Yarrow answered.

I asked, "Let's go back a bit. I want to know what happened in the game-center. Did you notice anything wrong? Did the workers seem worried at all? What time did you enter the game?"

"No, not really," Aellae answered. "We all work at a big restaurant in the Danbury Fair Mall. Our shift ended at five, so we actually stopped working at around five-thirty, and by the time we changed and got to the center (which was just down the concourse), it was nearly six. We paid for a sixteen-hour session. We've done this a couple of times when our shifts line up. You know, spend the night in the pod playing, and then just go in for our next shift before lunch, but this was the first time we picked Feronia. The other times we did Juggernaut." That was a space based game with giant world-sized star ships. "But everyone seemed normal. Ralph, he works there and we've talked a few times in the food court. I think he has a crush, but that's another story ... he was working, and I'm sure he would have told us if something was wrong."

"Well, that's fucking odd," Danmagar, the body builder warrior said, "I mean, if the AI had crashed wouldn't that have been reason for alarm?"

"You would think," Yarrow said. "It would seem they might not know about it."

"How could they not know about it?"

"The time between the old AI going down and the new on coming up would have only been seconds. Maybe it registered as just a regular blip, a momentary technical disruption that self-corrected. Or maybe it's not the type of thing the game-centers are even let in on. It could be that only Robodyne headquarters monitors server activity and unless they choose to inform centers, they could have no idea."

Everyone stopped and pondered this, then Rick broke the silence, "Okay, I have a question? Can you remember your names?" He got questioning looks like he was insane. So, he pointed at the Felinoid mage who hadn't said anything yet, and asked, "In real life, what did you do and what was your name?"

"Me?" She seemed taken back to be put on the spot like this. "I'm taking Education at Western and work as a hostess at the Cheesecake Factory. My name is Pinja."

"And has it always been Pinja?"

"Yeah, it's not like I changed it or anything."

Rick then pointed at the cat-man. "And have you always been Targon?"

"Sure."

"And you're last name?"

"What last name?"

Savanna said, "Well, at least they don't get a pass on that particular little mind-fuck."

They immediately wanted to know what we were talking about. But even after we explained it to them multiple times, they still didn't seem to believe us.

"Okay, whatever," Velia said. "We've answered your questions. Now, how about you answer some of ours. Things seem kinda weird in this place. Is it just the village or what?"

"What she means is ..." Aellae said. "We've been in town for like twenty-minutes and about a half dozen NPC have offered to have sex with us. And not in a romantic way or prostitution way, but ..."

Danmagar finished, "More like: hey, welcome to town would any or all of you like to fuck me now."

"Yeah," I said. "Get used to that. The general attitude toward sex in Feronia is very ... um ... liberal, you could say. The NPCs treat it about as normal as shaking hands or something."

"It does come in handy though," Sulin said. When everyone in the other party looked at her like she was a pervert, she added, "You'll find you'll need to have sex from time to time. And if you're not comfortable doing it with each other, then the NPCs are a good ... ah ... resource."

I could tell they had a whole lot of questions about this, so I explained, "There's a hidden rating for sexual arousal in the game system. It's like Life Balance. As you have activity, it builds up. In the case of Life Balance, it forces you to rest. In the case of Arousal Potency (that's what the call it), you need to orgasm. And it's more effective with a partner than by yourself."

"You're fucking with us, right?" Danmagar said.

Yarrow said, "Unfortunately not. You're also, going to find that as you level up, you get bonuses related to sex and negative buffs for wearing clothes. I believe you, Aellae, being a sprite can't wear any panties from the get go. Things like that will happen to most of you as you go along."

The poor girl turned beet red when all her friends tuned to her with looks of shock in their eyes. 

"There's not much you can do to stop it," Ellie told them. "But on the plus side sex is even more pleasurable in Feronia. The AI has altered the sensory input to make it really something else."

It was kind of funny seeing how scandalized they were. I'd be interested to see them a week from now. To get them more comfortable, I switched the topic to more normal matters. "When you leave town, you'll want to follow the road. That will take you into the easier lower level areas of the zone. Thing are going to be pretty tough out here. We're all at least level 7 and finding it challenging."

They asked about the dungeons we'd faced, we explained them the best we could. I was happy we could give them the tip about the air vents in the boggle lair (that would save them time), but felt guilty when the minotaur was described only as: "Really tough and dangerous." But I did warn them to get to a higher level and make sure they had some good ranged attacks before facing it. Any more detailed of a warning might keep them hunkered down in the inn for their forty day stint in the game.

Yarrow was able to give them some pointers on inventory management and a run down of her analysis on what the most beneficial types of skills to have for combat.

"Well, thanks for sharing you're knowledge," Velia said. "I'm not sure things make sense now, but least there's an explanation for some of the weird stuff we've seen."

"Yeah," Eiland said. "Some of those monsters are way too anatomically correct."

Aellae said, "And I have to say I was a bit shocked by your outfits at first, but I feel better now that we've talked. You seem pretty normal."

"Yeah, I expected you to be sex starved like the villagers," Danmagar added.

Ellie surprised me by saying with a giggle, "No, not sex starved. But we are pretty open. I know my girlfriend and I ..." she put her hand on my arm. "We'd be willing to take any of you fine women into our bed tonight." This earned her a lot of goggle-eyed expression and blushes.

"You're joking, right?!?" said Pinja. "How would that even work? We're not the same size."

"You wouldn't be our first Felinoid. Trust me, it works." She said this with such confidence that it came across a lurid. 

"If Pinja won't. I'd be willing to give it a try," Targon, the male-looking cleric with she/her pronouns said. "I mean, I'm straight and all, but this new equipment has been pretty eager and well, for other women, you two are really hot."

I answered, "That's sweet of you, but in you're case, I'm worried you're size might be too big for us." Unconsciously, I held my hands out about eight inches apart (which was wider than my torso). When we'd slept with the leprechaun, he did Ellie while she ate me out, but he also had been less than four inches long and about as girthy as a magic-marker. A full sized person might be painful for her.

Targon looked incredibly disappointed, but then Savannah said, "I'd like to break you in."

She blushed so deeply her face looked purple, but quietly said, "Okay."

"God damn it," Danmagar said. "Are all the women here gay. My man, Eiland, and I are feeling awfully left out."

I said, "Go ask our Felinoid friend over there." I pointed to Mack.

"I don't think she wants anything to do with us."

"Just show her your dick. No, seriously, once she sees how big you are, she'll change her attitude." I was still assuming he had some massive inhuman thing hiding in his pants.

Eiland said, "Which one of us do you think she'd like?"

"I'm pretty sure she'll take both of you. Just don't expect to be invited to spend the night afterward."

Danmagar said, "Well, since we have to ... for the game."

Everyone watched in fascination as they dragged their feet over to the others table and approached Mack. True to form Mack wouldn't even look at them., but when Danmagar pulled his pants down (causing Crystal and Trogia to spit out their beer and start cursing), Mack gave him an appraising and appreciative look. She then felt Eiland's groin through his pants. And just as I predicted, she left with both of them to go back to the inn.

Velia shook her head. "Well, that didn't take them long."

"To be honest, I'm shocked they made it to the tavern without accepting one of the villagers' offers," said Aellae.

Targon said through gritted teeth, "Hey, don't be too judgmental. I don't know what it's like for those of you with girl parts, but these boy parts are pretty demanding."

Savanna used this as a cue to drag her away from the table. It was strange seeing her so assertive, but it seemed like a positive development. She was getting out of her shell.

"So, Pinja," Ellie whispered, as though lowering her voice was making anything she said at the table a secret. "How about it? We can be very gentle."

"Eeep!" was all she said. And she looked so scared and humiliated she might die. But then, she nodded and got up. She looked at her friends and mouthed sorry as though she needed to apologize for wanting what she wanted.

As we walked away I heard Yarrow say, "I gather that the two of you aren't into woman, and I don't think I'd be comfortable with boyfriend sleeping with you unless I got to share, but would either of you like to watch us copulate."

I glanced back to see Rick nearly fall of the bench.

Aellae said, "Well, I guess I wouldn't mind seeing that. And I have nothing else to do."

* * *

Back at the inn, we found our room a bit small to make sex comfortable, but we were determined. It was also apparent that it was possible from Mack's screams of encouragement as one of the men (I'm assuming it was just one) smashed her. The partial walls really didn't give any privacy.

We sat our cat-girl on the bed, and I knelt next to her on the mattress, kissing her, one hand playing with her breasts and the other her ears. Ellie moved around her, kissing her neck, putting her hand on my breast, subtly taking off her clothes.

She was a cute girl. Her hair was golden, her fur was black, and somehow the contrast worked well together. Her Presence had to be in the 10-12 area. She was lean with perky C-Cups. I found I liked how big a full-sized persons breasts were in comparison to my hands and mouth.

She was shy at first, but with both of us giving her attention (especially the ear massage), she began to warm up. Soon, she was naked as was Ellie, who slipped in on the other side of her. While she kissed Pinja, I took the opportunity to pull off my dress. I also removed my tiara so it wouldn't scratch any skin. By the time I turned back, Ellie was using her knee to rub and stimulate Pinja between her legs. 

I pushed my way in and got my tongue into her mouth for a three-way wrestling match.

After a while, Pinja pushed back and sucked in a deep breath of air. "I can't believe, I'm having a manage-a-trois with two halflings. I must be a total pervert."

Ellie said, "Two things: first, we're all consenting adults. There's nothing wrong with anything we decide to do."

"And second?"

"This isn't a manage-a-trois yet. Scooch back and we'll get started." Then, to me she asked, "So, how do you want to begin."

"Um ... I do like being in the middle. Why don't I go down on her, and you can get behind me."

She beamed at me with what looked like pride. Pinja had a bit of a stunned look on her face, but moved so her back was against the wall at the top of the bed, so we could position ourselves in front of her. I crawled in between her legs and approached her wet and eager pussy.

"Is this okay with you?" She nodded enthusiastically, and I buried my face in, pushing my ass in the air for Ellie to get at. Pinja was huge against my face and her lips gave off a sultry heat.

I started in slowly, licking and kissing and swirling my tongue around her nub. But once Ellie got busy on me, I began accelerating, transferring my eagerness for Ellie to pleasure me into my pleasuring of Pinja. She moaned and put her hand on the back of my head to push me in closer.

One advantage, of our position was I was getting to try out Ellie's new tongue stud. The little metal ball was absolutely driving me wild as she ran it along my labia, around my clitoral hood, back down again, then farther to my back-end and around my butt-hole.

"Unnng!" I groaned into the cat-girl's pussy. I'd been working her with my entire face, rubbing it all over every part of her. So when I looked up and met her eyes, I knew I was dripping with her juices and my saliva. An unbridled look of lust filled her expression. Remembering how I got off the cat-girl from the beer-garden,  I went back in and started inserting my fingers inside her and sucking on her clit. Her leg spasmed around me. On flipped across my back, the weight almost pushing me flat against the mattress.

By the time I got my whole hand into her, Ellie was tonguing and power sucking me. The sensation melted my brain. Without thinking my arm shot forward and slammed a good six-inches into the poor cat-girl.

She shrieked, and I pulled out immediately. "Sorry!"

But she said, "Again! Do it again!"

I loved the way her hot, spongy hole took my hand and forearm and how her clit was the world's most tender thumb in my mouth. I developed a rhythm matching, Ellie's fingers inside of me. It didn't take long at all before I felt Pinja's stomach muscles convulsing as her orgasm hit the tipping point. Her whole body tensed and her fingers clawed at the bed. "Ghaaaaaa!" she screamed. Feeling her cum brought my own climax on. 

A melting heat rushed through me, and I pushed and gushed into Ellie, my moans were blocked by the nub still in my mouth. The vibrations this created brought Pinja to a second orgasm.

I lay my head on her thigh and let myself collapse. I looked up to see her smiling down at me. 

"Wow!" she said. "Can I join your party?"

Ellie moved up beside me. "That probably wouldn't be good at your level. But were not done with you yet. Someone needs to make me cum."

"On it, boss!" she said.