Mature Content Warning: Concepts such as slavery, and meanness towards cute girls with tentacles exist in this chapter part.

Author's Note: This story is coming close to the end. However, as it usually only updates when I have a full chapter completed, that could take another month to finish.. even with only four or five more updates.

Due to this factor, I have decided to update this story in chapter parts, of around 1000 - 2000 words, a few times per week. This will allow me to put more time into individual scenes, and give you updates 2 - 3 times per week instead of once very week or two. If this bothers people let me know, and I'll go back to the old way and update maybe once every ten days or so till its done.

Chapter 8: Preparations - Part 1

The world was a hard place to live in at times. The systems in place seemed necessary, but at the same time they destroyed the soul. Humans and their near-human cousin species, the Demi-Humans had a strange sort of interaction.

Demi-Humans needed the normal humans in order to maintain their thought and reason. By an accident of design that interaction best worked when sex was part of the equation. Simple physical contact and honest emotional support was all that was really needed, but such things inevitably led to a sexual relationship. Over time that sexual dependency led to a dominate status for humans.

Humans needed Demi-Humans in order to survive in the world due to the actual existence of those Demi-Humans. Without the powerful women living in the wilds, humanity would have few issues when it came to simple survival.

However, the Demi-Humans did exist. The humans did need to keep some of them tame and reasonable to survive long term.

This co-dependent nature showed itself in different ways from country to country. In America, and a few of their allied countries such as Japan and the U.E Alliance, there were systems in place that allowed Demi-Humans to be free if they could manage to achieve the legal standing necessary.

Despite the sentiments of people who believed that the Demi-Humans should be free regardless, this was a dangerous practice. As it stood, a free Demi-Human had to submit to monthly testing if they did not have a designated partner, or master. That testing allowed the government to know whether or not there was a risk of regression.

The threat that a powerful free Demi-Human might regress into a psychotic monster was quite real. Despite the progressive nature of countries like America, most places in the world had a zero-tolerance policy. Demi-Humans were slave labor and nothing more. It is a strange sort of irony that one of the best places to live in the world for everyone, also had a dogmatic system of slavery, bonded servitude, and requirements for even the free Demi-Humans were quite strict. Still, at least there was hope.

It was that hope that John dangled in front of Tera and Mindy on a daily basis. It was not his intention to make them feel inferior. He simply saw them as such. He was a product of his childhood and the modern system after all.

“Alright, we need to discuss plans for this week. Next week’s plan is already decided.” said John. He had called the girls together to discuss the way forward.

Kara spoke up. “What did you have in mind, master?”

John looked to the Steel Valkyrie then nodded. “First, we need to purchase proper combat equipment for the team. I’ll leave you in charge of that. I’ll share the budget and my personal thoughts on equipment with you after the meeting.

You’ll also be in charge of collecting and dispersing that equipment for training and tournament purposes.”

“Understood.” She smiled at her master. He had given her an important task! Of course, had she known that John just did not want to be bothered with shopping; she might have felt less enthusiastic.

John looked at Tera and Mindy then over to Honey, and finally he looked at Kara. “Normally, I would allow you to determine your needs on your own. However, the tournament has changed the situation. You will all need to be properly tamed.”

Mindy made a loud snort. She had no intent to be tamed by her current master, even if she was starting to feel desperate.

John gave her a cold look. “I have no interest in laying with a jellyfish, either. However, if you wish to remain in my employ you will need to comply with the dictates of your biology and our social contract.”

“Employ! You bastard, I am not your employee!” shouted Mindy.

Kara started to speak up, but John raised his hand to silence her. “If that is your decision then I have no choice but to remove you from my employ.”

Mindy bit off a scathing retort. She was a hot-headed girl but she knew what that would mean.

“You’ve done nothing but act in a childish manner since your last master betrayed your supposed contract. You’ll note that I have no proof of your claim to being a free Demi-Human outside of your own spoken word. I’ve given you opportunities to earn the right to sue your former master, but you have not availed yourself of those opportunities.”

“What opportunities? I’m free dammit! I worked hard to be free, and now I’m just a damned piece of merchandise again!”

“Correct.” said John.

Mindy glared at him hatefully, tears beginning to glisten along the edge of her eyes. “You...”

“The word you are searching for is master. You have twenty-four hours to decide that it is the right word to choose and to be tamed or I will sell you.”

Mindy snorted. He’d mentioned selling them before and she was not worried about it.

“My patience with you has run out. Make your decision by nine in the morning.” John turned to Kara and informed her not to purchase any equipment for Mindy until after she made her decision in the morning.

Mindy stared at him, shock beginning to creep into her expression. He actually sounded serious. The situation suddenly shifted into a dangerous direction. If he sold her, there would be no chance for her to ever be free unless her new master wanted to pay a large sum of money to have her declared free once more. It cost over twenty thousand dollars! No master would pay that for someone they could just sell.

John turned to Tera. “When do you wish to be tamed?”

Mindy looked at Tera and her eyes widened when the girl replied. She could not believe her ears.

“We can do it after the meeting if you want. I could use it, to be honest.” said Tera.

John nodded at her. “I thought as much. Holding out is your business, but this tournament is mine. We all need to be at our best when the tournament actually starts.”

He turned to look at Kara. “I’ll tame you after you are done shopping.”

“Understood.” She smiled brightly. The dominating attitude offended her a little, but at the same time it was sort of... intriguing.

Honey perked up when John called her name. The adorable succubuzz hummed at him then opened her arms. She wanted a taming now, but he told her Tera and Kara needed to be tamed first. Honey pouted cutely then nodded her head. The poor little horny bee would have to wait.

“Today is a taming and rest day. Tomorrow will be a day for hard training. We will continue training and developing our skills at the communal training center on this property for the next eight days. After that we will have to challenge and defeat at least four gyms in town to guarantee tournament entry.” said John.

“What do we do until tomorrow?”

John looked at Kara. “You have shopping and alpha duties. Each of your girls is free to do as you wish otherwise, though you will need to report to my room for taming at your appointed time.”

‘How romantic’ thought Tera sarcastically.

The would-be harem master quirked his eyebrow; he had realized something. “Also, Kara... Add one more thing to the shopping list.”

“Yes, master?”

“Buy lots of lubricant and a tube of pain-ex. I will no doubt become quite sore.”

He had said it so seriously that no one could speak for a moment. Finally, it was Tera who could not hold it in anymore.

She started to snicker. John looked at her curiously and she couldn’t stop. Her snicker turned to a full-blown laugh. Said laugh became quite infectious and everyone, except for Mindy, started to laugh as well.

John rarely made a joke, but at times his sincere expressions were quite amusing.