In the Service of Science Ch. 01

Quick Author's Note:

Hello and thank you for checking out this story of mine!

As everyone has different kinks, I've included a list of tags at the end of this chapter so that those who are selective in which tags they partake in know exactly what to expect going into this chapter.

Regardless, enjoy the read and thank you once again!

Peace!

~ThrullWithASkull

~~~Chapter 1: Discussions and Devils~~~

The heavy crate creaked and groaned as it was loaded into the back of the cart, the sudden jolt causing Hori's head to bang back against the wooden side of it.

Groaning slightly, she rubbed her scalp as best she could, thankful that no bumps or bruising had occurred. After all, it would be a pity to mar the pale complexion she had been working diligently to maintain.

As she soothed her aching head, the heavy iron manacles and collar she wore shifted, the subtle clanking a reminder of the context she now found herself in, the situation she had signed herself up for.

Feeling the momentary pain beginning to subside, Hori took the opportunity to assume a more comfortable resting position for the journey ahead. As she did so, her eyes began to wander around the shadowy confines of the container, inspecting the rest of the "merchandise" that was joining her on the voyage to her new owner's home.

As fate would have it, the large air holes along the upper rim of the crate emitted enough light for Hori to see that there was only one other person in the crate with her--a humanoid form being chained to the far wall in the same manner as Hori--though she looked to be smaller than the human, maybe 3' to 3.5' tall at the most.

Whoever her buyer was, they must have been well off to afford two separate servants, mused Hori as she reclined back against the stiff wooden wall.

As her muscles relaxed, she found her mind beginning to wander, replaying the highlights of the past four months of her life and all the changes that had occurred....

~~~Four Months Prior~~~

As Hori walked down the busy street towards her favorite cafe, she let out a massive sigh, in desperate need of a cup of her favorite tea.

Her only son had just finished his bachelor's degree, and had not only departed from the house he and his mother shared, but from his home country of Normari entirely to work at a foriegn manufacturing company.

In truth, Hori could not be happier for him. Darren was getting started on building his own adult life, landing not only his dream job but a comfortable apartment to boot. In the month between his graduation and his departure, Hori could not think of a single time where he was not beaming, filled with excitement for the path that lay ahead of him.

A path that simultaneously left Hori alone in a house that was far too big, and far too empty...for one person to live in alone.

Thus as Darren was making travel arrangements and packing his things, Hori had spent a large amount of time...percolating. Thinking about her own future, now that the last of her familial obligations was setting out on his own.

The past decade had been an engaging one, meeting her late husband Jacob and his son Darren, building a family with them--it had been one of the most enjoyable experiences of her life to date.

It was just...now that the life she had known was changing forever...

...what did she want to do?

It was perplexing questions such as these that swirled in Hori's mind as she opened the front door to the cafe and strode in, her turbulent thoughts soothed by the familiar sights and smells.

As if in greeting, the cozy interior of the cafe seemed especially vibrant today. Dark wooden furniture accentuated the pleasant amber tone of the walls, creating a warm atmosphere that was enhanced by the smell of tea and freshly baked goods.

"Hori! It's been a hot minute since we last got together! How ya doin' babe?" shouted a familiar voice.

Hori's head perked up and over to a small table in the back of the cafe, one of the two seats already occupied by her friend, an ever mischievous--and unapologetic about it--succubus named Darci.

An immigrant from Exodea--a vast country to the south of Normari that was home to a large number of sentient nonhuman races--Darci demonstrated every day the vast differences in cultural values between the two countries.

Since they had first met by chance some six years ago, the devil had spent many afternoon tea sessions regaling Hori with tales of far-off domains and blush-inducing customs--as human stories about succubi were apparently understatements rather than over exaggerations.

In short, Exodea was a land completely unlike the human province of Normari, and Darci was an individual completely unlike any of Hori's other friends.

The fact that she also worked as a travel agent made her the perfect confidant for a little idea that had been forming in Hori's head since she had left her house that morning.

"Wow! So it's official! Junior has left the nest and mama bird's all by herself." smirked Darci as Hori set down her tray of refreshments and situated herself in the seat opposite the magenta demon.

"Indeed. Darren called me this morning to say that he is all settled in his new apartment and that his first day of work went very well." stated Hori, a proud smile spanning her face.

"Well congrats to Junior for the move, it takes some serious balls to up and leave the life you have known behind like that! He must get it from his mom or something." Darci said with a wide grin, the implication of her last statement not going unnoticed by Hori.

"Oh! You think he gets it from me?" said Hori, her smile transforming into an impish grin.

"Darling, I have met Jacob, he was a great man and a wonderful father figure. But you are the adventurous member of your family without a doubt." stated Darci with a smug smile, "And that's coming from the demon immigrant of all beings."

"Touché. That same wild spirit has been calling to me ever since Darren departed last week." Hori said, a wistful expression on her face as she gazed out one of the cafe's many windows, "I feel a yearning to go out and see more of what the world has to offer, now that my responsibilities here are complete."

"So Junior leaves the coop, and less than a week later, here comes Hori! Losing her mind and begging me to get her a one way ride anywhere but here!" chortled the devil, her chuckles escalating into full on cackles as she kicked back her chair while clutching her stomach.

After a moment, the demon's laughs began to die down and her chair came to rest back on the floor once more.

"Ah, thanks for that once Hori. It has been a busy week at work and I needed the stress relief." Darci said gratefully before continuing, "Truth be told, you lasted longer than I figured. I thought that it wouldn't be more than a day or two before you would be beating down my door due to cabin fever, begging me to book you a flight to anywhere but here."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, old friend." said Hori as she allowed a measure of mock hurt to enter her tone.

"Think nothing of it! Always glad to bring someone off of their pedestal...but knowing you, you'd rather be at the foot of said pedestal am I right...maybe even with a nice little collar on to boot?" said the demon as she smirked smugly.

"Once again I am reminded of the old saying 'don't share your secrets with the devil, lest they share them back with you.'." Hori said with a mock sigh.

"Oh, absolutely not! We demons don't really get the concept of privacy." chortled Darci once more.

"Yes, yes, so you have said before." said Hori a bit quietly, eager to shift the topic off of her private life and back to the original discussion.

Picking up the subtle drop in mood, Darci's mirthful expression faded into unusually serious one--her face rapidly shifting between emotions--almost as if she were mentally arguing with herself.

Armed with a sharp mind herself, Hori curiously redirected her gaze back to her friend as she watched the display.

When it became obvious that no answer would be forthcoming from her compatriot, she mentally shrugged and decided to take a bite.

"It is very unlike you to go silent on me and not blurt on whatever is on the top of your mind." Hori mused, more to herself than the demon, "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Honey, my thoughts are worth way more than that," smirked Darci, a bit of her usual mischievousness flashing across her face for a moment, "but fine, you win. However, I need you to promise me something."

"And what exactly would that be? I believe we have already discussed the downsides of making deals with devils." smirked Hori.

"I am serious about this one, Hasegawa." the combination of the demon's solemn tone and the use of her last name causing the woman to perk her head up and lean forward intently.

"Now you've really gone and piqued my interest Ms. Dreadsower. What's the promise?" Hori said, no trace of mirth in her voice.

"Hear me out, the whole story, before making any assumptions or decisions. After that whatever you do is up to you." said Darci, "Regardless of the choice you make, I don't care, but I am not losing a friendship over something like this."

"Very well, I can do that. I promise." Hori stated, eyes now sharpening in curiosity.

"Okay...so I have this sister named Marci, twin sister actually, and she runs a business that is more in line with...traditional succubus standards I suppose....

"So far so good." said Hori, urging the demon to continue.

"That's because the spicy stuff is still to come dear." Darci said, not even commenting on her own double entendre, "You see, the name of her company is 'Slaves & Such'."

"Okayyyyy..." Hori hesitantly responded, "and where are you going with this?".

"Simply put, my sister informed me that she has put out a general call to any humans who are interested in traveling to Exodea to consider applying to her company. You guys are in such hot demand with her clientele at the moment that she is removing all of the barriers to entry save for a security deposit and a standard background check."

"You want me to willingly put myself in shackles and sell my body into slavery." Hori said, eyebrow raised and disbelief evident in her voice.

"Not in the slightest! Let me finish my explanation first, then ask me all of the questions you want. My word you are almost more impatient than me!" scoffed the devil, rolling her eyes.

Hori gave a subtle nod of acquiescence and motioned for Darci to resume her pitch.

"First off, my sister chose the name purely for the catchy alliteration and the free marketing that comes with the shock and awe value." started the demon.

"You don't say..." said Hori dryly.

Darci merely leveled an unamused gaze at her before continuing. "I never said us succubi were practitioners of subtlety. Regardless, no actual slavery or involuntary servitude ever takes place, it is more of a...system for long term elaborate roleplay I suppose. One that allows those with...extreme urges or unique desires the chance to live out their fantasies, while contributing to Exodean society and even making some coin along the way."

"A fine sentiment...though the setup sounds rife with danger for a single woman in unfamiliar surroundings." stated Hori.

"I was getting to that." said Darci, "In order to ensure that everyone has fun and keeps things safe and sane, my sister spent the better part of a decade developing systems and creating contingencies to protect the wellbeing of both client and applicant.

"Sounds like a lot of thought went into this business of hers." Hori said respectfully.

"Yeah, it's her pride and joy, her baby if you will. She is insufferably proud of the low number of incident reports they have to file in comparison to the mammoth number of clients they serve." said Darci, a measure of pride slipping into her voice as well.

"Not at all, you can opt out of the application process at any time you choose. In fact, you can opt out of the entire program at any time you choose." Darci replied.

"Good to know." mused Hori.

"Best part is that if you pass the initial application process, which you are a shoe-in for, the company pays for your flight to their main headquarters in Exodea and provides room and board for you throughout the entire onboarding process."

"That sounds very nice of them. What's the catch?" inquired Hori.

"In order to cover their expenses, you have to put a security deposit down to cover the flight and onboarding in case you decide to opt out before you are sold."

"Good to know that there is a time-tested business model behind the unorthodox trimmings." said Hori as she glanced up at the clock on the wall of the cafe. "Speaking of time, you better get going before your lunch break ends."

"Is it already that time?" sighed Darci as she stood and picked up her tray, "Well this is actually a pretty good time to call it, that way you have some time to yourself to process everything and reach your own decision."

"Regardless of the conclusion, I look forward to our next meetup." said Hori as she stood and grabbed her tray as well. "No matter my choice, I will still need a travel agent."

"That's what I like to hear!" said Darci jubilantly as she dropped off her tray and stode to the door of the cafe, "Catch ya next time gal pal!"

Shaking her head in response to the mannerisms of her compatriot, Hori smiled as she watched the departing form of the demoness.

Depositing her own tray, she adjusted her handbag and moved to leave the cafe as well, there were groceries to buy...and a very big decision for her to make.

"Looks like I have some thinking to do...." mused Hori to herself.

~~~End of Chapter~~~

TAGS: Consensual Roleplay as an Indentured Servant, Discussion of Slavery & Indentured Servitude Roleplay.

Ending Author's Note:

Hello again and thank you for reading to the end!

Admittedly, this chapter was primarily worldbuilding, but have no fear, the next chapter will be picking up a lot of steam as we see exactly what the 'Slaves & Such' onboarding process has store for Hori!

Until then, feel free to leave any comments, corrections or clarifying questions down below.

Until next time.

Peace!

~ThrullWithaSkull