Incipiunt Vitae Novae Pt. 06: Purgatory

Bev claws back what she learned in her previous session, and the battle rages on. The audience cheers with each brutal parry, Ginny and Bev shuddering from each other's furious blows. But Ginny has the advantage in determination - Bev knows she deserves a thrashing from Ginny, the reverse doesn't hold. She's headed for her second bondo-battle loss, whether by Jen's choice, for nothing here is really out of Jen's control, or on account of Ginny's greater skill - it doesn't matter.

Still, Bev's competitive spirit can't be discounted entirely. Ginny suffers plenty before her victory emerges from the tangled melee. Jen feeds a few seconds of enthusiastic applause into the chamber while Bev slumps morosely back into the uncomfortable pulsation we non-combatants share. She reflects on the life changes she needs to make - her attitude shift is not lost on Khalidah, who smiles at Liz.

Liz returns the smile, nodding acknowledgingly.

"So tell me Liz, about the recording part. Ginny and Bev get to do it all over again?"

"That's the idea, but not just yet. There'll be three more battles, then Jen will bring each of them to full sexual climax, one at a time. Some of the folks around us are here mainly for that. I think you'll enjoy it too."

Khalidah smiles. She never made clients come - the intricate laws her dungeon had to navigate forbade it. Khalidah observed the rules scrupulously; she didn't want to be closed down.

In private play though, Khalidah relishes taking advantage of the balm of extreme arousal, and conversely, the brutal efficiency of post-climax torture. Bev confessed her orgasm at Jen's hand during her volunteer punishment session, knowing Khalidah would punish her for violating their agreement that she could only come for someone else if Khalidah's present, which of course Khalidah was not - this is her first time in the gallery. That punishment opened with a good, solid wand-induced orgasm, followed by a thorough whipping, and ended with total forgiveness and loving aftercare.

But apart from admitting her misdemeanor, Bev hadn't talked much about her session, and Khalidah hadn't asked much either. She respected Bev's privacy.

"They'll reenact their battles after they've been forced to come?"

"Right. There'll be no connections the second time. Each will suffer the same pain, self-inflicted along with whatever their adversary delivered, just as they did in the actual battle, but without it having any effect on the other..."

"...after a thoroughly draining whole-body orgasm," Khalidah interrupts with suddenly uninhibited alacrity. "I suppose the pointlessness of their aggression will become excruciatingly obvious. What a devilishly mean, clever idea!"

"It was Bev's idea, passed on through Barbara," Liz offers, both of them looking at an exhausted Bev hanging limply in her restraints. A slightly less exhausted, maybe even exhilarated Ginny hangs suspended in her inner thoughts.

Khalidah grins, imagining Bev going through it all over again after she writhes in ecstatic pleasure for Jen. Of course, she can't in fairness punish her for coming this time since she will be present.

"But of course, they never really were in control," Liz winds down. "It's Jen's show from start to finish."

Liz winds up the exchange as they get ready to watch the second battle. The second pair of maps swirls into view, Three vs. Five.

Three's a smart scumbag - he's figured this out. Five, whoever he is, will pay for his having to endure this indignity. Three makes his plan as Jen sets up the first paths, similarly to Bev and Ginny's initial wiring. Good - he'll fuck the bejesus out of Five - he doubts Five will be able to figure out how to do much to retaliate.

Jen enable the connections, and Five wonders what just hit him in the belly. He writhes in anguish as Three twists and turns this way and that, oblivious to the supreme discomfort he's creating for himself. Three grinds Five's anal probe viciously as he shocks his cock and balls repeatedly while sending nasty stinging pulses to his tits. Five's in agony but he's getting it. He knows what to do when Jen lets him - with a little help from a devil on his shoulder, a little bit of Jen hanging out in the corner of his brain.

OK Michela - your turn.

Jen's curious - she'll switch partners, do a little trespassing in the sewer of Three's brain while Michela helps Five trash him thoroughly.

Five's adrenaline surges - with Michela's able backup he's never felt so competent in his entire life. He'll pay for it later but the battle's his for now. Three yells and thrashes, struggling with all his might to land a blow. Occasionally he does and Five grunts in pain but he's less and less effective as he exhausts his limited stamina. Michela has an experiment in mind - it will consume what's left.

The interconnections between Three's and Five's bodies, between any pair of bodies in these battles, create a feedback loop. Sometimes, depending on the wiring, each combatant's muscle contractions cause complementary contractions in the other which circle back, creating yet stronger contractions until both are completely seized in an agonizing whole-body lock which neither can break without the tormentor's intervention - these lockups can occur it the tormentor isn't sufficiently cautious setting up the paths, or they may be deliberate.

Naturally Michela can't avoid mathematically analyzing the limits which permit stability and by now she's got them worked out precisely - she'll be able to assist Liz and Jen, and almost certainly Ginny at this point, to avoid unintended lockups in the future. Up to this point she's avoided creating one in the Three-Five battle. Now it's time to check the limits - gradually she adds paths, strategically, carefully monitoring the results as she approaches criticality.

Five feels his control slipping, Three's already aware he's lost his. Just when Michela expects them to they slip into lockup.

Jen's fascinated - she hasn't been able to look at a lockup from the inside before and she's largely avoided letting them happen to begin with. But based on what she sees she might make more use of them, especially for cases like Three - too bad for the partner when it's prescribed. Maybe there's another situation where it might be useful, she grins to herself, anticipating Norm's battle.

Oh my God, they're both having heart attacks, I wonder, watching my neighbor's and Five's contorted bodies and grimacing faces in the mirror. No, I guess they're OK. They've relaxed, slumped on their poles, chests heaving against their harnesses. The connections seem to have vanished, but I see they're coming back. What have I got coming...

The battle resumes fitfully, Michela egging Five on for the last few blows. Three thrashes a little, but he's obviously used up, not able to parry effectively. Jen's learned enough wading through his psyche to make the foray worthwhile but she's concluded if this swamp were real she'd be shopping for new boots this afternoon. The battle winds down, Five exhausted and elated, Three crushed, completely deflated. He's lost. A body maps forms in front of Ed.

It's either Norm or me, I guess. How long is she going to make me wait to find out?

Seconds tick by before Norm's map appears.

Oh my God, my opponent could wind being any of them. She could make me battle Ginny. Why Jen, why...?

I think back to our childhood, recalling all the older sister slights and insults I endured as we grew up together. Suddenly the prospect of battling Ginny doesn't seem nearly as distressing.

Ed continues to be mesmerized by Jen's leather-clad splendor, particularly now he's the focus of her attention. She weaves her web with diabolical cunning, the arrows assembling out of the swirling pixels one by one, soaring from Ed to Norm, then Norm to Ed as Jen trusses them with her electronic filaments.

Ed's glad he's fighting a man - his chivalrous attitude won't be tested too severely. Norm would have liked to battle Ginny, experience her thrashing him once again but if she has a second battle coming her dance card's already filled in, he correctly presumes.

Norm's anxious. After watching the Three-Five lockup he has an idea what's about to happen. It's obviously painful - just anticipating that is pushing him to his limit already - the orgasm arrestor is getting old but he suspects it's probably not done with him yet.

Ed's pretty sure he knows what's about to happen too.

Despite the cocoon of arrows enclosing them neither Ed nor Norm yet feel any reaction as they twitch experimentally, cautiously - the paths must not yet be activated. Jen gives them each an evil smile, and touches her pad. The ominous tingling assures them their interconnections are now live. Both glance at Three and Five hanging dolefully on their poles; each tries to remain as still and relaxed as possible.

No fun at all, but Jen will fix that. Norm's nose is itching - he has no idea why. He does know what's going to happen now, though he tries his best to prevent it. Ed takes note of his effort. Even gagged it's obvious how hard he's trying not to sneeze.

Hey Michael - how much you want to bet Ed hits the suppressor first?

And just how would we settle such a bet, Michela? I can't exactly pay you, can I.

How about If I win, Ginny gets to tie you up and I torture you.

And if I win...

Liz ties you up and I torture you.

Michael scratches his head - what makes her think Ginny even wants to tie him up?

How about we just watch what happens. In about two seconds we'll be swimming in data.

Two seconds - no way. 1.9 seconds max, starting now.

How many turtles was it... 'bout two hundred, Ed muses, trying to steel himself without moving. Mack's about to burp, no, sneeze, I think. We're going to crash.

A...A...Ach...choo

AAAARGG...

AAAARGG...

Norm and Ed lock up instantly, the vicious feedback loop brutally reinforcing each other's convulsive contraction, each utterly incapable of relaxing out of it.

Hee, Hee, 1.85 seconds. Ed's going to come first, in 27 seconds.

No fair - you're already looking at the data.

Norm and Ed struggle in mutually reinforced agony. Jen dances with glee, hair waving wildly, the audience cheering as Ed's and Norm's pain meters climb toward the limits, both their punishment clocks ticking down once for each passing second. Michela enthusiastically analyses the torrent of data flowing in.

...Twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six... To the extent he can think at all Norm's puzzled - he knows he's a pain slut, but no orgasm is forthcoming. He can't be allowed to realize that the same Jen who surreptitiously made him sneeze is lurking in the recesses of his mind, holding him back with delicate precision - Michela's bet is unfairly guaranteed.

Ed can't believe the wave of ecstasy he feels swirling over his electrically seized body, his toes uncurling and curling frantically as he feels himself ascend from purgatory to shudder in sheer heaven before moments later the orgasm suppressor hurls him to hell. Michael acknowledges Michela's win and Jen sets Norm free to follow Ed's rocketing trajectory, confident she's adequately hidden her interference, forgiving herself her little cheat. After all, it's not like the future of the world hangs on the outcome. With Ed and Norm mutually suffering the suppressor's ministrations Jen cuts the connections which brought about their indignity and readies the next set, preparing the battle's resumption.

Hey Michael, Jen telepaths, Take a quick look at Ginny's thoughts before she learns to block you. She's decided you're damn well gonna experience the new version of the calibration yourself.

Hee Hee, Hear Hear, Michela agrees. I'll be tuning the orgasm suppressor using all this fresh data too - I'll need a regression test. Any volunteers?

Jen knows she's facing a challenge lighting this fire - Ed and Norm are both pretty easy going, and Ed's deep in a personal journey. But it started well - Ed's at least a little pissed Norm couldn't control his sneeze, Norm's pissed at himself. Jen wires Ed's belly muscles to Norm's sleeve electrodes. She doesn't wire anything in return this time, doesn't want a lockup when she makes Ed sneeze, which he does after a couple of false alarms, each of which sets Norm writhing in anticipation, waiting for the big one.

AIEEEE...ARRGG...OW, OW, OW...

Ed's actual sneeze passes almost unnoticed, drowned in Norm's roar of agony. Jen quickly reconnects them more conventionally, and the battle rages, sort of - Jen's a little disappointed, and the audience is rustling a little. They have spirit but not much willingness left after the lockup ordeal. Then Ed has a brainstorm, all of his own.

He convulses himself for all he's worth. The pain is excruciating, but even more so for Norm. Ed holds the pose, all his body fighting back against his determination - but he knows if he can just keep Norm in pain long enough he'll win. Jen stays discreetly out of the way, admiring Ed's clever move, remarkable for such a novice. If this works she'll have to get to know him better for sure, and she'd better not let him know that, not right now.

It works. Ed's almost reached the end of his tether after enduring a hellish almost-eternity, but Norm finally succumbs, toes and fingers curling, body relaxing slightly before clenching iron-rigid as his climax wells. Ed gets the reinforcements he needs to win - Michael and Michela get another load of data.

Norm bucks furiously as the jaws close yet again, his penis exploding with fire, his balls stinging in their cavity-turned-beehive, his ejaculatory efforts choked off with the usual efficient brutality. Ed bucks and churns with the reflected stimulus but he's mentally prepared. He knew if he got here he'd have to exert enough control to prevent the same thing happening to him - control's one of his strengths. He knows he mustn't look at, mustn't even think about Jen...

Norm's struggles subside; Ed's manages to hold out; the suppressor has given him the edge he needs. A few more thrusts, ineffectively parried by an exhausted Norm, and he's won.

Ed and Norm hang in terminal battle fatigue. My body map swirls into focus, finally.

I guess this is it - my turn, finally. Surely Jen won't put me up against my sister. My thought wasn't intended to be shared but I should have known.

Angie, how ever did you guess? Here's your chance. Remember when she ratted you out to your mom for french-kissing that awful boyfriend in junior high, when she teased you for getting a C in chemistry, in front of your dad too. She was always the star, always one step ahead. What are you going to do about it?

Pathetic stuff really, but I can feel my anger rising as Jen wires us up. God I hope she doesn't force me to make her come like she did with Bev. She felt so guilty about that night before our execution. I don't think she'd be so cool about being forced to pleasure me either. Just what are you up to Jen? I thought my thoughts were private but no, of course not!

You'll see, I hear clear as a bell. Jen's looking right at me, grinning evilly. Fight fiercely, Angie, she commands.

Somehow the sum of all Ginny's childhood slights rushes in with an intensity I thought I was completely beyond - Jen, are you messing with my mind again? Jen enables the connections and we both convulse with agony, mine deliberate, Ginny's a complete surprise - I suppose she didn't think I had it in me.

Ginny has the advantage of practice and strategy, but I'm fresh and she's still tired from battle one. We thrust and parry with deadly intensity all the same, inflicting more or less equal pain on each other, all filial affection put aside for the moment. With Michela's guidance Jen adjusts our links little by little toward the point of instability, without either of us noticing until we pass the point of no return.

Hey Angie, I hear, in the middle of my head as the out-of-control pain ratchets up, my contractions forcing Ginny's, her's reflected back on me. Jen and I have a bet on when you'll start to come. I say twenty seconds, she says thirty. Closest wins. 'Course you won't be allowed to come all the way, you know that by now.

Oh my God, I'm just a pawn in the clutches of these two sadists, one silicon, one flesh and blood, both able to control my mind as well as my body. Well, I suppose, obviously I'm not going to come before twenty seconds, but what then...

You got it! I hear halfway between my ears, two voices in unison.

Only problem, Angie - you'll have a tough time estimating when ten seconds, let alone twenty-five have passed given that each one feels eternal.

Ginny's un-blissfully unaware of the clash of the titans shaping up in her sister's brain - she's got enough to deal with in her own. Ginny's pain tolerance is high but she's struggling, close to her limit. She wonders, in the little clear space she can still conjure, if trying to remember things she should be punished for will make it easier to bear. It does help, a little.

For twenty agonizing-for-Angie-and-Ginny seconds Michela and Jen hide from each other, camped out on opposite sides of Angie's brain as they plan their strategies. Neither wants Angie to start coming before then - what would be the fun in that. The real fun starts, they've decided without consultation, around second twenty-two! Until then Angie will hang rigidly convulsed, longing desperately for the intoxicating sensation of pain-induced orgasm to coalesce from her swirling anguish, but feeling no hint of it - and she knows exactly why.

No pain-induced orgasm is likely to coalesce for Ginny, now or ever, but she's observed them, even induced them, and unlike her sister, has no idea why Angie's hasn't started - she figures Jen did this on purpose, and hopes that the lockup ends when Angie's ship finally arrives. In the meantime she works through the list: being mean to her sister growing up, being rude to her aunt Barbara, pleasuring her sister in their execution-eve threesome with Bev - not much really, except for the last which hangs on her conscience like a millstone, but she might as well take absolution when it's offered. Eighteen, nineteen, twenty...

OK Jen, here I come, ready or not. Angie does not hear this.

Ready for nothing...Ha Ha! Nor that.

Oh my God, I'm starting to come...no, my head's about to explode - no, it can't explode - it's clamped in a vise - ARRRGG.

Twenty one, twenty two, twenty three... The battle rages. Jen knows exactly which neuronic strings to pull to keep Angie away from climax, but Michela has fewer preconceived notions. She detects untrodden paths and tweaks Angie toward them as fast as Jen catches her, almost. Angie thrashes, physically and mentally, in two circles of hell, glimpses of heaven flashing mercilessly, ten a second it must be... just outside her reach.

ARRRGG, OIEEE, AIEEE... My body throbs, my head throbs, my mind throbs. Even when I do come, it's going to happen in just a couple of seconds I'm sure now, I'll just hit the arrestor and my bodily agony will double - maybe my brain won't hurt so much...

Twenty four, twenty four and a half...Jen and Michela duke it to the wire, Michela opening up new paths to orgasm frighteningly fast, Jen rushing in to block them. The new paths will survive this battle, Angie will discover later, to her delighted distress.