Process Maturity

"Nicholas, welcome to the Institute! I'm so glad you're here. Did you have a good flight?"

"Dr. Ratcliffe, it's good to see you. Yes, thank you, the trip was quite comfortable."

"Please, call me Marta. We'll be seeing each other fairly often, we should be on a first name basis. Your belongings should be moved in within the next couple of days, so in the meantime your room will be a tad spartan. Let me show you around, and then I have some people I'd like to introduce you to."

The Institute was certainly well appointed, Nicholas had to admit. Marta gave him a tour of the facility, and it felt more like a luxury hotel than a research lab; a pool area complete with hot tub, a full gym and track, a cafe that was more restaurant than cafeteria, even a spa and salon. Business, he learned, was conducted on the second floor, where there was office space, examination rooms, spaces for individual and group therapy, and the data surgery theatre. Finally, she took him to the living quarters on the third floor. There was room here for dozens of people, staff and patients. His room was more of a suite, only a little smaller than his old apartment, largely empty as it awaited the arrival of his belongings, but he did have a bed, dresser, and a remarkably large and lavish bathroom. Marta was excited to show him what she'd built, out on the Kansas plains far from city life, and Nicholas found himself thinking of her more as a friend than as the medical specialist he'd met only two days before. She was so personable and happy here, loosening the professional facade a bit.

"Alright then, Nicholas. That's pretty much all of the main building, although there are other places on campus that you'll have a chance to explore later. We won't worry about any research protocols or examination schedules for a few days, while you get settled in. Just try to keep to my advice and refrain from sexual stimulation, although technically I can't stop you, and we can handle the situation if you must. Now let's see, what time is it? I told them you'd be here today. Ah, there they are, perfect!"

Walking down the hallway towards the common area where he and Marta had stopped were two women who weren't wearing badges identifying them as staff. The shorter of the two wore a friendly smile, while the other's grin had a touch more mischief in it. They were both dressed in loose, flowing white tops and pants, a curious and exotic outfit he couldn't quite place.

"Hi Marta," said the shorter woman, "sorry it took us a while, tai chi ran a bit long today, and both of us felt like we could use the extra focus. I take it this is our new arrival?"

"Why yes it is, Vi. Allow me to make the introductions. This is Nicholas, a new patient of mine who has graciously agreed to join us at the Institute. Nicholas, I'd like you to meet Violet." She indicated the shorter of the pair. Violet was barely over five feet tall, with thick black hair that fell in curls down her back, lovely gray eyes, a round, pretty face that looked used to smiling, and bountiful curves that her loose garments didn't quite keep from view. Nicholas shook her hand; she looked delicate and tiny, but her grip was surprisingly firm. "Vi has been with us for about six months now. And this is Marissa."

Marissa was much taller, over six feet, able to easily look Nicholas in the eye. Her strawberry blonde hair was cut just below her ears, framing a face with strong, beautiful features, sparkling green eyes, and full lips curved in a smile that looked as though she was thinking of a joke nobody else knew. Where Violet's figure was lush beneath the white cloth, Marissa's was straining to escape it; her surprisingly firm breasts were even larger than Dr. Ratcliffe's, the overlay at the neckline pulled open by the sheer volume contained within, their size nearly hiding her trim waist, but her wide hips and taut ass couldn't be missed, seeing as they looked at least twice its circumference. "Issa is our longest-term resident. She's been here, what is it, two years now?"

"Almost two and a half. Not that you'll ever get rid of me; this is the best place I've ever stayed. C'mere, bring it in, new guy. I'm a hugger." And instead of shaking his hand, Marissa hugged him tightly, pressing her massive tits against his body. Like Violet, there was more strength to her than it first appeared, and she looked robust. Before letting him go, she gave his butt a quick, surreptitious squeeze; wonderful, she was flirty on top of the rest. It was only a few seconds, but Nicholas' heart was pounding, his body crying out for him to strip her naked and have his way with her. He breathed deeply and tried to think about mundane, boring topics.

Marta looked her up and down. "Issa, have you been ignoring my advice again? I've seen you worse, and I don't think you need a corrective adjustment, but you're pushing it."

"You know me, Doc, hard to contain. Look at it as an opportunity to gather more data. That's why the three of us are here, right?"

Marta shook her head and sighed. "I suppose so, but please, do try to exercise a bit more restraint. For the benefit of our new guest, if nothing else."

Nicholas certainly hoped these two would keep a low profile around him. How was he supposed to function with two more beautiful women as fellow patients, added to his gorgeous doctor, when the problem he was here to have treated amped up his sex drive to teenager levels? Especially when the primary piece of medical advice he'd been given was to not give himself any sexual relief? "I'm certainly very pleased to meet the two of you, and I look forward to getting to know you better. You both know the ropes better than I do. Are there any other patients here? There's certainly plenty of room."

Marta answered, "No, it's just the three of you right now. Conditions like the ones we study are rare, as you know, and even most of them don't require the kind of supervision we can provide at the Institute. We simply built to be able to accommodate far more, just in case it was ever needed. Now, I have some business to attend to, so I'll leave the three of you to chat. I'll check back in later this evening." She smiled and walked off, still bouncing with excitement, a motion Nicholas did his best not to stare at.

Taking seats around a low table, the three struck up a conversation; Nicholas definitely had questions, but it was Marissa who spoke first. "So, Nicholas, is it? Can I call you Nick?"

"Sure. We're all likely going to be here together for a while, so we might as well be friendly."

"Oh, we'll be quite friendly, I promise. Nick, we've heard some rumors. What are you here for?"

"Ah, well, I assume you both have similar...conditions to mine. The recurrent puberty thing?"

"Yeah, yeah, but what about you? Marta has been fit to burst for two days, and she wore her best top this morning, so she thinks you're special. Tell us, is it true? Are ya full package?"

"That's what she called it."

"Oh sweet! You're going to be loads of fun, Nick. This is the perfect place for you to be, and we are going to intensely enjoy your company. Not even the last guy who was here had the full package, and they could barely..."

Violet swatted Marissa gently on the thigh. "That's quite enough of that, Issa. We don't want to tell him all the horror stories during his first hour here." That didn't bode well. "I'm sure you have a million questions, Nick. What would you like to know?"

"Well, you've both been here quite a while. How long do patients usually stay? I know it's indefinite, but what's the usual?"

"It really depends on several factors. Like Marta said, most of her patients don't come here at all. They're dealing with issues more limited in scope, like a relatively mundane second puberty. It's usually only those like us, who have the recurrence trigger, who join the Institute. How long they stay varies based on what other markers they have, how unique their case is. Issa, help me remember, Kelly was here maybe a month, right? And Leah for about three months?"

"Yeah, that's right. They were pretty simple cases, though. You hadn't arrived when Zhang left, he was here for about a year and a half."

"I suspect I'll be here quite some time yet myself; Marta thinks my case is fairly unique, and she's worried what would happen if I didn't stay isolated. So am I, frankly."

There were some undercurrents here that worried Nicholas. Not the least of which was that, from what they were saying, the extent of his genetic variation meant he was in for quite a long stay. "If you don't mind me asking, why have the two of you been here as long as you have, if most patients leave sooner? I mean, I don't want to pry into your medical details or anything."

"Oh no, dear, it's perfectly alright. It would be rather silly if we came to the Institute specifically because of our conditions and then didn't talk about them. For myself, I had a bit of warning that my life was going to involve a lot of doctors. My first puberty hit when I was eight, and I was very lucky to have a supportive family and close friends who didn't tease me about it. I was not as lucky about what it did to my height, although I'm told some people think being short makes me cute. It was last year that the second round started, when I was twenty-six. I have the recurrent trigger, although thankfully my growth only stacks rather than compounding. The biggest reason I've stayed so long is that I got the pheromones."

"The what?" Nicholas wasn't sure about some of the other terms she'd used, either, but he figured he'd learn the lingo soon enough.

"Pheromones, a sort of scent that signals a readiness to...mate. It's one of the bits of puberty that usually goes overlooked, because it's not really relevant for people without the condition. Humans aren't particularly sensitive to pheromones, not compared to other animals, and we don't produce them much, either. We still have the genes, though, they're just turned off for the most part. For me, they got switched on, and my scent is apparently extremely arousing, which of course becomes even more pronounced with additional recurrences. That's what Marta is so concerned about; without a good way to limit it, I'm potentially a bit of a public hazard. She thinks that the related gene expression would make me more sensitive to someone else's pheromones, too, but there hasn't been anyone else."

Issa nudged Vi with her elbow. "Not until today, anyway, huh? Remember, he's got it all. I've seen you looking at him, and you never talk this much, Vi."

Violet blushed prettily, and bit her lower lip as she looked at him. "I have to admit she's right. I'm far more talkative than usual, probably because I'm trying to distract myself. You're extraordinarily attractive, Nick, and I promise I won't do anything you don't want me to do, but oh dear it's difficult to be near you."

Alright then. Following the doctor's advice was not going to be easy, not at all. Maybe a change of subject was due. "What about you, Marissa? It sounds like you've been here longer than anyone."

"Oh, I have. This isn't exactly new for me, either. I've been in and out of one institute or another my whole life, even before the second hit of hormones, and before the first. This is the best one I've been in, though, and I plan to be here until someone kicks me out." A sly look appeared on her face, a signal he already knew meant she had something naughty in mind. "Wanna see why the docs all want me around so much?"

"Issa, don't you dare! He just got here!"

"And he's been breathing in your scent the whole time we've been sitting here! You can see the tent in his pants." Now that was embarrassing.

"You know I can't help that! You're making a conscious decision!"

"Damn right I am. He's gonna find out sooner or later."

"Oh, have it your way."

Issa reclined in her seat, and Nicholas blushed as she reached under her waistband. What was she doing? His eyebrows shot up a moment later when she proved that the flowing fabric that couldn't mask her curves nevertheless hid plenty, as she pulled out a very impressive cock. The soft, smooth shaft filled her hand, its girthy weight even without an erection clearly outclassing his own. Although, with as tight as his pants were feeling right now, the hormones flowing through him didn't want it to stay that way. His sex life, his fantasies, his inclinations had always been thoroughly mainstream, nothing even worth noting for a straight guy, but this little display from Issa suddenly had his erection straining to be released, his mind reeling with erotic possibilities he'd never considered. She tucked her unexpected equipment away again, and chuckled. "Nick? Hey, Nick, you there? Sorry, buddy, didn't mean to blow your mind. Yet, anyway."

Nicholas realized he'd been staring, and shook his head to clear it. "Sorry, um, that was just, well, unexpected. Uh, so, what pronouns should I use? I don't want to offend."

"Vi, would you listen to this guy? A smokin' hot femme herm shows off their huge dick to him, he's obviously totally into it, and the first thing he does is ask about pronouns! Now that's class. He's a keeper." She grinned at him and laughed. "I'm just teasing you, Nick. I do that. And I'm all woman, just a woman with several extras, so she and her are perfectly fine. Seriously, it was classy of you to ask. Since you've probably got even more questions now, I don't have any mods, I was born with the real image I've got. I'm packing all the goodies, both sets complete and perfect, fully functional; no kids, but the docs tell me I'm wicked fertile either way. All this is why I've been living in research labs my whole life. When I was a teenager, the puberty I went through was already wonky, and the simulation decided to give me a good bit of both sides; I got tall, strong, kind of aggressive, pretty big dick, plus tits and ass to die for. I would have absolutely wrecked a school, but alas, it's been private tutors for me. When I started showing signs of a second wave, Marta scooped me up and brought me here. I don't have those sweet pheromones like Vi, and apparently you, and I usually don't trigger another recurrence without an orgasm, but I think I make up for it with having all the options available, and because my growth compounds. Oh, and you might have noticed, but I have a hard time with the whole 'refrain from sexual stimulation' bit they're always throwing at us."

Nicholas had regained some of his composure, and actually felt somewhat sorry for Issa. Life as a test subject couldn't have been entirely pleasant, however much zest she approached life with. "I did notice that, in fact. You've both been very...open with me, and I appreciate it. I'll admit I'm still pretty nervous about being here, but having you around should help me settle in."

Violet leaned forward, looking somewhat expectant. "You're taking this all surprisingly well, Nick. Would you care to tell us about yourself, make this conversation an even exchange all around?"

"Oh. I guess so. I mean, I don't really know much about my condition yet, and based on what you've been saying I have a lot to learn. My life hasn't been, well, much to talk about up until now. I'm a screenwriter, I'm thirty-six, my childhood was unremarkable. Puberty was, you know, something that happened to me like it did for everyone else around. Went to college, got an MFA, met my w..." He stopped for a moment, collected himself, and moved on. "Anyway, settled into a routine, just living day to day, and then my body went crazy and now I'm here."

They heard. They knew he was avoiding talking about it. Neither of them pressed, which made him quite hopeful about the friendship possibilities. Issa picked up the thread of the conversation. "Man, that has got to be an adjustment. Whole life just moving along, no indicators of the chaos waiting in your genetics for decades, and then wham, you're diagnosed with the full package? How long have you been dealing with that? Listen, my sex drive is a pain in the ass sometimes, but I can't imagine how bad it is for you."

"Not that long, really. A little less than two weeks. I guess I made the right decisions and made it here before matters got out of hand. Am I, um, supposed to have problems restraining myself? It's been difficult, sure, but nothing I can't handle."

The two ladies looked at each other, their faces disbelieving. Issa turned to him and just stared, while Vi looked to be reaching for the right words. "Nick, are you saying, do you mean that you've, well, you've been feeling the effects of your condition for just two weeks? And you're already at the Institute? Without ever having triggered a recurrence?"

"I'm not sure what you mean. I didn't really have a sex life when this started, and I wanted to be responsible, so when I didn't feel like myself I went to the doctor."

Marissa's mouth dropped open. "Are you kidding me? You've got it as bad as we've heard, Marta told you that you had the full package, and you haven't given in to what your dick has been demanding for two weeks? This is your fucking baseline! Shit dude, your body is revved up so much with it that Vi and I are both fighting to hold ourselves back, and you don't even notice! Not even Zhang had it this strong, and for a while there he was going to the data surgeons weekly. You've got, like, an iron will or something."

Bits and pieces of the conversation clicked together in Nick's mind, the story building itself from the events of his past, and he started to understand. "No, Issa, it's not willpower. I just gave up. I'm simply a sad, lonely man, who decided that certain parts of his life were over, until a couple of days ago. Who knows, maybe that will change now that I'm here. I'm sorry if I'm making matters difficult for you two. Maybe we should continue this another time; I really like you both, and assuming I don't mess it up, I'd be happy to call you my friends."

Their faces were a strange mix of emotions; confusion, pity, compassion, longing. Vi found her voice. "Of course, Nick. You probably need to get settled in anyway, and I think we're all thoroughly introduced now. Don't worry about us, you'll learn about why we're reacting this way soon enough. See you for breakfast?"

"That would be wonderful. I'll see you two in the morning."

Before they parted, Issa pulled him aside. "Listen, Nick, here's my advice. Let go of whatever got you so down. This is a good place, and a chance to put a lot of fun into your life. Do what Marta says, don't be surprised if she contradicts herself, and don't forget she said she couldn't stop you. I'm gonna go...shower. You relax, you're gonna like it here."

Nicholas headed to his room, thinking about the conversation he'd just had. Each question answered just led to more questions. Hopefully he could get the uncertainty cleared up after he was moved in and started the research protocols Dr. Ratcliffe had mentioned. It was empty in here; Nick wondered when the movers would arrive. Issa had mentioned a shower, which sounded nice, actually. His hormones, of course, decided he should immediately imagine showering with Marissa, the hot water cascading down over her enormous rack, helping her soap up her back and of course her huge ass, pressing against her as he reached to slide his slick hands along her massive, hardening shaft. Okay, that was enough of that, he wouldn't want to go against Marta's advice on the very first day. The bathroom could reasonably be called luxurious; a large tub deep enough to soak someone of his height, a shower that could easily fit three people (no, stop it, down boy), a full complement of soft white towels. The tile floor was even heated.