Sister Cities Ch. 05

Tavi's Talk Show

Tavi relaxed back in her chair as the make-up artists fluttered around her. With her eyes either open or closed as they needed to make her look perfect, she let her mind go over the day's show. It was her 200th anniversary and she had been taking the entire month to go over the history of Prime and Possibility and the University.

She had marveled along with her audience at how far their cities had come. Technology had advanced at amazing speeds. Tavi gave a tiny smile at knowing it was her best friend, Madigan, who had made the most of the advancements that they now found common every day. Her show itself probably would never have happened without Madigan's wonderful scientific brain.

"There you go, Mistress Tavi. You're all set," Cara, her favorite artist said softly as she pulled off the soft cloth that protected Tavi's outfit. "Have a good show today."

"Thank you, Cara." After a quick glance in the mirror she gave the young woman a warm smile, "Perfect as always," she said as she stood from the chair.

Tavi's honey blonde hair brushed just past her shoulders, in a neat clean cut. It was just long enough to allow her staff to either leave it down or put it up in a professional-looking up-do. She took a moment to look over her outfit, a soft, feminine dress with adorable high heeled ankle boots. She liked to change up her look for her shows, but she liked this, she felt all woman today.

Striding to the set, her mind moving forward once more on her segments, her guests, the line-up of discussions, she almost missed seeing Sarai waving frantically at her. After a quick glance at the time, she stopped and waved the woman over to her.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me you're backing out?" she asked worried about the answer.

"Ugh, like you'd let me back out." Sarai wrinkled her nose and continued, "I'm here, but Jacinda's marks went dark. So, she's frantically having a fuck-fest with young Corbin in hopes to save herself."

Tavi frowned in concern, "It's not normal for marks to just go dark like that. What does Matron Leona think about it?"

Sarai shrugged and said, "She thinks the marks have been fading and Jacinda just wasn't paying attention. You know how she keeps her head stuck in a book nearly every hour of the day."

"Hmm," Tavi considered, "it's possible. Wonder what happens if it's too late? Jacinda ages and we lose a virgin anyway." Tavi and Sarai shared a look and a shrug. Taking a step back, Tavi looked over Sarai's clothing choice. "Is that what you're wearing?"

Sarai looked down at her gray shirtdress. "I thought it... umm... hid my size a bit." Sarai smoothed her hands over plump hips.

Tavi tucked a gray strand of hair behind Sarai's ear. "It does. It also makes you look very, very gray. Maybe some other color?" she asked hopefully.

Pursing her lips Sarai sighed, "Fine. I'll go see what I can find. But not much fits these hips. I'm surrounded by young, beautiful, skinny women. I stand out like a very large pear."

With a grin, Tavi said, "Not young my dear. Not young at all."

Sarai rolled her eyes and left, heading back to the dressing rooms.

Tavi moved on towards her set, now a bit behind schedule. Stepping up onto the stage, she looked over the bright red couches, and glass coffee table, noting the pretty yellow flower arrangement with approval. Just as she turned to look for her manager, Reed stepped up to her.

They launched into a discussion of what to do with the time frame changes needed to cover the spot she'd had for Jacinda and Corbin. She felt she'd done well to teach and inform the world about their nature and needs but having the two of them on together would have been ideal. When the cameraman came with his tablet waving in the air, there was no more time and Tavi took her spot on the couch.

Crossing her legs, and making sure her skirt was arranged perfectly, the lights flashed on, Reed gave her a count-down and she was live. Her show streamed live locally and recorded for farther away, but she had finally breached the farthest points of their world. Her name was known to nearly every person, and so far, she held their trust.

After the bright beat of her signature music and a short interaction with her guest audience, she greeted the masses, "Good morning everyone and welcome again to Tavi's Talk. We've had a bit of a last-minute change in today's show and so we'll navigate the day together. But for now, we'll cut to your local news and weather and then I'll have our first guest for you."

The show continued smoothly. Tavi's most informative piece was having Madigan there to explain the new process of implants into every boy baby. They had moved to a more simple set with a high desk to sit behind so it all appeared more professional instead of the casual vibe Tavi went for most of the time.

"So, Mistress Madigan, tell me about this implant. What are you doing to our babies?" She asked, pretending to be alarmed by the news.

Madigan shook her signature red braids, her bright blue eyes twinkling at Tavi's act. "First, let me say, we are not in any way about to hurt an innocent baby. There's no way we would dare to compromise our future." She held up a tiny object, so small they had to bring a special camera in to be able to see it. It sat on the tip of her finger, an oblong-shaped bit of nothing.

"What's it do?" Tavi asked on cue.

"All this does is give your baby boys the opportunity for free education at the university when they graduate from their understudies," Madigan answered.

Tavi pointed at Madigan's finger, "That little thing can give every boy a free education?"

Nodding, Madigan confirmed it, "Yes. This little thing." At Tavi's skeptical look she continued with a smile, "This will be inserted into every boy baby born in the sister cities of Prime and Possibility. We're hoping that eventually, it will go farther than just here, but we'll start with here. It doesn't hurt them. It doesn't do anything to them, except to help keep them a little bit calmer."

Tavi narrowed her eyes in suspicion and asked, "Keep them calmer how? What do you mean?"

Placing the tiny thing back into the protective box it came in, Madigan explained, "Through intensive studies that literally have taken a hundred years to complete, we have isolated the chemical in the blood of males that causes them to get aroused." She looked straight at the camera, "some men, have a lot of it," shaking her finger playfully she said, "you know who you are." Madigan and Tavi shared a laugh before Madigan continued, "and some actually don't have very much. This implant, as tiny as it is, can measure that, and if a boy starts to get a little overloaded, it will secret a super tiny amount of a different chemical to counteract."

A picture of the implant as it sat on Madigan's finger showed on a large screen behind them, "Well, it obviously can't hold much of anything in there. Are you sure this works? And why do you want to do... suppress something so natural?" Tavi asked, sticking to the script they had worked up previously.

Madigan took a breath before answering, "You have done wonders to explain what it means when women are born with these marks on their wrists," both women held up their hands showing glowing scrollwork circling their wrists. "You, Tavi, have made it your mission to teach every single person the world over what they mean, and how it's not something to be scared of. It's a choice for each and every woman who bears these marks.

"While we may never know how or why a baby girl has the marks, it is not something the mother did or didn't do, it just seems to happen sometimes. It just gives that baby girl a choice later in her life. But with that choice, if a woman decides she wants to stay around a little longer and wants to maybe try again with life because it didn't go so well the first time, that requires a virgin male. The cities of Prime and Possibility have been overwhelmingly helpful in assisting with this. Any boy or man who decides to help out one of our numbers is given a full scholarship to the university, which is a two-year advancement into whatever field they want to go in as our thank you for their service."

Tavi had to bite her lip to not laugh at Madigan's use of the word "service." Madigan saw the move and gave her a soft kick under the desk out of sight before she continued. "This implant will help with that boy's decision. If at the age of 18, he doesn't want to go to the university and doesn't want to assist a woman with the marks, then the implant is removed and he goes on about his life. The ones that do make the choice to help us out, the implant remains in, just to give them a little help in overcoming those natural urges. That's all it does. It's not permanent. It doesn't gather information. It doesn't suppress their natural enthusiasm for life. They will be the boy they were always meant to be. But their momma's may appreciate not having to pick up any crusty socks out of their room."

The guest audience burst into laughter at that. Tavi and Madigan exchanged smiles, even though neither of them had ever had children. While Tavi may have spent most of her time trying her best to make sure that women with the marks were not labeled as witches, or tainted in any way, they had discovered that most of the women, not all, but most led lonely painful lives.

Madigan had studied for nearly 200 years trying to discover that common thread but had found no answers. It wasn't true of all, as their own Matron Leona had a full family life before her change. But the range of sad, lonely, and sometimes terrible stories that came from the women they had taken in, was alarming. Tavi had to wonder if whatever gave the women the marks, and sentenced them to a horrible life, was attempting to make up for it with a second chance to live.

After a bit more chatter with Madigan about the implant, the university and all it offered to young people, male and female alike, Madigan took her leave. Tavi filled in more of the show with different women who had come to the manor, changed their lives for new, and started over. There were doctors, professors, scientists, and even quiet women, who just wanted to live peacefully after a life they'd had no choice in.

Her talk with Sarai went very well too. Sarai had managed to find a black pantsuit that covered her plumpness and was much more flattering. She showed her age with gray hair and deep lines on her face. Tavi couldn't help but think about how she was the perfect person for this segment.

"So. It's your birthday today," she leaned in to warmly clasp her hand to Sarai's, "today is your day to change and you have chosen to. Why do you want to do this? Why do you want to live longer?" she quietly asked the older looking woman.

Sarai paused, rolling her lips in tight for a brief moment. "My parents died when I was young. Transport accident, no one's fault, it was just one of those things that happened. I was raised by an aunt who had chosen to live her life alone, with no husband, no kids. She did the best she could and I will always be grateful. But she was not a loving woman. She didn't want to raise a child and certainly not someone else's child."

Swallowing hard, Sarai blinked away tears before she continued, "Because I was yearning for love, for affection, I married way too young to a man... a boy who was not ready to be a husband. It was awful. We fought all the time. Then I got pregnant." She shook her head, the tears spilling out, "I knew it wasn't going to be easy. But when our baby was born, a beautiful baby boy, we only had a few months and then he got sick."

Tavi reached out and took Sarai's hands in hers. She knew the story and had made sure that Sarai was okay to share it on the air. It was still heartbreaking to hear it again though. After a moment, Sarai was able to continue.

Dabbing her eyes with a tissue, she said, "We had our baby Benson for twenty very hard, very painful months and then he passed away in my arms. Our marriage was done. We very nearly hated each other, but we were young and we were broke so we stayed together. He started drinking and then he started doing other things. One night when he was out on the streets instead of home with me, he was killed.

"After that, life was even harder. I had no one. No family, no friends, no one to help me. I went from job to job, found myself homeless. It was a long time before I answered a job advertisement in Possibility." She gave a watery smile, "I liked the name you know, Possibility. It worked out. I've been here ever since. But I've been alone." She gestured to her body and hair, "Looking like this hasn't made it easier. I just want another chance. A chance to see if I can have more time to live a better life. I have a good job and I want to keep that job a while longer. My health isn't so good and I know my time is limited."

She held up her wrist with the pretty flowing marks, "I'm really hoping these will give me a chance at a better life. Just long enough to maybe try love again, a family again, and then if I want, I can age right along with a... hopefully... future husband and children. I don't have to live forever, just long enough for a chance to love."

Tavi carefully dabbed at her eyes, "Now you've made me cry. Ugh!" She gave a weak laugh and said, "I hope you find your love, Sarai. You deserve some happiness and someone to share that with." Turning back to the camera she waved playfully, "So hey, tomorrow I'll have an available single woman here. Any takers?"

Sarai blushed bright red and looked scandalized. They chatted a bit more and then Tavi moved the show along, but she knew that time with Sarai was gold. That more than any other would show the world that women with marks were not freaks, they just wanted a life like everyone else.

After a spot of the current events in Prime and Possibility, showcasing how the two cities worked together and yet separately, she brought the show to a close. Sitting once more on the red couch where she started, Tavi leaned into the camera, as if trying to bring her viewers closer.

"We've talked about a lot here today. The new implant, you met some very wonderful women from different backgrounds, different lives, but everything revolves around these two cities and Matrons Leona and Fleur. The Sister Cities as they are sometimes called is a great place to visit if you're not looking for a place to live. We have everything you could imagine, museums, amusement parks, theaters, sports arenas; it's all here. Come for a visit. Stay if you like. Your children will have every opportunity available to them.

"We're not scary. We're not weird. I promise. We just want to protect a few women born a little different." Tavi shrugged and continued her earnest chat with her audience, "is it a little strange that we need virgin men every so often? Sure it is. But in being able to live extraordinary lives, we've had women develop technology, medical advances, and all sorts of other things that we may never have had. Or would still be in development.

"We live longer lives, but most of those lives are dedicated to making yours better. I've been doing this show for 200 years and hopefully, I'll do it for another 200. I'm not tired, I'm not bored, I'm ready to bring you the news that you need to hear." She raised her hand and blew a kiss to her guest audience and the camera, "I'm here for you and here I'll remain. Good day everyone."

She stood and gave an abbreviated bow, her way to close the show. The lights dimmed, the heat dropped, and Tavi gave a huge sigh. Reed met her before she could take another step. She looked into his warm brown eyes and lifted her brows in question.

"Excellent. That ending, that right there, is why people will still be watching this show long after I'm gone," he said quietly.

Tavi sighed and a small frown pinched her brows, "I've asked Madigan over and over why only women? Why don't men get this chance too? She has yet to find an answer. But there are some men, not many, but you... I wish you would stay with me. For always. You get me and always have."

Reed smiled, a soft look on his face, "Because men couldn't handle the responsibility of the power. We'd abuse it."

Shaking her head, Tavi was confused, "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Men are assholes. While there are few out there that are different, the majority would let living forever go to their heads. Men have the need to conquer, to control. You women, you nurture, you work to advance us all." He shook his head sadly, "I can almost guarantee you, that if I lived as long as you, at some point I'd forget where I came from and what I was living for and start trying to control it all. Then the world would go to shit."

"No. No, I don't believe you'd do that. You're good Reed," Tavi protested.

Reed laced her fingers with his, "Yes Tavi I would. I'm also afraid that most men wouldn't work to find a way to make life easier for those that chose to be our virgins. No, we'd just start taking them. That's the very thing you fight against."

Tavi opened her mouth to argue but looking into Reed's resolute gaze told her he was probably closer to the truth than any speculation she and Madigan had come up with. Madigan especially looked at life from a scientist's view and not from a human standpoint. Reed might be right or he might be giving men much less credit than they deserve. But Tavi remembered how most of the women's stories she'd heard, they had always been dominated by men.

She squeezed his fingers gently, "Okay so, men are assholes. I still wish I could keep you."

Reed laughed and pulled her in for a hug. "I'd only stay if you promised to smack me down if I started to get out of hand."

Leaning into his hug and breathing in his clean scent, Tavi sighed, "It's a deal. Meet me later?"

He gave a nod and a shy smile. They parted ways, both having things to do before they could officially end their day.

~~~

After the show, Sarai had hurried back to the manor. It was her fiftieth birthday but she looked at it as her gateway to a new life. One she hoped would go much better than the previous fifty years. When her transport pulled up in front of the manor, she felt the first butterflies flutter in her stomach in excitement and a little fear of what was to come.

Matron Leona met her inside with a bright smile. With her full lush brown hair currently cut in a shoulder-length sweep, her blue eyes warm and sparkling, she took Sarai's hand and asked, "Are you ready?"

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Sarai nodded, "Terrified, but ready."

Leona gave a quiet laugh, "Everything will be fine. Come, let's go get you ready."

Later when standing in her room, robe tied tightly around her waist, Sarai stood shaking her head. "No. I'm too fat. No young, healthy man with an ounce of brains is going to want me. This is pointless," her voice trembled in sorrow.

Leona cupped Sarai's face in gentle hands. "I was just as you are now. I had a body that had given birth to many children and after my husband passed, I no longer cared about how I looked. Gray and soft and flabby." She gave a soft smile in remembrance, "But that didn't matter to my young Aleph and it won't matter to your young Jaspar now. Our young men are taught, very carefully, very skillfully to be kind and gentle and understanding. As well as a damn good fuck." Leona gave a saucy wink.

Sarai choked on a laugh. "I know, I do. It's just that... even as a young girl madly in love, sex was just sex. More for him than for me. The other ladies have been coaching me, telling their stories. I'm just so afraid that I'll be a huge disappointment to Jaspar."

"Nonsense," another voice announced. Madigan had just entered through the door and responded to Sarai. "I've just come from giving Jaspar his final exam and he is ready and raring to go." She came to stand beside Leona, her red braids swinging around her shoulders. "If Matron Leona hasn't already said it, these boys are taught..." at Leona's nod, she paused and regrouped. "Jaspar is very kind and very eager. He knows what this means to the women who carry the marks. Also, he's ready for his own future to start and that can't happen until your future is secure."