The Multiverse

She was resolved that no matter what he husband-to-be wanted, she would be better at it than anyone had ever been. There was only one thing she anticipated with trepidation even though she knew the chances of that being incorporated into her specialized training was less than 5%. Still, that meant it would be part of the regimen for up to perhaps a dozen girls. Courtney was a realist and she knew that this was out of her hands. If it happened, it would happen. Still, she secretly prayed it wouldn't to her. Society had no issue with it but for some reason, Courtney had never wanted to smoke. She knew some men found it incredibly alluring and sexy but because she, like all of the girls, was a virgin, "sexy" had no meaning to her beyond "pretty." If her husband found girls who smoked to be pretty, then she would accept her fate and do her best to become very proficient at it. But still she hoped that...

In another hour, all of them would learn what it was their new husbands-to-be expected of them. Hoping to avoid just one thing didn't seem unreasonable to her.

After the short ceremony, each of the girls was assigned a speciality instructor or SI. During the first month, the general trainers or GTs were interchangeable. They rotated duties and all taught the same things to every girl. For the next two months, each girl would spend twelve hours a day with her SI learning those things tailored specifically for her. Where specifics overlapped for two or more girls, they could be trained together.

A beautiful woman who appeared to be about 25 or so, introduced herself to Courtney. "Courtney, I'm Amanda Williams and it's my pleasure to serve as your specialized instructor."

Courtney smiled and said sincerely, "It's such an honor and a distinct pleasure to know you, Miss Williams. I will do everything in my power to successfully complete this phase of my training."

"I know you will, sweetheart. You not only received the highest purchase price ever, you come as highly recommended as any girl has ever come at any ASAS. So the pleasure is all mine."

Each of the GTs and SIs were girls who had previously competed at the state level but who had not been selected. If they made it to the final round, they were eligible to be purchased informally but the prices were comparatively very low and they did not attain full adult status until the age of 23. They did however, have full adult status in public when accompanied by their purchaser-husbands. They were identifiable by a unique but inferior ring presented to them in their wedding ceremony. Still, many of them were happy to be purchased at all and the money their families received was often enough to pay off a mortgage or other large debt. There was very little status involved but it was far better to be purchased informally than not at all. Amanda had been purchased for $350,000 which was very good price for a non-finalist. The nearly $90,000 her family received allowed them to pay off the huge credit card debts they'd amassed and trade both of their old, unreliable cars for newer models. She was married to and spent four years with a very kind and loving man. Now that her contract had expired, she was only too happy to offer her services to the nation's top tier of purchased girls.

"So, we have a lot of things to cover today, Courtney. Are you ready to get started?"

"Most definitely, Miss Wilson. I am not only ready, I am very much looking forward to beginning this phase of training!" Courtney said excitedly.

Amanda asked Courtney to accompany her to the wardrobe area where she would receive a large amount of clothes, shoes, handbags, and jewelry as specified by her purchaser. This one by far the most enjoyable aspect of the girls' training to date.

"Okay, Courtney. Your purchaser has provided me with a detailed list of the kinds of things you'll be wearing for the remainder of your training and during your marriage. Are you ready to go shopping?"

Courtney did her best to restrain her happiness but couldn't keep it from bubbling over. "I am so excited I can hardly wait! This is by far the largest clothing store I've ever been in before! Everything is SO beautiful and the displays are SO...classy. I love it!"

"That's because you must become accustomed to only the finest things in life. Throughout your marriage, you will never again shop in a department store. This is the kind of place where you will spend your new husband's money so please feel free to take anything within your designated area."

Courtney began looking at all of the beautiful gowns and dresses, blouses and skirts, shoes and bags. "I feel like I've died and gone to heaven! I've heard of these designers before but I've never actually seen any of their lines."

"You will need several formal gowns of the style shown here. You will also need a number of cocktail dresses of the type modeled here." Amanda was showing examples of the kinds of things she could choose on the tablet she carried with her.

"Most of your wardrobe will come from our sweater selection over there as that is what your future husband prefers." Amanda pointed to a very large section of the store which had every imaginable kind of dressy, expensive sweater and knit tops. "You'll notice your purchaser wishes you to wear this type of clothing at all times unless told otherwise for certain formal functions. Therefore, most of what you will choose will come from this section. Please ensure that most of your items have a rib-knit look to them. Sleeve length isn't important and you may choose any neckline from square to jewel to turtleneck."

Courtney selected 100 of the most beautiful sweaters and knit tops in the store. Amanda then led her to the section where skirts were sold. Courtney elected another 150 beautiful skirts most of which were extremely short. Some though, were only a few inches above the knee and a handful were very long with long splits in the side.

Once she'd selected 200 pairs of shoes—mostly high heels in the 3-6" length, she moved on to jewelry selection where she chose dozens of beautiful earrings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, and other items in gold, silver, onyx, and other colors.

The last thing was underwear. Courtney would also need dozens of lacy bra and panty sets of various colors, hundreds of pairs of stockings, but NO pantyhose.

All of the items were delivered to her new living complex which was a very large, very spacious suite of rooms meant to accustom her to this type of environment. She would have other assistant specialists to do her hair, makeup, and to assist her with wardrobe.

"Okay! Wardrobe is complete. Now we will get you dressed in your new style and then we will proceed to the in-house salon where your hair will be cut, colored, and styled to the specifications of your purchaser. Once that is complete, you'll be given a makeover. Rather than teach you how to apply makeup, yours will be applied for you by an expert each day as will be the case once you are a married woman, as well. Are you still excited?"

"I am," Courtney said. "This is just so different from generalized instruction and so very exciting! I love all of my new clothes and can't wait to see what color and style my hair will be or what I will look like wearing makeup for the very first time!"

A stylist was waiting for them as everything had to run like clockwork. An hour later, Courtney's hair had been trimmed to shoulder length and set in large rollers. When finished, her dark hair was long and silky with gentle waves which cascaded down around her face and neck. She was given just the softest hint of wispy bangs to complete her new look.

"Oh, my goodness! It's absolutely wonderful! I love it!" she bubbled.

An hour later the finishing touches of her makeup were applied and her finger and toenails painted to match her dark red lipstick. She had never seen herself in makeup before and when she looked at herself for the first time, she was unable to speak. Finally she said to Amanda, "I can't believe this is me. I look like I'm...25."

"My age?" Amanda said with a smile.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant..."

"I know what you meant, dear. It's quite all right. When I was your age, someone my age seemed ancient! While we're talking about age, I'd like to share something with you, Courtney. Even though I didn't make it to the final 250, I did manage to get purchased in a run-off round and I spent four wonderful years with a fantastic man. At first, I was completely overwhelmed. But that's where the beauty of the Purchase comes in. You will belong to a man who is older and wiser and he will provide you with love, affection, and happiness. So never worry about being so very young and inexperienced. Every girl who competes for final selection is a virgin. In fact, none of them have ever been on a date. Then again, they are so young it's actually a good thing. Dating at 18 is something no parent should allow. Some do, I know, but girls that age are simply not ready to handle the implications of dating boys. The Purchase solves all of those problems at once. You will soon be an adult, and although you may appear like one physically—and let me assure you are nowhere near adulthood mentally. But the final two months of training will prepare for your new life as an adult as much as possible, so please pay very close attention and give 100% at everything asked of you. Can you do that, Courtney?"

"Yes. Of course I can. And I promise I will. I don't understand very much about love and marriage but I know my mommy and daddy love one another and I want to be happy just like them!"

Courtney most definitely did look like an adult. In fact, she looked more like a very young supermodel. Her future husband was a very lucky man.

Amanda led them back to Courtney's suite and said, "We'll be having dinner in one hour. You will be introduced to a number of new foods as well as beverages and other things. Please remember that many adult things are what are known as 'acquired tastes.' For instance, you not enjoy the taste of caviar the first few times you try it. It has a rather salty, somewhat fishy taste, but it is essential you learn to enjoy it. The same applies to anything else you will try for the first time. Also remember, this is the first event you will attend looking the way your purchaser directed. From this point on, everything you wear, do, and say will be done with one purpose in mind—to mold you into his ideal wife. Do you understand?"

"I do," Courtney replied sincerely. "I've been waiting for this all of my life and I promise I will work very hard to learn to enjoy everything I'm expected to like!"

"That's an excellent attitude, Courtney. It will serve you well and make your purchaser very happy."

Courtney was escorted to dinner by a special assistant. "You'll be seated in here, my dear," she told her pointing to an area that was separate from the rest of the dining area. It was a fairly large, spacious area set behind a very large plexiglass window which separated it from the rest of the tables. Inside, there was one very large table with a total of five place settings. The assistant showed Courtney where her exact seat was located as four other assistants did the same with their charges.

The outer room was also filled with the other 245 girls who were also seated. Courtney was trying to see if she could see any patterns. Were girls with the same style of clothing or hair color seated together? The same hairstyles? She noticed that most tables had either wine glasses or champagne flutes but not all of them did. She couldn't find any such pattern if it existed and she was very curious as to why she and these four beautiful girls were seated in here together rather than with the majority of this year's selectees.

The Headmaster called for their attention. "Ladies? Welcome to our first informal dinner event. Each of you has been told that you will experience new firsts this evening. Those may include, but need not be limited to, new foods and beverages. Some will also be privileged to try other adult activities in preparation for their new lives. Remember, each of you has a very specialized training regime and it matters not what any other girl is or is not doing. What is important is each of you does her best to become accomplished at every task specifically given to her. Now please take the next few minutes to introduce yourselves to the rest of your table. I wish all of you a very pleasant and memorable evening!"

Each of the five girls looked at the other four. None of them spoke. Possibly, that was due to Courtney's presence. All of them knew who she was because of her purchase price. Because of that and her obvious beauty, all of them were in awe of her to some degree. She spoke first. "Good evening, ladies. I'm Courtney Cunningham from Ohio." Each girl in turn introduced herself. Courtney was seated in between a beautiful blonde girl named Madison on her left and a fellow brunette with very short but very cute hair named Alexis on her right. Madison was wearing a gorgeous silk kimono and had her hair done in traditional Japanese fashion. Alexis was wearing a leather dress, leather boots, and a leather collar with some sort of silver protrusions from it. She wore a great deal more makeup than any of the other girls at her table.

Courtney then also noticed that five of the girls at a table with no wine glasses were all wearing sports attire of some kind. Two wore cheerleader uniforms, another was dressed as a Girl Scout, and two others wore athletic attire. The most interestingly-attired girl was dressed as a nun and sitting alone at a table for one. All of this was just so fascinating and yet very puzzling to Courtney.

As the first course arrived, the girls' SI's entered and stood behind them. Amanda spoke for all of them. "Ladies? We are here to supervise and make corrections. We will not interfere unless we see you make a mistake of some kind. When you do—and you all will—we will correct you. Keep in mind it isn't personal. We are here only to ensure you become the perfect companions for your new husbands-to-be."

Their initial new first was wine. Stewards brought them bottles of the finest chardonnay and poured a tiny amount in each glass. Courtney was served first. She'd never tasted any alcohol before so she was very unsure what to expect. The steward presented the bottle for her examination. The girls had been instructed in general training to take a very small sip and then tell the steward whether or not the wine was acceptable. As he presented the wine he said, "Madame? Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet." She nodded her approval and the steward poured her a very small amount. She took a tiny sip then swallowed it. The taste was so bitter she wanted nothing more than to spit it out. However, she knew that was forbidden. She shuddered slightly then managed to say, "The wine is excellent. Thank you." The steward then filled her glass half full, bowed, and back away.

As each dish was set before them, their steward lifted the silver lid and said the name of the dish. "Madame? Escargot."

The girls had learned to use the tiny fork and tongs provided in general training. They had yet to master the art of gracefully removing them and eating them. This went on course after course. The girls had been warned that alcohol makes one 'giggly.' They would be allowed some latitude but silliness would not be tolerated. By the third course, some of the girls had almost finished their glass. This brought a gentle rebuke from their SI. "Small sips only, ladies. One glass must last the entire meal. No exceptions."

The conversation did flow much easier after each of the girls had drunk a little over half of their glasses. Courtney realized why alcohol was such an important part of the meal. She was certain she would 'acquire' a taste for it at some point. That just wasn't going to be anytime soon. She was quite sure of that. For now, its very pleasant effects were reward enough for putting up with its awful taste.

After the dessert course, each of the special instructors stepped out and returned with a small box wrapped with a small bow on it. "Ladies, a gift from your husbands-to-be. Each was carefully selected by him personally with you in mind. You will find your initials engraved on each. When you look, you will notice the last initial is not yours. That is because it is the first letter of your new last name once you are married immediately after graduation."

Courtney opened hers first. It was a beautiful gold cigarette lighter. She looked at both sides then turned it upside down and read, "CAM." The C was for Courtney and the A for Allison, her first and middle names. An M. Hmmm. Could the "M" stand for? No. Was it possible her future husband was... It couldn't be. But the amount paid for her was...

Her thoughts were interrupted when each special instructor set a pack of cigarettes next to each girl. Courtney noticed hers were Virginia Slims Menthol Lights. Her eyes darted around the table. In front of Madison was a pack of Benson & Hedges Menthol Lights. Before Alexis was a pack of Marlboro reds. The other girls were given Virginia Slim Lights and Misty 120 Lights, respectively.

"Ladies, you five have been given the honor of learning to smoke. Each of us assigned as your instructors also smoke. I can tell you that it is very much an acquired taste but one that you will love and cherish once you adapt to it. Each of us began smoking at the request of our husbands after we were purchased in the run-off. We didn't have the benefit of such training, so we had to learn as they watched us. You will leave here loving to smoke and being proficient at it. Please pay very careful attention."

Amanda explained and demonstrated how to hold a cigarette. Style was incredibly important she explained. One must always, always appear very feminine and ladylike when smoking with the exception of Alexis who would be taught the technique of dangling and inhaling and exhaling without holding her cigarette. Again, except for Alexis, the wrist was to always be bent thusly when holding a lit cigarette. When taking a puff, it must be held with the first two fingers fully extended. She showed them how to properly ash and put out a cigarette when they were done.

"Ladies, with the exception of Alexis, please open your packs and gracefully remove one cigarette. Alexis? You will tap yours your pack, let one filter rise up, then remove it with your lips and let it dangle there."

Courtney realized what was happening. She was indeed one of those very few selected to learn the art of smoking. It wasn't something she'd wanted. In fact, it was the one thing she dreaded. Yet instinctively, she knew that it was her duty...no, her pleasure to learn this technique and to learn it well. She removed the silver foil and set it aside then slid out one of the long, slender cylinders from the open pack. For the next two minutes, each of the girls practiced holding it as they had been shown. One of them laughed as she pretended to inhale and was gently rebuked for her lack of seriousness. She was informed that only a tiny, select number of girls were selected for this honor and that mocking it in any way was a sign of very poor taste. The girl apologized to the rest of the group and behaved properly from then on.

"Ladies, I am now going to demonstrate how to light a cigarette and then I will show you how to inhale. Most of the time, your husband will light your cigarette for you. If you are with him, you will hold the cigarette like this and lean toward the lighter in this manner. Because I am an accomplished smoker, I will take a very long inhale and exhale it to show you how you will one day appear." A steward offered her a light and Amanda's cigarette burned cherry red. She took a very deep drag as she hadn't had a cigarette herself in almost two hours, an unreasonably long time to go without one. She exhaled a long, beautiful stream of smoke which each girl watched with awe.