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“Mmmm…”  Grace yawned, stirring awake in the early morning hours.  When did she pass out?  Where was she again?  She tried to think through the grogginess and quickly realized a warm body was curled against her.

She blinked and took a minute to register the fact Arina was lying right there, her face pressed to her neck.  Her cheeks flushed, her heart rate picking up. ‘Deep breath…  It’s just Arina,’ she told herself.  “Good morning,” she said quietly, slicing a hand over her neck and shoulder.  Would every morning be like this?  Since they shared a sleeping space, they could bed with one another as much as they saw fit, right?  If things got a tad spicy, she’d simply accept the risk.

Arina mumbled and shifted, burying her face into Grace’s neck more snugly.  “Five…  More minutes…”  She muttered.  “I’m almost done filing my taxes.”

Grace’s lips curled into an amused grin. ‘She’s dreaming?  How precious,’ she mused, admiring how precious Arina was in this half-asleep state.  “Oh?  Are you getting a big return this year?”  She asked gently, leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

“I… Maybe mmphugh…”  Arina responded, her words deteriorating into gibberish.  A moment later, she stirred and half opened her eyes before pulling back from Grace and looking at her with a dazed look.  “Wait-- what were we talking about?”  She asked before letting out a drawn out yawn.

“You were doing your taxes, sweetheart,” Grace giggled, feeling warm and giddy upon waking up to such unadulterated cuteness.  “You were about to tell me if you were getting any money back.”

Arina’s cheeks flushed as she squirmed and sat upright before rubbing her eyes.  “I was-- wait, taxes?  I was trying to get to the gas station to buy cheap tacos when a buncha tornadoes appeared…  You were with me and we were trying to escape.”  She paused to think.  “We hid out in a bunker but the rent was $100 a day to stay there.  The tornadoes were going to be around for a whole month, so I was filling out my tax return so we could afford the tornado bunker,” she insisted, growing embarrassed as she spoke. “It made more sense at the time,” she huffed, puffing her cheeks slightly.

“I’m sure it did,” Grace weakly laughed with a shake of her head.  She desperately wanted this moment to last an eternity.  As long as she laid here with the woman she loved, she could blot out all negativity and pretend everything was fine and dandy.

The two lay in complete silence for the next ten minutes, with Arina shifting and curling close to Grace once more.  Both of them knew what the day ahead would bring, and neither was excited or eager to leave the comfort of their mutual sanctuary.  Grace idely brushed her fingers through Arina’s hair, pulling her head onto her chest gently to cradle her and outlet attention onto her.

“Today’s going to be…  Not quite fun, huh?”  Arina finally whispered, firmly grasping Grace’s arm as her heart raced.’

Grace closed her eyes tightly, attempting to stay calm.  She had to be good; she couldn’t afford to drown in a pool of anxiety and self-doubt.  “I’m sure today won’t be one we’d describe as optimally fun or relaxing, but it’s a day we will make it through together,” she promised.  With that said, it wasn’t like they fully understood the rules of the upcoming casino-related game of Mollusk Match.

Arina weakly smiled and wrapped her arms around Grace, pulling her close.  “When you say it like that, I do feel a little better,” she confessed.  “Everything is a little better when you’re here with me,” she added.

Grace brushed Arina’s hair back and kissed her forehead.  This new, deeper relationship they found together was already proving to be something she greatly enjoyed and took comfort in.  “Your existence makes me feel a little better, so thank you,” she grinned.  What was this?  Was this what it felt like to be in a real relationship?  She had felt close to Arina the entire duration of Mollusk Match, but it was as if a switch flipped and everything changed.  She suddenly had this amazing support system wrapped up in a cute, female package.  Arina’s mere presence was enough to evoke feelings of mirthy warmth and happiness.  Was this normal?  Was this what love felt like?  She wasn’t an expert on the matter, so she couldn’t say for sure.

Arina’s cheeks flushed as she closed her eyes tight and took slow, steady breaths to calm her heart rate.  “I-- I am fairly confident in saying I’m transforming into something carnivorous.  I feel myself growing feisty and-- err…  Unruly, I guess,” she quietly added, growing more flustered with every word.  “To be honest, I have had urges to just--,” she took a moment to consider her words before continuing.  “Pin you down and kiss you all over, I guess?  Something like that.”  Her eyes widened and she suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth.  “Oh my gosh.  I don’t know why I’d say that out loud,” she squeaked, shaking her head in embarrassment.

Grace just blinked and gave Arina an incredulous look before bursting out with laughter.  “Sweetheart.  You’re not going to upset me by being attracted to me.  I might not fully understand my sexuality, but I only feel flattered to learn such a thing,” she said with warmth, wanting to give Arina gentle reassurances. 

“Oh…”  Arina mumbled, ceasing her minor freakout.  She gazed into Grace’s eyes and gave a slight smile.  “In that case, maybe I should pin you down and kiss you all over next time we get some alone time together,” she purred, leaning in as she nipped Grace’s neck.

“Ahh!”  Grace turned beet-red and shivered as the adorable woman gave her a loving, affectionate nip.  How could she deal with such affection?  It was almost too much for her little heart to bear.  “We should probably get dressed soon,” she huffed, not wanting to show how flustered Arina made her.

Arina sighed and let out another playful huff.  “I guess you’re right…  Maybe we can manipulate time somehow and enjoy another few hours together.  Can you use time magic by chance?”  She asked with a wry smile.

Grace put a hand on her cheek and pretended to ponder the inquiry.  “Hmm.  I’m afraid not.  But, I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to spend days like this together,” she insisted with warmth in her voice.

Arina giggled before stretching and letting out a low yawn.  “Mmm…  Alright, I guess there’s no point in avoiding the day.”  Whether they liked it or not, they’d have to face the upcoming challenges head-on.  Nothing could stand in their way from here.

The entire group of twelve girls marched down the sterile hallway, escorted by two armed guards behind and two ahead, ensuring they didn't attempt anything drastic.  Even if they did, where would they go?  There was simply nowhere to run to-- no escape from the sadistic games they were subjected to.

Most of the girls walked in silence, with some whispering amongst themselves.  Phoebe stayed with Ella near the back, continuing to utter words of reassurance to the half-horse woman taking wobbly steps down the hall.

Grace stood near the front with Arina, still quite glad to have her support.  She wasn’t sure if she would have made it through without her never ending support.  “I wonder how long we’ll be walking for,” she muttered with a sigh.  They had gone down multiple corridors and had been walking for at least twenty minutes.

“Yeah…”  Arina murmured in response, unable to muster up anything further to add.  She just gave Grace a weak smile and put a hand on her shoulder for reassurance.  “I’m sure it won’t be much longer.”

Eventually, the group was led into a large elevator that began to slowly rise.  The girls shifted around, with some seeming more stressed than others.  Kalea just laughed and smirked, proudly showing off her crimson wing and feathers.  Grace cast her a look and raised an eyebrow before looking away.  She saw her beahvior as posturing; Kalea wanted tost appear stalwart and unshakeable, but there was no way to be wholly unaffected by the nightmarish reality of Mollusk Match.

“You will be okay.  Just stick with me,” Ruby purred to Edith and Gina, placing a hand on both of their shoulders.  She had an air of complete calm, with a slight smile spread across her face.  “I haven’t lead either of you precious girls astray yet, have I?”

Edith hesitated before shaking her head.  “N-- No…  I trust you,” she insisted.

Gina appeared more hesitant.  “Just don’t let us down.  I follow you because you haven’t yet given me reason to distrust you.”

“Shhhh.  Come now; you know better than to doubt me,” Ruby chimed.

Grace saw Eun-ju, who was to her left, roll her eyes after that remark.  If she was concerned about the upcoming ‘casino’ game, she wasn’t showing it on her face.

‘Surely they’re all worried…  Some just have a good poker face,’ Grace mused before shaking her head and slapping her hands onto her cheeks. ‘Focus.  It doesn’t matter what the others think and feel,’ she reminded herself.  Getting bent out of shape over how others perceive Mollusk Match wasn’t a productive use of time.

When the elevator stopped, the doors opened with a loud, mechanical whir, and the group was led out.

Grace took in the room around her.  They appeared to be in what looked like a university lecture hall with casino-flare.  There were ornate red carpets, golden statues and ornaments, and red leather seating positioned in a half moon around a small stage with a large screen inm the back.

She glanced toward Arina upon feeling her hand get grabbed and gently squeezed.  “Are you holding out okay?”  She asked with a forced smile.

Arina hesitated before biting her lip and nodding.  “Y-- Yeah…  I’ll get through this as long as you’re here,” she promised.

“You girls take your seats anywhere around the room.  The host of Match 3 will be here shortly,” one of the guards dully stated before turning and heading into the elevator with another guard.  Two of the four stayed behind, assumingly to corral the gaggle of contestants if any were to act out.

Grace watched the two guards disappear before letting out a low sigh and glancing at Arina.  “I suppose we should sit.”

The two sat on a small couch off to the left side, and near the front, both shifting nervously and trying to calm their racing hearts.  What would this game have in store for them?  Would they make it through intact?  Based on everything Grace knew of her transformation, she felt a deep fear that permeated the very fiber of her being.  If Arina developed cat or dog-like traits of some kind, that wouldn’t be too awful, right?

She rested her head back and stared at the ceiling, the dull pang of dread within her bubbling and growing as the seconds passed.  ‘What the hell am I becoming?’ She lamented, recalling her bizarre nightmares, the slimy sweat, and periodic bouts of sluggishness.  Deep down, she felt she was getting the short end of the stick in regards to the transformations each contestant faced, which was all the more reason for her to fight for her life-- for her humanity.

“We’ll get through this,” Arina promised, placing a hand on Grace’s knee with a gentle squeeze.

Grace offered a weak smile in return.  “Y-- Yeah…  You’re right; thank you,” she said quietly.  While she appreciated Arina’s reassurance, it wasn’t enough to assuage the fear and uncertainty gnawing away at her psyche..

There was still so much she didn’t know.  For all of her strides forward, she was still in a precarious situation compared to the others.  On top of her transformation potentially being worse, she apparently grew up in a sheltered society and knew little of the outside world.  There was a target on her back because of Lcious, and she lacked the ‘warrior gene’ that some of the others seemed to possess.  The farther an individual leaned into sociopathic or psychopathic tendencies, the less bothered they’d be in situations like this.  It was easy to tell herself that contestants like Kalea and Eun-ju were hiding their true fears and anguish behind a mask, but in reality, they could very well just not give a shit.

“Stress sweatin’?”  A huskier female voice chimed from behind.

Grace nearly jumped and quickly turned to see Kalea with a shit eating grin plastered on her face.  She clenched and unclenched her hand, deciding she’d give her no satisfaction.  “I’m eager for this next game.  I consider myself pretty good at these types of challenge,” she insisted with a forced smile.

“Yeah, sure,” Kalea stated incredulously, her lips contorting into a devilish smirk.  “How good did that big ol’ brain of yours do you during the first match?  I heard you just stood there with a stupid expression and failed to answer a single question correctly.”

Grace winced and was about to reply when Arina piped in.  “Aren’t you the one who tried to pick a fight with the farmer?  I’d be humiliated after busting my hand against an old farmer and thn getting made an example of in front of everyone.”

Kalea’s eyes narrowed.  “I didn’t expect this from you of all people, little lamb,” she spat, walking closer to Arina as she menacingly glared.  “I don’t give a shit if I transform.  I’m the only one here with enough balls to stand up for herself-- for all of us; what have you done?”

Arina suddenly laughed. “Nice cope, sweetheart,” she said oh so sweetly.  “Standing up for yourself in a situation where you only can only lose makes you an idiot.  You’re a dumbass, not a martyr, dear.”

Grace’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets, her mouth hangin agape.  Was this really Arina?  She glanced toward her pronounced canine teeth and recalled what she said about becoming something carnivorous.  She then thought back to when Lucius chewed out Rose and went on his spiel about predators and herbivores.  Was Arina’s transformation having this profound of an impact on her brain and personality?”

“You fucking b--,” Kalea began to speak.

“Enough!”  A male voice shouted.

Everyone turned toward the door situated left of the screen at the room’s back end.  A man in a midnight blue suit and deep blue, round sunglasses with shielding stepped into the room, glouring at the contestants.  “If a single one of you fights during match three orientation, I’ll have you evicted from the game and counted as an immediate loss.  Do you understand?  Nod if you do.  Do not speak,” he demanded.

The girls all hesitantly nodded, even the seething Kalea who quickly scampered away to sit before she was punished.

“Good.”  Chul walked onto the small stage and laced his gloved fingers together.  “Casino Night is upon you fine young women.  Listen closely; I’m only going to explain the rules once.”  His words carried great weight; at this moment, everyone in the room was transfixed on the mysterious new VVIP, awaiting further instruction.

CHAPTER END

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