Trust Machines - Chantilly

“This is Cheryl Lewis for KVOR News, with yet another fascinating,” the pretty blonde’s voice dripped with sarcasm, “look at a local business that nobody’s going to watch.”

Her cameraman sighed and lowered the camera.  “Look, C.L., if you want to get anywhere, you have to put in the time.”

“I know, Rick, I know.  It’s just... I’m so bored of this part.  How many more?”

Rick shrugged shoulders that had long since become used to the weight of the camera, among other things.  “Last one did two months’ worth before quitting.  One before that... hm.  Six months?”

“Then what did she do?”

“I think she’s a weathergirl somewhere now.  Glad we got to dump her on someone else, I hear she’s a total bitch now.”

Cheryl slumped.  “So... more of this, huh?”

“With a little luck you’ll get local sporting events soon.”

“Baseball?” asked Cheryl, perking up.

“Little league soccer finals are next month.”

Cheryl sighed.  “Whee.”

“Let’s take it from the top,” said Rick as he lifted the camera once more, already recording.  “Paste that cute smile of yours on, and put a good face on...”  Mike gestured at the sign.  “SubHuman.  That’s an odd name.”

“Oh, so you haven’t seen it all?” Cheryl asked with a grin.  “Cool.  And mark.  This is Cheryl Lewis for KVOR News showcasing another local business success story, SubHuman.  Let’s go in and see what the name is all about.”

Cheryl turned to the door, opening it with a jingle.  She was welcomed into the shop by a sharp-featured older woman in a charcoal grey suit.  “Hello, and welcome to SubHuman,” she declaimed cheerfully while shaking Cheryl’s hand.  She was also giving the reporter an evaluating once-over that produced an even bigger grin.  “Well, this should be fun.  I’m Mistress Anna, and I own this place.”

Cheryl didn’t answer immediately.  Instead she was staring around the showroom.  It was an open space with a series of widely-spaced pedestals and class cases around the edge. On each pedestal was a cast plaster sculpture.  They looked like life-castings, except that instead of just people’s faces, there were erotic sculptures.

Cheryl approached one with wide eyes.  It was armless and legless, like most of the sculptures.  As she got closer it became evident that the arms and legs were...  “Breasts?  How odd.  And that face, that mouth.  It’s as if it was a...”

“That’s our bed-pet design.  One of my earlier clients to become one agreed to do a lost wax casting.  She came out beautifully, don’t you think?”

“You turned a person into wax and...”  Cheryl couldn’t believe what she was asking.

“Poured moulding compound around her, fired it to melt her, then made this, yes.  I’ve been through it myself, to refine the process.  It’s incredibly soothing to melt in such heat.  Harmless, of course, like all Venn Machine transformations.”

“Then what did you do with... her?” Cheryl asked.

“Changed her back into a hybrid of flesh and silicone, and sent her off with her new owner,” answered Mistress Anna cheerfully.

“Her owner?  But... but she’s human!” protested Cheryl.

“No.  She’s a bed pet.  She signed a contract to that effect.  Quite eagerly, I might add, once she’d been through the training.”

“Is that legal?  A person can’t sign away their rights like that, can they?”

“A human cannot, no.  But a corporation can.  She incorporated herself as ‘Bed Pet 23’ and contracted in that name.”

“But what about the human?  Her human name and rights?”

Mistress Anna pointed at the sculpture.  “What left this shop was not human.  Her skin was silicone.  She still had lungs of a sort and could speak, though not very loudly.  Bed Pet 23 went willingly.  Happily, knowing what lay ahead.”

“And that was?”

“Look at her.  What do you think she was made for?”

Cheryl nodded slowly.  “I see.  I guess she might be happy, at that.”

Mistress Anna smiled all-knowingly.  “She is.  Happy enough to sign an extension to her first contract.  But don’t take my word on it.  Let’s talk with Satin, here.”

Cheryl looked around in confusion.  “Who?”

Mistress Anna strode over to another pedestal.  This one held what Cheryl had taken for a pillow on top of it, presumably to display something else.  When the shopkeeper turned it over, the other side had a face that unfolded on a short neck, and smooth, nipple-less breasts.  There was a suggestively placed seam below them.

“Satin, you may speak freely.”

The pillow smiled up at Cheryl. “Hi!”

Cheryl took only a moment to recover from the surprise.  “Hello, Satin.  What’s it like being a pillow?”

“I like to think of myself as a pillowgirl when I’m this way ‘round.”

“So if I turned you over, you’d just be a pillow?”

Satin nodded.  “I’m a very good pillow when I’m a pillow.  Pillow’s aren’t s’posed to talk, so it’d be tough to interview me if you did.”

“I guess it would,” admitted Cheryl with a chuckle.  “Do you always do what you’re supposed to?”

Satin laughed.  “That’s kinda why I’m here.  I was such a...”  She looked over at Mistress Anna.  “Sorry.  I can’t tell you what I was like... before.  Not allowed to use the words I’d need.”

Cheryl stared at Mistress Anna.  “What have you done with her?”

She got a mysterious smile in reply.  “Our main purpose here isn’t changing people’s shapes.  Anyone with skill at using a Venn Machine can do that.  We change people at a more fundamental level.”

“A more fundamental... The Venn Machines can’t change minds!” protested Cheryl.

“True.  But they can create forms that leave the mind much more easily encouraged.”  Mistress Anna patted Satin, and the pillowgirl’s eyes closed with bliss.  It sounded as if she was purring.

“You train them with pleasure?”

Mistress Anna’s smile grew wider.  “I have found that the granting and withholding of pleasure can be very motivating.  Isn’t that so, pet?”

“Yes Mistress Anna,” chirped Satin immediately.

Cheryl stared at the slit-eyed pillowgirl.  “Does it feel as good as it looks, Satin?”

“Better,” murmured the pillowgirl.

The door’s bell jingled as two more people entered.  One was a raven-haired woman that looked Cheryl’s age or a bit younger.  She was holding hands with a what looked like a high school football star that hadn’t quite made the cut after he graduated.

Satin grinned as she saw them.  “Ronnie!  You’re back!”

“Anna called and said you were done.  I had to see.  You look... smaller.”  Ronnie frowned.  “How do you feel, San...”

A cough from the shopkeeper interrupted Ronnie.  “That’s not her name now.  Tell her.”

“I’m Satin, now,” said the pillowgirl.  “Satin Seven.  That other girl... she’s not here.”

Ronnie’s eyes went very wide.  “You’ve been some crazy shit before, girl...”  Mistress Anna winced at the crudity.  “But this,” continued Ronnie obliviously, “You’re serious.”

“Yes.  You know what I’d become.  That’s why you dared me to try this.”

“I had no idea it would... Wow.”

“What was she like before?” asked Cheryl.

“Oh my God.  Total hell-bitch.  If she didn’t have the same face and voice I’d swear that’s not my best friend right there.  We did all kinds of crazy shit together, especially with the Venn Machines.  Did you hear about the zebra that stampeded through town?”

“Hear about it?  I got stuck covering the aftermath for days.”

“That was her.  Such a hoot, but we got in so much trouble over that.  San... I mean Satin felt guilty about the carriage horse, though.  That really shook her up.  So when we heard about this place, I told her to do it.  As a lark, y’know?  She needed a break.  Plus, I figured she couldn’t do much harm as a pillow.  Can I pick her up?”

Mistress Anna nodded.  “Pillows don’t get a say in such things.  They’re objects.”

Ronnie picked her friend up.  “God, you’re so damn cute!  Are you seriously going to stay like this?”

“Yes.  But hopefully not here forever.”

“Oh?  What do you want, then?” asked Cheryl.

“A good owner. One that will love me and cuddle me and...”  Satin trailed off and looked to Mistress Anna.

The shopkeeper stepped forward.  “Over half of my clients come in with a customer already in mind.”  She cast a significant look at Ronnie and her companion.  “But we routinely see clients like Satin here as well, who we need to place once their training is complete.  We can only care for so many at once.”

“So you want someone to adopt Satin, here?” asked Cheryl, on more familiar ground.  She’d done enough animal shelter segments to have the routine down pat.  Cheryl held Satin up to the camera.  “Look at how cute she is.  Imagine coming home to this every day.”

Mistress Anna chuckled.  “More a purchase than an adoption, but I suppose that’s true of puppies, too.  And she’s well trained, won’t shed, and will see to your... needs.”

“Sold,” said the guy who’d come in with Ronnie.

Ronnie spun on him.  “You’d prefer her over me?” she asked, eyes flashing dangerously.

“Of course not,” he replied easily.  “But I’d love to take you home like that.”

Ronnie’s eyes went wide, rocketing from anger to surprise to curiosity.  “As a pillowgirl?”  She turned back to look at Satin, stroking her softly.  Satin purred encouragingly.

“A properly trained one, yes.”  He turned to Mistress Anna.  “What would that take?”

Mistress Anna studied Ronnie, who had accepted Satin back from Cheryl and was talking with her in earnest, low tones.  “Not much.  she’s not a hard case like Satin was.  I could make good progress with her over the weekend.  Then the both of you can try it out for a week or two, and see if you want to train her further.”

“I’m sure I will.  Do you think you can persuade Veronica to do it?”

“She has practically sold herself on it already.  Mary!”

A wiry woman with pronounced muscles on her arms emerged from the back room.  “Yes, Mistress Anna?”

“Our next project is here.”  Mistress Anna nodded toward Ronnie.  “Velvet, I think.  Call Phil to see if he’s free to spot you.  And ask him to hang around for a bit once you’re done.”

Mary grinned.  “Of course.”

Mistress Anna approached Ronnie.  “You’re ready to become like your friend here.”

Ronnie startled, and nearly dropped the pillowgirl.  “I... it sounds... but my life...”

“Just a weekend.  Give yourself to us for that long, and you’ll be a new person.”

“Just the weekend?  Sure.  I’ve been stranger things for longer.  But what about Stu, here?  What does he get out of it?”

A small sheaf of paper was already on the counter in front of Ronnie.  “Sign here please.  At the end of the weekend we will take you back to the Venn Machine so Stu can get at least three nights with his pillowgirl, Velvet.”

“Velvet?”  Ronnie smiled.  “I like the sound of that.”  She signed where indicated without reading the documents.  Soon Mary was leading her away.

“What has she signed on for, exactly?” asked Cheryl.

“Just what I said.  A two-day intensive experience as the shop’s property, extendable twice.  Have a look.”

A similar sheaf of paper was presented to Cheryl, and she started to read.  “This is simple enough.  Possession when non-human, treatment at owner’s discretion...  Minimum attention standards?  So this binds you as well?”

“Of course.  We would never mistreat one of our SubHumans.  Our job is to make them better, not break them.”

“Better at what, being submissive toys?”

“Yes, exactly.”

Cheryl read to the end, then frowned.  “There’s nothing in here about names, though.”

Another set of documents were set in front of Cheryl, shorter than the previous.  She flipped through them.  “This is a business registration form.”

“So that you can legally sign over your rights as an object, yes.  We only take this step for longer term changes, where we want to establish your object name.”  Mistress Anna took a pen and wrote ‘Chantilly Lace’ in as the business name.  “There you go.”  She handed the pen to Cheryl.  “Sign here, and we can get the process started.”

“But...”

“Wouldn’t your viewers like a first hand account?  Sign both, and you’ll get the full experience.”

“I have a job,” protested Cheryl weakly.  “Well... sort of.  More of an internship.”

“The station has agreed to buy out your contract,” contributed Rick with a grin.

“Oh!  They planned this?”  She shot Rick a betrayed look.

“Sweetie, you know you’ve needed an attitude adjustment for some time.  Think of what showing this kind of dedication can do for your career.”

“What career?  As a pillowgirl?”  Cheryl shook her head ruefully.  “I guess it would be a step up.”

“Cheryl, sweetie, you wouldn’t have to stay that way if you really didn’t want to.”

Cheryl picked up the pen, twirling it in her fingers indecisively.  “To be a thing, to be owned, though...”

Her musing was interrupted by the jingle of the door.  Mary entered carrying a royal purple pillow.  When she turned it around, Ronnie’s grinning face stretched up on its neck, emerging turtle-like from the bulk of the pillow.  “Hey Satin!” she called, “Why didn’t you tell me it felt this good?”

Satin grinned excitedly.  “‘Cause you’d never have believed me.  This isn’t even the best part, wait until you start training.  World-shattering doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

Cheryl handed the papers over.  “I’m in.”

Mistress Anna smiled approvingly.  “You won’t regret this...  Chantilly Lace.  Mary, if you’d be so kind?”  She started flipping through the papers.  “Ah!  Wait a moment.”

“Is there a problem?” asked Cheryl sweetly.

“You crossed out an important term.”

“I’m willing to be an object.  Not a fucktoy.”

“But the essence of our training...”  Mistress Anna started hotly, then took firm control of herself.  “Let me show you.”

The curtains in the display cases pulled back at the press of a button, revealing several sets of sex toys.

“I don’t think we can show these on the air,” fretted Cheryl.

“No worries,” soothed Rick.  “We’ll clean it up before it gets broadcast.  Blackouts or cuts as needed.  You know we always shoot five times as much as we end up using.”

“I know,” groused Cheryl.  “Still not used to most of my work ending up in the bin.”  She put on her professional face and approached Mistress Anna.  “What are these in the cases?  They look like pairs of toys uh... having fun.”

“Exactly.  I have a number of repeat customers that enjoy being put on display like this.”

“Woah,” exclaimed ‘Velvet’.  “Hardcore.  I’ve never even been a toy like that.  To do it in public?”

Mistress Anna smiled.  “We cater to a variety of tastes.  Some want to be on display while in use.  Some,” she gestured to a case with two vibrators and a pocket pussy, all sitting separately, “just want to be on display.  Others want to be boxed and shelved in an adult store.”

“For sale?  Anonymously?” asked Cheryl.

“Just so.  All emerge from the experience with a new appreciation for sex.”

Cheryl pointed at one of the displays.  “What do the numbers mean?  Most of the pairs have the same one, but these two are completely different.”

“They’re timers, so I know when to take them out of the display.  Days, hours, and minutes for most.  When the days count is three digits or more, it’s just days.”

“But this says one thousand ninety four.  That’s... that’s three years!”

“Yes.  That’s Mrs. Honeypot.”

“That’s not her real name, is it?”

“It’s her object name, if that’s what you mean.  It’s very real, the paperwork was done long ago.  She and her husband have been regular occupants of that case since I opened.  She decided last month to take the plunge, and accept my offer to train her.  She’s planning to stay that way.”

“And he doesn’t know?”

Mistress Anna laughed delightedly.  “He approached me just last week about the doing the same thing. I think he’ll be pleased that his wife beat him to it.  I’m going to build them a custom case, a place of pride in the shop.”

“Wow,” breathed Cheryl. “It’s that good?”

“Yes.  Yes we are.”  Mistress Anna held out the contract to Cheryl.  “Have you changed your mind?”

“No.  Now I’m curious to see what you’ll come up with.”

“A challenge?  Ah.  Let me see.  Mary?”

Proprietor and employee conferred together quietly for a time.  Mary smiled and nodded when they were done. “This will be interesting.  Come with me, please.”

Cheryl shot Rick a worried look.  “I’ll be back.  I hope.”

Rick lowered the camera as Cheryl left the shop.  “What are you going to do with her?”

“As your employer asked.  Intensive work to polish off the rough edges of her personality.”

“But she’ll still be the same person, right?” asked Rick with a worried edge to his voice.

“Of course!  There are limits to what we can do.  We can bring out certain aspects of her personality, and suppress others.  Even that fades without the reinforcement of the transformation.  Once they become human again, old habits re-emerge.”

“But if they stay, like Mrs. Honeypot?”

Mistress Anna shrugged.  “That’s why we limit the contracts to two renewals.  A week human lets them decide what they really want to be.”

“What do most of them choose?” asked Rick.

“Honestly, it’s too soon to say.  So far it has been a mix.  A few have returned to being objects, usually as more humanized versions.  A few have sworn off entirely and refused to return.  Most of the rest visit from time to time, often in these very cases, or to spend a week re-capturing their time as an object. I like to think that their time with us has affected them for the better.”

“Really?”

“Yes.  Even those who refused to return seemed calmer than before, more able to take life’s variations in stride.  If there’s one thing that being an object can teach, it’s patience.”

“I hope so.  Cheryl...

“Chantilly,” interrupted Mistress Anna.  “You should try to get used to it.  I think she’ll be keeping the name, even when she’s human.”

“Chantilly, then.  She could use some patience.  She’s a sweet girl, otherwise.”

Mistress Anna smiled.  “She still will be.”

The door jingled to signal Mary’s return.  She was holding what looked like a simple round pillow in cream-coloured fabric.  It had luxuriously embroidered lace trimming its circumference.

“Just a pillow?” asked Rick.

Mary turned the pillow over, to reveal Chantilly’s face set in the center of it.  Other than that, the pillow was just that, a lushly embellished but otherwise simple round pillow.  No swells for breasts like Satin and Velvet, no artfully placed seams.

“Che... I mean Chantilly.  Is that really you?” asked Rick, camera up and recording.

The face in the pillow bobbed slightly, nodding as much as it could in the absence of a neck.  “Yes.  Just for the weekend.  Bring the camera back Sunday to see what she’s made of me.”

Rick watched, hand outstretched, as Mary carried Chantilly into the back room.  “I... wow.  How will you train her without...”

“Mary has a plan,” said Mistress Anna with a wicked grin.  “See you in two days.”

* * *

The door jingled to announce Rick’s return, camera at the ready.

“Just in time,” smiled Mistress Anna.  “She’s ready, as is Velvet.”  A gesture showed two pillowgirls perched together and deep in discussion, Satin and Velvet side by side.

“Where’s Chantilly?” asked Rick.

Mistress Anna just smiled.  Rick looked about the shop, and soon spotted a familiar lace-edged pillow lying on a stand, with a small sculpture atop it.  At a nod from the owner, he moved the sculpture aside and turned the pillow over.  A face smiled serenely up at him.

Rick was much less serene as he looked down at the timer beside the pillow.  “Two months?  Sweetie, what have you done?”

“I don’t know yet.  But it feels so good, Rickie.  Please hold me.”

Rick picked the pillow up and held her in his arms.  She purred at him softly.  He looked over at Mistress Anna.  “Now what do I do?”

“Pet her.  She likes that.”

Rick petted the pillow awkwardly, as one arm was still occupied with the camera.   The jingle of the door distracted him, and drew a soft moan of disappointment from the pillow.

Stu entered, and made a beeline for Velvet.  “How is she?”

Satin giggled.  “She’s fine, silly.  Ready to go home with your guy, Vee?”

“Yeah.  This is going to be the best week ever,” enthused Velvet.

“Week?” asked Stu.  He peered down at the timer.  “That says a month.  Do I have to change her back in a week?”

Mistress Anna shook her head.  “She’s yours, you paid for her.  Do with her as you wish, within the confines of the contract.”

“I didn’t read it,” Stu admitted.  “Sketch it for me?”

Mistress Anna nodded, as if expecting this.  “Treat her as a pillow, as a pillowgirl.  Don’t damage her.  Don’t abandon her.”

“That’s it?  I can do that,” said Stu with a grin.  “Ready?”

Velvet looked up at him and smiled.  “Yes.  Take me home and...” she grinned.  “You know.”

Stu laughed.  “You can’t say it?  Oh, this is too good.”

Velvet pouted.  “You know exactly what I want.  I’m a good...”

Stu flipped her over, and she went quiet.  “Wow.  I could get used to that.”

“Shall I gift-wrap your purchase?”

Stu grinned.  “Yes please.”

A few moments later he was presented with a gaily wrapped package.  “She’ll be OK in here, right?”

“Pillows don’t need to breathe.  But she’ll be very happy to be let out.  Very happy.”

Stu grinned, thanked Mistress Anna respectfully, and promised to return in a month to extend the contract.

“How long can he extend the contract for?” asked Chantilly from Rick’s arms, surprising him.  He set her on the counter, propped up so she could speak with Mistress Anna and still face the camera.

“The contract can be extended twice, for the same time.  So it looks like Velvet’s likely to be a pillow for the next three months.”

“And me for six, if the station wants it?”

“Yes.”

“Ah.  I didn’t think about that.  Ah well, it’s only six months.”

Rick’s eyebrows raised up into his sandy hair.  “That’s not something I’d ever have expected the old you to say.”

Chantilly looked at him with concern.  “Is that okay?”

“I... yes.  It’s great.  I’m... just going to have to get used to the new you.”

“I hope so.  I’m going to need a keeper.”

Rick nodded.  “That’s been my job for the last month anyway.  I talked to our boss, and I’ll be your keeper though nominally the station owns you.”

“Speaking of keepers,” said Chantilly, “we need to talk to Satin.”

Rick carried Chantilly over to the pillowgirl.  “Hey Satin,” called Chantilly as she was set beside her.  “We’ll find you an owner.  Once this airs, I’m sure there will be dozens of calls.”

“You think?” asked Satin softly.  “It was so fun to hang out with Velvet.”

Chantilly gave Rick a look, and he nudged her closer to Satin.  “This is Chantilly Lace, from SubHuman.  We’ve got a sweet pillowgirl here who’s lonely and needs some love.  Come on down to SubHuman to give her the home she needs.”

“Thanks,” said Satin.  “I really want to go home with someone.”

“And there you have it, folks.  SubHuman makes humans into submissive toys, and they love it.  So if you’re feeling like your life needs a change of direction, come on down.  Two days in Mary’s hands, and you’ll never be the same again.  If your boyfriend is just lazing about the house all day, Mistress Anna can find him a new purpose as your devoted bed-pet.  Think about it.”

Rick laughed. “Hey, that’s not fair.”

“Fine.  If your girlfriend is getting on your case, and you think she’d look better in satin or lace, come visit SubHuman with her.  It could change your lives.  I know it has changed mine.  This is Chantilly Lace, signing off from the show, possibly my job, and maybe even the human race.  Seriously, you have no idea how good this feels until you try.”

“And clear,” said Rick, lowering the camera.  “There’s no way we’re going to top that.  Were you serious about the last bit?  Two days ago the idea of being owned shocked you.”

“Until you decided to become my keeper.  Now...  I’m looking forward to the next six months.  Take me home.”

“Would you like your new pillow gift-wrapped?” asked Mistress Anna.

“No.  She can ride beside me so we can talk.”

“Just talk?” asked Chantilly.

“Not much else you can do,” said Rick.

Chantilly giggled, echoed by Mary.  “Oh, you’d be surprised.”

* * *

The segment on SubHuman was a hit, and Mistress Anna sent a thank you note to Chantilly Lace care of the station.  It stated that Satin had gone happily to a new home, and that a half-dozen more new pillowgirls were in training, with a waiting list for customers who wanted one.

Chantilly wasn’t sure what would happen next.  She was sitting on Rick’s desk at the station when her boss came in.  “Got a new job for you.”

Rick looked up.  “Yes?  Who will I be working with.”

“Our newest correspondent.”

Chantilly let out a little sigh.

“Chantilly Lace.  We’re treating the contract as a hire, and you two are off to interview the winner of the local softball championships.”

“Won’t that be a little weird?” asked Rick.

“Audience reaction to her was very positive, so we’re going to give this a try.  Chantilly?”

“Hey, I belong to you.  I’ll go where you send me.  But this sounds like it will be fun.  Can you bring me in as a pillow first, Rickie?  Just to bump up the surprise factor a bit?”

“Sure thing.”

Their boss nodded.  “Excellent.  I look forward to the results.”

Chantilly got the reaction she wanted out of the softball coach, and his star player.  Rick made sure to set up the interviews separately, so that he got the reactions both times.  The coach’s reaction had to be bleeped out, but the seventeen year old player took it in stride.  “Wicked, you’re going to interview me like that?”

“Yes I am.  Don’t need a body to talk.”

“Handy.”

The interviews were popular, so the station kept Chantilly on in that role for the full two months of her contract.  After the first month the surprise factor had worn off, but most people played along when they saw the pillow become their interviewer.  Even so, most of them found talking to a pillow to be fascinating, and often would open up far more easily than they might have to someone that felt more like a reporter.

The two months flew by, and it was a surprise to Chantilly when Rick carried her through the jingling door at SubHuman.

“Ready to renew your contract?” asked Rick lightly.

“Sure.  Did we need to come here for that?”

Mistress Anna hurried over to greet them.  “Chantilly Lace, so good to see you again.  You piece made a huge difference here, we’ve been so busy I had to hire Sandy on to help Mary.”

“Sandy?” asked Chantilly.

“You knew her as Satin.  She still spends weekends as Satin, it really helps the new pillowgirls to have an old hand along with them.”

“Yeah, she was good company when I was here.  I’m glad to hear she’s doing well.”

Mistress Anna smiled.  “She’s become a wonderful person.  You appear to be happy with your career.  I’ve been watching your work, it has done wonders for the acceptance of pillowgirls.”

Chantilly bobbled a nod.  “I get lots of fans that show up as pillowgirls, or send me pictures of themselves.  More than I think even you can handle.”

“You’ve set a trend, locally at least.”

“A few of the pieces have gone national.  I’ve been getting pillowgirl selfies from all over the place.”

“Impressive.  So what is next for you?”

“A very tiny change to the contract, and a renewal.”

“Do tell,” said Mistress Anna with a smile teasing at her lips.

“You were right,” said Chantilly.  “I want to be a toy as well as a pillow.  Can you do it without changing my outward appearance?”

“Of course, my dear.  Despite all the displays here, we can be perfectly discreet when it is called for.  Why did you change your mind?”

If pillowgirls could blush, Chantilly would have.  “The other change to the contract.  I’m going to belong to Rick, not the station.”

Mistress Anna smiled at Rick.  “Ah, good.  Better to be owned by a person than a company.  Easier on the affections.”

“That, and I trust him in ways I’d never trust my company, or my boss.  So how do we do this?”

“Mary will take you to the Venn Machine and change you as you’ve requested.  Then Rick gets to take you home.  Gift wrapped, if you’d like?”

Chantilly smiled up at Rick.  “Please.  I want the unwrapping to be special.”

Rick smiled back at her affectionately.  “It will be.”