Mondays were never Leon’s favourites, and having responsibility for his father’s entire business despite the fact that everyone there had seniority over him was stressful.  The one bright spot in all of it had been the secretary, Barbara.  Leon had been told to rely on her judgement, and he’d found her assistance invaluable.

At the end of the day, after everyone else had gone home, Barbara checked up on Leon.  “Hey kid.  Office is closed, you can go home now.”

Leon chuckled and slowly rose from his desk.  “Thanks.  Still watching out for me even after hours?”

“Your father asked, but I would have done it anyway.  How are you holding up?” she asked.  The tall woman had been a fixture of the office as long as Leon could remember.  When he’d been younger, he’d found her stature and confident gaze imposing.  Now it was more of a comfort, a constant.

Leon shrugged.  “I guess things went okay?”

Barbara chuckled, and started toward the door.  “You did good.”

“Because I remembered the most important thing Dad said,” replied Leon.  “Barbara is always right, do whatever she says.”

Barbara’s grin dimpled her cheeks, and her blue eyes sparkled with merriment.  “He did not say that.  Really?”  At Leon’s affirmative nod she continued, “Does that extend to whatever I say outside work?”

Leon raised an eyebrow at her curiously.  “Why do you ask?”

“Because something’s eating you, and it’s not work.  But it is going to affect your work if you let it continue.  Spill.”

Leon sighed morosely, and gestured to one of the waiting chairs by the door.  After Barbara sat, he perched on the one opposite her.  “I’m sure you’ve heard the rumours about the... toys at home.”

“And how you turn your sweeties into toys.  Yes, yes I have.  Robin and I talk regularly... when she’s human enough to do so, anyway.  Which is rare of late.  I so want to see... nevermind.  You were saying?”

“Just ask, and you will.  Right.  So... the game has been pretty much Master and Pets.  Or Toys, if you like.  After Christmas, the lot of them voted me Master... and you know all this,” Leon accused, noting Barbara’s unsurprised expression.

“Your sister talked my ear off about it.  Something changed this weekend, and she hasn’t told me anything.”

“She missed most of it.  All of it?  I’m fuzzy on parts of what went on...”  He went on to describe spending the weekend as Jean’s lingerie, and how he’d gotten stuck.

When he wound down, Barbara shook her head sadly.  “You guys are bright, but you’ve been really, really stupid.”

Leon frowned.  “I’ve been stupid?  But Jean...”

“Ssh.  Remember what your father said.”

“Yes’m.”

Barbara’s grin flashed.  “Better.  You guys don’t have clue one about how to manage consent, and you’re playing games where it really, really matters.  You need clear expectations on what a safeword is, and what happens when it’s called.  Leaving you stuck was a huge mistake on Jean’s part.  Failure to communicate your expectations, however... that’s on you.”

Leon ducked his head. “Oh.  Yeah.  Blowing up when it went wrong isn’t a great way to handle this.  We’ve done so much, and it’s mostly worked out.”

“Mostly, huh.  This can’t be your first miscommunication.”

Leon shrugged.  “There was a horrible mess when we first got the collar, too.  But other than that... it’s a house full of pets, and nobody really wants to be the master.  Except I don’t think I can trust them to take a turn, now, so...”

“So you need a new master, hmm?”  There was that twinkle again.

“Are you offering?” asked Leon softly.  “Because I remember one other piece of critical advice, which is not to get involved with someone at work.  And all this gets...”  He spread his hands helplessly.

Barbara nodded.  “I promise not to mess up our work relationship.  You should know me better than that, by now.”

“I know, I know!  It’s just...  All our transformations have been kinky in some way or another.”

“Perhaps it’s time for that to change.”  At Leon’s crestfallen expression Barbara laughed.  “Oh, I see now.  You like being some kind of sexy plaything for the others.”

Leon nodded rapidly.  “All of us do.”

Barbara tutted softly to herself as she considered this.  “What if you had a Sultan for this harem of yours?  Perhaps Chief Eunuch is more appropriate.  Someone who stays out of the play, but makes sure that nobody gets pushed too far past their limits.”

“Someone who has an interesting imagination and is willing to give orders?” asked Leon, a hint of hope in his voice.

“You four have more than enough creativity.  I bet that you’d come up with something far more creative than I would, if I ordered you to put on a show for me.”

Leon’s eyes lit up.  “Dancers and dancing silks and...”  He shivered.

“And you want to be the latter.  I promise you will be restored without ever once going still.”

“Thank you,” whispered Leon.

Barbara grinned.  “I haven’t done anything yet.”

“Yes you have.  You’ve given advice, and hope.  Want to see what the ring can do?”

Barbara’s grin grew wider.  “I thought you’d never ask.”

*** *** ***

“Darling, you’re home!” crowed a sexy and quite naked catgirl as Leon opened the door.  Jean flew to him and wrapped him up in a tight hug, then her tail bottled in alarm when she realized he wasn’t alone.

“Jean, I’m sure you’ve met Barbara,” said Leon with a chuckle.  “Barbara, my wife and hopefully owner, Jean.”

Jean blinked at the two of them in confusion.  “Wait.  Owner?  But you said...”  She glanced over his shoulder at Barbara, still snuggled tight against Leon to preserve her modesty.  “You changed his mind?”

Barbara closed the door behind her, and hung up her coat neatly, revealing a professional looking white blouse and charcoal grey skirt underneath.  “We discussed the matter.  You’ve traumatized him.  Again.”

Jean hung her head.  “I know.  I’d do anything to make up for it.  Be anything.”

“Does that include being second in command?”

Jean nodded eagerly.  “Anything!”

Leon smiled, and unentangled himself from the hug.  Jean wrapped herself in tail and arms instead.  She followed Leon and Barbara to the living room, and sat beside Leon.  He gently tugged her arms away from her body.  “You have nothing to be ashamed of.  Remind yourself of that, hmm?”  Leon tapped Jean’s white collar.

Jean sat up straight, then.  “Right.  Sorry, got caught off guard.  Nudity is the norm here, and I know Barbara’s heard that from Robin.”

Barbara inclined her head.  “I have.  I have also heard that you are a houseful of pets with no master.”

“Oh, so very true,” giggled Jean.  “I wish we had a master who would order us around.  Leon does well at it, but Leona wants to be a pet.”  She turned to look at her husband, and saw a longing in his eyes.  “Or perhaps something less.  But he won’t trust me to do it.”

“He will, however, trust me.”  Barbara’s voice was steady and certain.  “You all will.”

“Should I gather the others?” asked Jean.  “This sounds like we all need to talk.”

“Yes,” said Leon, at the same time as Barbara said, “Do that.”

Leon grinned, and bowed to Barbara.  “As the lady says.”

Jean hopped up off the couch and darted off to Robin and Carrie-Lee’s room.  While she was away, Barabara mused softly.  “The Lady, hmm?”

Leon inclined his head.  “It fits.  Lady of the... manor?  With shapeshifting courtiers to wait on her?”

Barabara smiled warmly.  “I could get used to that.”

Jean returned with a long slithery Robin in tow.  Her usual form these past few weeks was a green-scaled naga with four tentacles in place of her arms.  She was carrying an ornate chisel in her hands, and it had Carrie-Lee’s face on the side of the handle.  A few moments with ring and ribbon restored Carrie-Lee to human form.

Carrie-Lee sat entangled in her sweetie.  “I see we have a guest.  Have we met?”

“Carrie-Lee, this is Barbara, she runs my Dad’s law firm.”

“I thought that was your father’s job.”

“Leon is too kind.  I am merely the secretary and receptionist,” demurred Barbara.

“Hah.  You know everyone and everything there is to know.  We’d be lost without you, and both Dad and I know it.  Dad’s instructions to me were ‘do whatever Barbara says’.  I’m not sure he meant for it to carry over to here, but...  I trust her.”

“Ah.  And you don’t trust us,” said Carrie-Lee.

Leon winced, but nodded.  “You’re a bad influence.  My wife has her own issues.  None of you understand how much I hate being immobilized.”

Carrie-Lee muttered a curse under her breath.  “Is that what this is all about?  But the whole idea was that when you’re collared, we can do whatever we want.”

“And how well has that worked out for you?” asked Barbara.  Her voice was soft, but her eyes were not.

Carrie-Lee ducked her head.  “Jean and Leon both hate my guts.  That’s why I let Robin turn me into a tool.  Couldn’t face them.”

“I don’t hate you,” replied Leon immediately.  “I just... can’t let go any more.  I can’t trust that you’ll respect my boundaries.  I would dearly love to spend every evening this week as a plaything, but I can’t.  It would be like deliberately sticking my hand into a fire.  I can’t do it.”

Carrie-Lee winced.  “Sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t really enough, is it?” asked Barbara.  “You need to atone.”

“Yes!  Jean and I need to.  But Leon won’t order us around, either.  He just mopes.”

Barbara nodded, studying the two women.  “Leon.  What would serve as atonement?  I believe they would accept literally anything you ask of them at this point.”

“We’ll be anything,” agreed Jean.  “Do anything.  Just tell us what to do.”

“Satin,” said Leon softly, musingly, more to himself than the others.

“Turn into satin?  Sure.”  Carrie-Lee was still wearing the ring, and her limbs were already flattening.

“No!” barked Leon.

Carrie-Lee stopped, a wounded expression on her face.  “Wrong?”

“I want to be Satin.  I want a do-over, done right this time.  With Lady Barbara watching over me, so that it ends when I want it to end.”

“Lady Barbara?” giggled Robin.

Leon shot her a dark glare.  “She is Lady of the manor whenever she is here.  Her instructions override even my own.”

“And you’re just assuming we’ll agree to that?” asked Robin softly.  “I mean, I know Barbara, but this is...”  She studied the older woman for a time.  “Hm.  How kinky are you?”

“Robin!”

“No, it’s a fair question,” replied Barbara.  “I have no interest in your sexual games.  I am not here for my imagination, it is far less fertile than your own.  I am here because you and Leon trust me, and I hope Jean and Carrie-Lee will also learn the most important rule.”

“And that is?” asked Carrie-Lee.

“Barbara is always right,” chorused Robin and Leon together.  They giggled at each other.

“Jinx,” claimed Robin. “You owe me a... hm.  Something fun.  Your choice as to what.”

“Catgirl, I think.  We have one.  Two more would be about right.”

Carrie-Lee smiled.  “I can do that.  How feral?”

Leon considered that as inky fur cascaded over Carrie-Lee’s body.  “More than usual.  I’m looking for kittens that will play...”

Carrie-Lee purred as her muzzle grew.  “I can do that.  How kitteny?”

“Enough.”

Carrie-Lee held out a paw to Robin.  Robin smirked, and grabbed for Carrie-Lee’s tail instead.  She tied a ribbon there to hold her in that form.  It took a little worrying to get the ring free of Carrie-Lee’s paw, then soon Robin had become her twin, except in green fur.  Her paws lacked the dexterity to tie ribbons, though she gave it a good try.  After several failures, she mewed plaintively at Jean.

Jean tied another transformation-blocking ribbon into Robin’s tail, so she’d match her sweetie.  Then she slipped the ring on.  “Same design?”

Leon shook his head.  “As you are, just with more fur.”

Jean smiled at him prettily as purple fur grew in over her chest and hips, forming a sort of fur bikini.  “How’s this?”

Leon glanced over to Barbara, who was sitting there primly dressed.  He chuckled.  “It’s lovely.  All it needs is a heart-shaped patch on your belly.”

Jean added that with a smirk, then ribboned herself so she could remove the ring.  Once she’d handed Leon the ring, she pulled the ribbon back off.

“Is the change permanent?” asked Barbara curiously.  “Robin mentioned the ribbons, but I don’t quite understand.”

Jean nodded.  “If I’d kept the ribbon like those two, I could put the ring back on, pull the ribbon, and it would change me back when I take the ring off.  I can still use the ring, though, so I can make myself human again, and use the ribbon to stay that way.”

“Do you?”

Jean chuckled and shared a look with Leon.  “Every other Sunday.  We go to church with Leon’s parents, and his mother is rabidly anti-magic.  So we make an effort to look normal on the surface to keep the peace, and she doesn’t ask any questions she won’t like the answer to.”

“Only normal on the surface?” asked Barbara with a knowing smile.

“I usually go fully human.  Leon sometimes... less so.  Robin always has scales.  And Carrie-Lee goes as clothing, keeping a silly tradition alive.”

Carrie-Lee purriped happily.

“Now... which collar do we need?” asked Jean.

Leon looked over to Barbara, who was shaking her head.  “No?”

“You have been using it as a crutch.  Let’s see how far you can get without it.”

Leon took a deep breath, then nodded.  “Okay.  As long as you guys keep me moving, I can do this.  That’s the deal.  You three... get to play with satin.”

Jean grinned.  “Oh!  That sounds like fun.  Are you going to turn into ribbons for us to play with?”

Leon smiled back at his wife.  “That was my plan, yes.  Something nice and mobile, for kitties to play with and keep moving.  Help me along?”

“Oooh, right.  Turn your left hand into a bit of satin ribbon.”

Leon watched nervously as his left hand unspooled, leaving a foot of bright pink ribbon in its place.  Jean batted at it playfully, making Leon giggle.  “See?  You could have fun with this.”

“I’ll try.”

Jean tugged on the ribbon, pulling at Leon’s wrist where ribbon merged into flesh.  “More ribbon!”

Leon bowed his head.  “As my mistress wills.”

Jean tugged on the ribbon again, and this time it unspooled further, giving her several feet of ribbon while unravelling his arm up into the sleeve of his shirt.  She tossed the ribbon into the air, batting at it playfully as it floated down.

Leon lifted his legs up, offering a sock-clad foot to each of the other two catgirls.  Their paws had difficulty with the socks, but when they tugged, Leon’s feet also unspooled into loops of ribbon.  All three started gamboling around, drawing more and more ribbon from the deflating pile of clothes that was once a man.  Leon blew his sweeties a kiss before his head became yet another loop of ribbon and disappeared into his shirt.

Jean tossed her segment of ribbon to Carrie-Lee.  “Keep him busy.”  Carrie-Lee and Robin kept tugging and playing with the ribbon, teasing the rest of it out from the pile of clothes, all but one strand that ran up one pant-leg, through Leon’s shirt, and out his right sleeve.  At the very end was a hand, clutched tightly around a ring.

Jean picked Leon’s hand up and kissed it.  “So close sweetie.  Can you go all the way?”

The hand’s grip on the ring went tighter, knuckles going white.

“Aww, sweetie, don’t be like that.  One more change, let go...”

“Leave him be,” ordered Barbara.  “You’ll spoil it.”

Jean looked down at the hand, still tense but relaxing slightly.  “But he’s...”

“Mostly ribbon.  Let’s see a ribbon-dance, all three of you.”

Jean bowed to Barbara, then clapped her hands sharply.  Carrie-Lee and Robin looked to her.  “You heard the lady.  Let’s put on a show!”

Jean gathered up the ribbon and freed it from the clothing.  She distributed its length among the three of them, then draped her segment over her hips and arms.  She held Leon’s hand, and as she started to shimmy Leon twined his fingers in hers, clutching her with all his might.  After a bout of random frolicking that saw Leon’s death grip relax to merely firm, Jean ordered the other two catgirls to take up positions flanking her.

Jean held a section of ribbon in her hand, shimmying it gently as she tied a larger loop around her waist.  She had the others do the same, then stand and gyrate while she found the right recording.  Jean scampered back into place as it started.  “Follow my lead,” she said, then started into the belly-dancing routine she’d learned in her weekly classes.

The catgirls were lithe and willing, but unfamiliar with the moves, so there was stumbling and giggling involved.  They still made the best show of it they could, helped along by their bodies’ feline grace.

When the song ended, Barbara clapped as they bowed.  “A good start.  But I think you need more practice.  Again.”  She strode to the stereo, and started the tune playing once more.

Barbara made them repeat the routine four times, each time seeing great improvement from the kitties, and smaller but significant improvements in Jean as well.  She praised them for their work, and suggested ways to incorporate their tails.  For the last dance, all three had loops of ribbon about their tails as well as their hips, and made a dizzying show of it.

“Now kiss Leon,” ordered Barbara, after their final bow.

Jean lifted the hand that was relaxing in hers, and kissed it gently.  As she did so, it dissolved into ribbon.  Unfortunately, that let the ring bounce free, and a moment later Leon was in her arms, hugging her tight.

When Jean could finally breathe, she asked, “Was that what you wanted?”

Leon grinned at her broadly.  “It was wonderful.  And it turned me on something fierce.”

Jean giggled as she wiggled her hips against Leon’s.  “I noticed.  Want me to chase the others off?”

“I’d rather fuck all three of you to ribbons.”

Jean’s eyes lit up.  “Oooh!  I like the sound of this.”  Her eyes caught Barbara’s.  “But we have a guest.”

“I think you four have things in hand.  I’ll show myself out.”

Leon shook his head.  “You’re an honoured guest here.  Though the next show might push things a little far.  Are you sure?”

“Quite.  You’ve had your fun, and you’re back in control.  Not only that, but happy to be there.”

Leon smiled broadly.  “You’re very good at this.  Thank you.”

Barbara smiled and inclined her head.  “You’re welcome.”

Leon saw her to the door, with the other three watching him like hawks.  He waved as she drove off, then returned to study the gaze of the three eager catgirls.  “Well now.  What have we here?”

“Our master promised us a ribboning,” offered Jean.  She held the ring out, and Leon slipped it back on.

“Not just a ribboning,” chuckled Leon warmly.  “I’m going to slurp those two up, churn them to ribbons, and fill you up with them... and while you’re mid-orgasm, do the same to you.”

Jean’s grin was even wider than Leon’s.  “Master is very kind.”

“You have earned this and more, tonight.  You were wonderful.”

“I shall have to find some appropriate way to thank Barbara, then...”

The kitties had been prowling closer for this discussion, and chose that moment to pounce.  Nothing else got said that night, though a great deal of noise was made.