Ariane recently modeled for Rachel’s photography assignment. Rachel found a way to reward Ariane for helping her out.

Ariane phone rings. “Hello, Rachel.”

“Hey cuddle buddy,” says Rachel.

Ariane sighs, “We definitely need a better description of our relationship.”

“Well, I got something you might like since you are the daring sort, ever hear of the Top Club?”

“The super secretive notorious sex club of the rich and famous? No, I haven’t. Why?”

“I got a guest invite, and I can bring a friend, so naturally I thought of you,” says Rachel.

“Aren’t you afraid if we go there they will kidnap us and turn us into prostitutes?” asks Ariane somewhat jokingly.

Rachel laughs, “Ha, you got that lecture from your mom as well?”

“Of course, over that big scandal a few years ago. I wonder what happened to that whole mess”

“Well, Mr. Ellison is the richest man in the city, he can afford to make scandals go away,” says Rachel. “So, are you in?”

“Of course I’m in,” says Ariane. “Mostly out of curiosity, but I have to ask. If I find some male companionship there, would you mind if I, uh, indulge my urges?”

“I thought about that before I called you, and no I won’t get jealous. You have needs, and we are still just friends.”

“Then I’m definitely in, work is really busy right now, but I can take a night off. How soon can we do this?” asks Ariane.

“I’m busy too,” answers Rachel. “I got a 5000 word term paper to finish and final exams the first two weeks of December.”

“Actually the third week of December would work best for me as well,” says Ariane.

“So, December 20th, pick you up around 7pm, you can wear a dress or business suit.”

“Sexy dress it is,” says Ariane. “It’s now in my calendar. Chat later?”

“Of course.”

The night arrives. Rachel picks up Ariane and they drive to Ellison Tower, the tallest building in the city. The Top Club gets its name from being on the top floors of the building.

Rachel and Ariane discuss plans on the elevator up.

“So Rachel, are you looking for some ‘action’ tonight?” asks Ariane.

“You know my tastes, quick hookups are not my thing,” responds Rachel. “I’m simply here to observe.”

“But if an opportunity arises that interests you, would you?” asks Ariane. “Rumor is, there is a lot of role-play activities at a place like this.”

“Probably of the BDSM variety, not really my thing. The truth is I really don’t know that much about it.”

“Maybe you should ask someone then,” suggests Ariane. “There will be Doms and Subs at this club. Talk to one, find out what the real deal is. Maybe you have the wrong idea.”

“Maybe I will.”

They arrive on the right floor to see a security desk waiting for them.

After surrendering their jackets and handbags (including cell phones, no potential recording equipment allowed) at security, they go into the main lobby, which is much different from the rest of the building, much warmer and older looking.

They are met by a hostess. “Good evening ladies and welcome to the Top Club, I’m Tassiana, your hostess. Feel free to ask me anything.”

“First, since you are new, yes the rumors are true, this is an adult social club. The term sex club is also used, though it’s not accurate.”

“This is a private social club, like a Country Club, our members simply enjoy sex more than golf.”

Ariane and Rachel both smile nervously.

“There is no requirement to participate, all intercourse must be consensual, and any intercourse done on the premise requires protection,” She goes on explaining memorized rules in a very clinical language, security procedures, emergency procedures, what’s allowed where and what isn’t, and potential penalties.

“This is not an ordinary sex club, whatever you have heard about typical sex clubs, or if you have been to others, you will find this one is very different. We have clients from around the world come here for the unique experiences we offer.”

“Any questions?” she asks as she finishes.

Where should we go first?” asks Ariane.

“There is a bar up these stairs where you can meet people, I’d start there,” suggests the hostess.

“By the way we are celebrating Saturnalia this week. There is a Roman style orgy later tonight, such events can be intimidating to first timers however. You missed the sacrificial pig roast last night, but the dining room is still serving ham dinners and pulled pork sandwiches if you get hungry.”

Ariane looks over at Rachel they both look intimidated by it all, “Let’s head upstairs.”

They go to the bar upstairs. A large bar with bar stools cover two walls. Everyone in the bar is wearing business suits or nice dresses, except for a naked couple at the bar.

Rachel and Ariane sit at the second wall bar, both looking and smiling at the naked couple.

“Well this is different,” says Rachel.

“Yeah, nothing like I imagined,” says Ariane.

“Why? What did you imagine?”

“I don’t know, fetish ware, sex toys, except for the naked couple, this actually seems normal.”

“Yeah, even the bartender is ignoring us.

The bartender eventually comes over, “Can I get you two anything?”

“Whiskey and soda,” says Ariane.

“Something blue with alcohol on it,” says Rachel.

“That will be six dollars.”

“My purse is at the security desk, I have no money.”

An Asian looking guy at the table of men, makes a gesture to the bartender.

“Your drinks our covered by that man over there.”

Ariane turns around holds up her drink and smiles at the Asian. The Asian returns the gesture.

Heidi shows up and sits next to Ariane.  Heidi owns and operates a popular beauty salon in the downtown commercial district. Rachel and Ariane are both regular clients of hers.

A man sits down on the other side of Heidi. She talks to him privately before turning her attention to the “new people”.

“Hello Rachel, hello Ariane. I haven’t seen either of you here before,” says Heidi.

“Yes, it is our first time here,” offers Ariane.

“Oh, well good, and welcome to our little club,” says Heidi with a big smile.

Rachel notices the naked couple at the bar have moved to a stage area on the other side of the bar.  The man kneels on a flat lying couch, and the woman straddles him, and they proceed to have sex on stage.

She nudges Ariane, “Check it out, live porn.” Ariane turns around to take a look. They are the only ones in the room looking, the rest of the people have seen it all before.

Ariane turns to Heidi and asks her about the floor show.

“The club caters to people’s sexual desires. This couple for instance is into having sex in public places. If they did it anywhere else, they would be arrested. Here they are free to fuck in public all they want.”  Ariane smiles. “I just wish they would try a different position every once in a while.”

“Heidi, I take it you are a regular here?” asks Ariane.

“Yes, I come two to three times a week to give orgasms,” says Heidi enthusiastically, “It’s a service I provide.”

Rachel asks, “How?” and Ariane asks, “Why?” almost simultaneously.

“I do it mostly because I am good at it, I have only two talents: cutting hair and giving orgasms, and I enjoy them both.”

“And are you compensated in any way?” asked Ariane.

“What like getting paid? NO!” says Heidi. “I get free membership in the club, and if I come at least twice a week, Mr. Ellison lets me stay in his building for free.”

“You live here in Ellison Tower?” asks Ariane.

“No, I live above my Salon downtown.”

“So Mr. Ellison owns the building where you live and work, and you pay no rent for your home or business, as long as you come here twice a week and have sex with people? Doesn’t that make you a prostitute?” asks Ariane.

“Whoa, no way! You have it all wrong,” says Heidi upset at the idea. “I don’t have sex with people unless I want to, I give them orgasms only, and I don’t get paid for it. Mr. Ellison says I’m a courtesan, not a prostitute.”

“OK, sorry I touched a nerve, but let me make sure I understand this. ‘Prostitutes’ have sex for money, which you don’t do. You are a ‘courtesan’ who performs sex acts for rent, which has nothing to do with prostitution,” says Ariane thick with sarcasm.

“Yes, you got it,” says Heidi much more calmly completely oblivious to the sarcasm.

Suddenly the guy sitting on the other side of Heidi starts having some kind of fit.

Rachel is distracted from the floor show long enough to realize, “I think he is having an orgasm.”

After a few seconds he calms down. “Are you done Mr. Jones? Want some tissues?” asks Heidi.

“Thanks, Heidi,” he says as he stands up and zips his pants, then leaves.

The Asian guy who bought them drinks comes over and taps Ariane on the shoulder. Ariane turns around.

“Pardon,” he says as he does a Japanese bow, “My name is Fukuyama Hiro.”

“Hello, Mr. Hiro, I am Ariane,” Sitting on the bar stool she does not return the bow, just nods her head.

“Call me Hiro,” he says with a smile. “Is that you in the picture in the museum?” he asks with a Japanese accent.

“Yes, my picture is on the wall at the museum, Rachel here took the picture.”

Hiro bows to Rachel, “Very beautiful” pronouncing “beautiful” as “booty-foo” which got a smile out of Rachel.

He then turns back to Ariane. “I am hopeful you can join me in a scenario in my room.”

Ariane finds the word “scenario” to be a bit odd, but understands he is asking back to his place for sex. In an ordinary bar this would be rude, and Ariane would immediately reject him, but this is a sex club.

Ariane looks over at Rachel. Rachel can tell she wants to say yes, but seems to be asking permission. “Go ahead,” says Rachel, “this is why you came here, right?”

“Of course,” Ariane says still looking at Rachel. She turns to Hiro, “Lead the way.”

Hiro gets a big smile on his face, “Origato,” he instinctively says in Japanese, “Thank you,” The two of them leave together.

Rachel watches them leave. Honestly, she has mixed feelings about Ariane leaving with a guy. As a friend she is happy for Ariane, but part of her can’t help feel a little heart broken as well.

Mentally she also can’t help thinking that this Hiro guy may not be such a gentleman once he gets her to his room.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Fukuyama is a nice guy, and filthy rich,” says Heidi anticipating her concern, “she’ll probably enjoy herself.”

“Thanks Heidi,” Rachel says. “I hope she does.”

“So now that you are alone,” says Heidi, “there is someone that wants to meet you.”

“Unlike Ariane, I’m not interested in hooking up with anybody,” Rachel responds.

“I’m pretty sure Mr. Ellison doesn’t want that either,” says Heidi. “He has a business proposal for you, it’s the reason you got the guest passes to come here.”

“Ronald Ellison the billionaire real estate mogul wants a business meeting with me? He could have called my agent,” says Rachel. Rachel realized after she said it, that he did call her agent, it was her agent that gave her the passes.

“Let’s go meet Mr. Ellison,” Rachel finally says after a pause.

Heidi brings Rachel to a very minimalist office. Mr. Ellison sits at a desk behind a large monitor. Behind him is what looks to be the planet Saturn.

“Hello, Ms. Spahr and welcome to Holosuite 1,” says Mr. Ellison.

“Oh, from Deep Space 9,” says Rachel.

“A-ha, you know your Star Trek, most people would say Next Generation, but those were holodecks,” explains Mr. Ellison. “Since it is Saturnalia, we are currently in orbit around Saturn.”

“Replication tech does not exist yet, so not exactly the same,” he continued, “we can display stuff on the walls though. Curved monitors at 17280p are incredibly expensive though, we could only build two of them, so naturally I made one into my office since I own the place.”

“Please have a seat over here on my right where I can see you.”

The only other person in the room is a white haired woman sitting in the corner wearing a burlap shirt and a leather strap around her neck.

“Anything I can get you, Ms. Spahr? Water, soda?”

“I’m good, and you can call me Rachel.”

“So, the reason I wanted to meet you, Rachel, is to ask you to be my date, for New Years Eve, in New York City.”

Rachel looks surprised.

“Nothing romantic,” says Mr. Ellison, “I just need to make an impression on clients, and the most beautiful woman in town on my arm will help.”

“And whats in it for me?” asks Rachel knowing this was set up through her agent.

“Standard modeling fee, plus I’ll pay for everything, a private jet to New York, car service, designer dress, hair and makeup artists, your own private room, and most importantly I will introduce you to the right people to further your career goals.”

“Modeling or photography?” asks Rachel considering it.

“Both,” answers Mr. Ellison. “This is a big annual event, all the industry leaders in advertising and publishing will be there, and I’ll introduce you. Make an impression and you could have jobs lined up all year.”

“Actually, I want to be a scientist,” throws out Rachel as a challenge.

“Well I can’t help you there,” says Mr. Ellison surprisingly quick, “but working with these contacts could pay for grad school to get the doctorate you need to be a scientist.”

“You have the answers for everything, don’t you Mr. Ellison.”

“Yes, it’s how I got so rich,” he jokingly says in a rather charming voice.

“I like helping out talented people, like yourself” responded Mr. Ellison. “What else am I going to do with all my real estate wealth, run for President?”

Rachel realized it was time to answer his offer. “I already made plans for New Years Eve, but nothing I can’t break,” she says. “I’ll give you an answer once I have done so.”

“Of course,” he says, “I will send you a formal invitation, I await your RSVP.”

“Thank you,” says Rachel, “this does sound like an offer I can’t turn down. I just have one other request.”

“Anything you want.”

“Can I borrow your submissive?” asks Rachel pointing to the lady in the corner.

Rachel takes the submissive to the observation lounge with a view of the city below.

“So what do you want me to do?” she asks. “Until my master returns, I am your humble servant.”

“I just have some questions,” says Rachel. “You can drop the role play stuff for now. Consider that a command, if you want.”

“Very well, no role play,” the older lady says. “What do you want to know?”

“Let’s just say I am curious,” starts Rachel. “I am into sexual role play myself, but I do not understand the attraction of BDSM.”

“Let me guess, you read 50 Shades of Grey and you want to know more,” says the woman who has obviously heard these questions before.

“Actually, no,” answers Rachel, “Saw the movie, but I know it is a bad portrayal.”

“The worst,” the woman says a bit mad thinking about it. “The Grey books are not about BDSM, they are about an abusive relationship, not a good one for anybody.”

“All BDSM is ultimately about trust between participants. Bad Dominants like Grey lead to bad experiences and abuse.

“The Dominant Master provides me with experiences, experiences I often would never engage in myself. I can refuse to do anything I don’t want to, and have on occasion, but my master knows me, and I haven’t had to say ‘no’ in a long time.

She continues, “Say ‘yes’ to things I normally wouldn’t do, forces me to drop my normal inhibitions, which has led me to new pleasures and wonders, mostly sex related of course. Sex with strangers, celebrities, women, threesomes, foursomes…”

“I think I get the idea,” says Rachel.

“By the way, what I am wearing is not normal,” says the woman, “Mostly I run around half naked, but you caught me during Saturnalia when submissives are allowed to wear clothes.”

“Isn’t that a bit humiliating?” asks Rachel.

“It is all part of the experience,” explains the woman. “It’s not always about sex. A couple of months ago, my master shaved my head. I had to wear wigs in real life, but now I kind of like short hair now.”

“Me too,” says Rachel pointing to her own head. “So you are not full time, you have a regular life?”

“I just do this one night a week, sometimes a few hours, sometimes all night, depending on the wishes of my master,” says the woman. “I got a regular life the rest of the week. My master has a harem to serve him on other nights.”

Rachel smiles at this revelation. “Well thanks for your insights, they have been very enlightening. “I’ll let you get back to your master.”

“Glad I could help.”

Rachel’s interest in BDSM role play quickly evaporated before she got back to the bar. The idea was intriguing, but it was obviously not for her. Rachel likes more control of her encounters, but domination didn’t sound very good either.

A woman dressed in what looks like a private school uniform reminded her there are other kinds of sexual role play, though “age play” always came off to her as “creepy as fuck”.

The woman looked to be sitting alone so Rachel went over to talk to her.

She about died laughing when she realized it was Ariane.

“OK, tell me everything, start at the beginning, leave nothing out,” says Rachel, “well except the bodily fluid exchange stuff, eww.”

“First of all, I get it, role play sex can be really cool,” started Ariane.

“So, Hiro takes me to his room, a suite he rents a couple of floors down. He wants me to do something a little different.

“He hands me a home made booklet, each page has a couple of photo copied panels from a Japanese comic book.”

“A Manga?” asks Rachel.

“Yeah, that’s what he called it. Anyways, it was in Japanese of course, which I can’t read, but below each panel is the English translation, and below that was the Japanese words sounded out in English text.”

“What he wanted, was for us to act out the comic, panel for panel. I looked ahead and it was pretty much the story of young teen love and loss of virginity and stuff. It was sweet, and I’ve never done anything like it before, so I agreed.”

“He has this nice smile when he is happy, it’s infectious.”

“After I agreed, he handed me this school girl outfit and let me change in his bathroom. I did up my hair the way the girl has them in the comic, too.”

“When I come out, he has taken off his suit jacket and replaced it with a sweater vest like in the comic.”

“So we start reading the pages. He says his lines in Japanese. I read the Japanese pronunciations of the girl’s lines, with a lot of help from Hiro, and he smiles whenever I get it right.

“And then we do whatever is pictured in the picture.”

“Wow,” says Rachel. “By the way, does any of this involve tentacles?”

Ariane laughs. “No, but there was an octopus in an aquarium in his room. Why do you ask?”

“Oh just a common trope found in Manga, go on..,” asks Rachel.

“Anyways, it’s about teenage friends finding love, and having sex for the first time, so I knew where this was headed. The whole experience is like the weirdest foreplay ever, and I was actually enjoying it.”

“Wow, that sounds like fun.”

“Well it did get a little weird at the end. The sex scene in the book was waist down nudity only, I wanted to get out of my costume, but he preferred the comic version, so it got a little awkward.”

“I went with it anyways, sex while wearing clothes is something I haven’t done since I dry humped Danny Fisser in the 8th grade. He climaxed quickly and easily, I was a little too uncomfortable to…, well you know.”

“I get it,” says Rachel, “Sorry you didn’t get your ‘O’ moment, but your experience sounds like something I would’ve liked.”

“Ironically,” Rachel continued, “I did as you asked and talked to someone about BDSM role play. It actually sounded like something you would enjoy more than me.”

“Really?” reacted Ariane, “Do you imagine me in skimpy black leather outfits and carrying a whip?”

“That would be something to see, though not as entertaining as that school girl outfit. I’ll tell you more later. So where is Hiro now?”

“Asleep, typical male reaction after sex. I grabbed my dress and left, but I thought I’d show you the outfit first.”

“I’m glad you did. So what do you want to do now?”

“I want to check out the orgy next,” says Ariane. “Want to come with?”

“I think I’ll skip,” says Rachel, “as a minor celebrity, a lot could go wrong at something like that, but if you feel the need to jump in the cold pool just for the experience, then by all means you should.”

Ariane leaves for the orgy, leaving Rachel to her thoughts.

Rachel is suddenly startled by seeing Tassiana the hostess she met earlier, standing where the bartender used to be, dressed in some old west steampunk costume.

“I’ve been keeping my eye on you,” she says somewhat seductively, “you have been asking a lot of questions, but you have not been participating,”
“I’m a bit of a scientist,” says Rachel. “I like to observe more than participate.”

“Don’t be silly, I have done my research, and participation is totally your thing,” says the hostess now looking straight into Rachel’s eyes.

“This club is the new world,” says Tassiana, “and in this world, you can be whoever the fuck you want!”

She reaches underneath the bar pulls out a black stetson and a white stetson and puts them on the bar. “Now choose.”

Rachel immediately gets the Westworld reference.

Somehow Tassiana knows about her fiction fetish. Rachel smiles.

Rachel finds herself in bed with another woman. She knew it was a bad idea.

She found it awkward, but she was not the only one in an awkward sexual situation…

…

Ariane is at the bar when Rachel returns. Ariane is back in her original dress but kept the pig tails. Rachel added a black stetson.

“Hey there Tex, whats up with the hat?” asks Ariane.

“I’ll tell you later, tell me about the orgy?” asks Rachel.

“Keyword ‘the’, as it will be the only one I will ever go to,” says Ariane sounding a little bitter. “Once again pornography has given me false expectations.”

“Ouch, I’m sorry you had such a bad experience,” says Rachel sympathetically. “So what is a real orgy like?”

“High school,” Ariane answers surprisingly. “You know during lunch, everyone sits with their own group of friends, and there is a new kid who can’t find anyone to sit with? I felt like the new kid.”

“Aw, sorry.”

“There were about 20 to 30 naked people. A guy dressed like Caesar gives a short speech about Saturnalia and Roman orgy traditions, really tacky, then he told everyone to get started.

“Everyone quickly coupled up or formed threesomes, and I just stood there like an idiot watching.”

“Wow,” is all Rachel could say.

“Eventually a group of three guys and a girl took pity on me and asked me to join.”
“That’s good, so what was that like?” asked Rachel.

“Remember that euphemism for sex ‘naked co-ed wrestling’?” explained Ariane. “It was literally that, lots of naked body parts touching, but not the right ones in the right places.”

“Eww, so nothing there either,” says Rachel.

“Didn’t say that,” says Ariane. “I tagged out of the wrestling match in less than 30 second, was about to leave when I spotted Heidi.”

“You didn’t?!”

“I did, got the 5 minute special from Heidi, so now at least I’m feeling more relaxed. Hope that doesn’t offend you too much that I went to a courtesan.”

“Well,” starts Rachel now feeling a little guilty. “It might have, if I didn’t also get with a courtesan.”

“What?!” says Ariane very surprised.

“She… seduced me.”

“What did she do dress like Danerys from Game of Thrones?”

“Umm, Maeve from Westworld. Hence the cowboy hat.”

Ariane laughs.

“Well, I’d love to hear the details,” says Ariane, “but I’m ready to leave. Let’s blow this pop stand … OK, poor choice of words.”

They go down to the lobby, Tassiana is there. Rachel smiles at her.

“You two are leaving?” she says asking rhetorically. “Well, It was wonderful having you both here as guests tonight.

Before you leave let me check..,” She goes to an antique roll top desk, on top is a wooden box with red envelopes, she sorts through and finds two.

“Here you go, Happy Saturnalia,” she says handing an envelope to both Rachel and Ariane, but looking primarily at Rachel.

Ariane can’t help seeing how they are looking at each other. “Oh, I see how it is,” she says correctly identifying that Tassiana is the courtesan that gave Rachel a happy. “I’ll just sit down over here by the fake fire.”

Ariane sits down and opens up the envelope and the contents shocks her to the bone:
10 crisp $100 bills and a hand written thank you from Hiro.

“Did I have sex for money?” she thought nervously to herself, even though she knew the answer has to be “yes”.

Ariane starts to feel very conflicted. Yes, she is well above average in the number of sex partners over the years, but it was all about having fun and sharing feelings. Sex for money was just not in her nature.

Rachel opens her envelope, it is a fancy engraved invitation to the New Years Eve party in New York that Mr Ellison invited her to earlier.

“Hey Ariane?”

“Yes?” Ariane asks as non-chalantly as possible, Ariane does not want to tell Rachel about the money until she decides what to do about it, so she puts a brave face on.

“I forgot to tell you earlier that I was invited to a New Years Eve party in New York City,” Rachel starts, “I know we had plans to go to the block party together, but…”

Ariane kind of zoned out at this point as Rachel explains why she wants to go to New York City. Ariane’s mind kept wandering back to the money. Part of her wanted to march downstairs to Hiro’s room and throw the money in his face, or better yet throw her fist.

Another part of her felt disgusted and just wanted to go to the bathroom and throw up.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. Go to New York,” says Ariane after she noticed Rachel had stopped talking and was waiting for an answer. Ariane turns her attention to the fake fire as she deals with her brush with prostitution.

“Great, glad you understand,” says Rachel. Rachel pulls out the RSVP card from the envelope. “You got a pen?” she asks Tassiana.

Tassiana goes back to the antique desk, opens it up and grabs a pen from a box of pens. She hands it to Rachel who uses it to mark the “Yes” box on the card. Rachel hands the pen and the card to Tassiana. “Can you make sure Mr. Ellison get this?”

“No problem,” says Tassiana.

Rachel is about to tell Ariane that she is ready to leave, when she is distracted by someone coming down the stairs. Rachel instinctively looks to see who it is.

It is the white haired submissive woman she met earlier, no longer in the burlap tunic from before, but wearing a heavy metal t-shirt and a plain gray hoodie.

“Hello,” Rachel says to her, “Thanks again for answering my questions earlier, sorry I was so nosy about what you do.”

“That’s quite alright, Rachel,” says the woman, “It was really great to meet you.”

Ariane’s uneasy stomach quickly cures itself, replaced by sheer terror down her spine. “I know that voice,” she thinks to herself.

Ariane turns in her chair to see who Rachel is talking to, her worst fears are confirmed.

“Mom?”

TO BE CONTINUED…

Gallery of full sized pictures: