Ai No Kusabi Alternative Ending

Chapter 17

At long last, it was party time. Thirteen Blondies sitting in a circle does not make much of a celebration, so Aisha sent invitations to many Platina, some Rubies, Jades, and Sapphires that were high in the administration sector, and off-world merchants that were worth socializing with. The music, entertainment, seating, and pet stage were all booked and prepared well in advance. However, everyone mingled in the halls of Parthia, waiting as patiently as they can for their guest of honor to arrive. Nobody gets seated before the party starts, and no party starts if Iason is attending but has yet to arrive. 

The event was huge, with nearly all of the invited guests already in the halls. Of course, this soiree would be the biggest to happen in a few years. Many who were debating if they wanted to travel so far quickly cast their doubts aside when they heard rumors that a small group of the inner circle of Blondies are all going. It was already extremely difficult to catch one of them outside Eos, as entering their homes is impossible without permission and good reason, much less catch five or more of them in the same place at the same time. 

Just like he was on time to work every day, and on time to return home, Iason was definitely on time for this party. And when he's on time to a party, he usually arrives an hour late. However, it was not as if Iason wished to keep his brothers waiting. He was, as usual, struggling to get Riki into a scantily clad outfit. And his pet, as usual, was putting up a fuss. 

The outfit in question was not all that revealing. The real problem that Riki had with wearing it is how uncomfortable and strange it felt. Iason had ordered a new custom fit thong and vibrating cock ring. Riki had been used to his old D-type pet ring, but the thong just felt too confining. In the end, he conceded to wearing it after Iason allowed him to conceal it under a pair of pants. Little did Riki know, the outline of his underwear was still extremely obvious, and Iason looked forward to staring at those lines for the rest of the night. 

The minute Iason stepped out of his hovercraft, driven by Cal, with his pet in tow, everybody started to move toward their seats. The Blondies sat in a secluded area, and servers immediately started asking for their preferred refreshments. Their academy-bred pets settled on the carpeted ground next to their seats, just like all the other pets that sat next to their masters in the general seating area. 

An announcer walked onto the pet performance stage in the center of the room, and declared the time for which performances will start. The first pairing was a bit more than an hour away, so all guests had that time to mingle and dine. Pets were allowed to get together in the pets' area, with a bar for them to show off their masters' wealth, status, and favoritism toward them by buying drinks. Of course, all drinks were laced with aphrodisiacs. 

Riki did not remove himself from Iason's side. In the secluded VIP area, no drinks were spiked or laced with any substances. He would not be bothered by other pets, and there would be nothing to ruin his day further. That is, of course, until Iason asked him to stand up and go mingle with other pets. Riki sighed for the two of them having gotten along so well lately. Unfortunately, he had promised to behave for one day. So, he made his way over to the pet-only bar. 

A few freakishly young pets nervously approached him, but he did not respond. Riki was a bit surprised to see not as many pets looking like him as before. Of course, to big events such as these, masters usually bring their favorite and best tamed pets. Those may include older pets from a year ago that are rare breeds which elites managed to purchase and still wanted to show off. Riki sat and twiddled his thumbs. He knew zero people and gave zero cares. Glancing in Iason's direction, he noticed that his favorite Blondie was busy conversing with Raoul. 

Riki glared holes into his lap out of boredom, but it wasn't too long until someone more daring came to interrupt his pouting. A blue-haired girl who looked no older than sixteen took a seat to the right of Riki, and called him by name. She seemed vaguely familiar, as if he had spotted her somewhere recently in the room, but that could not be the case as he had not acknowledged anyone since entering the building. 

"Ya need something?" Riki eyes her out of the corner of his eye for a moment.

"You just don't seem to have many friends, and with this being your coming out party and all, I decided to keep you company! You remember me, don't you?"

"Oh. You're Gabe's friend."

"Oh, I'm so glad you remember me, Riki! I'm Rea." Being good with names had always given Rea a slight advantage in the gossip universe. 

"Right. Why don't you stick with Gabe?" 

"Oh. Gabe won't be coming to this party. His master didn't get invited." Rea replies gleefully. Riki internally snorts at this detail, but his companion doesn't seem to notice as she continues, "Did your master get invited?"

Riki was about to throw this bitch onto the floor and walk away, but he promised Iason he would behave, so instead of roundhouse kicking his newest acquaintance off her seat, he replies with sass, "Sure. That's why we came." It was more accurate to say that Iason was pressured into coming than 'invited', but that detail would only cause drama, so Riki left it out. Half-truths never hurt anybody. 

"I wonder if our masters know each other." Rea said as both a question and a statement, prompting Riki to tell her. 

"Maybe. How would I know? It's not like I ask him who he works with." Rea wondered if he was messing with her, but quickly dismissed the thought. He was probably one of the newer dimwits, and looked like one too. She chooses instead to ask him directly. 

"So, who is your master?" 

If Riki's eyes rolled any further back, his retinas would detach from his nerve cells, yet he replied, "Nobody." 

Rea didn't quite understand what he meant. In Riki's mind, nobody owned him. He was here of his own free will and choice to stay next to Iason. Of course, he was not sure as to why he was still alive after Dana Bahn, but that issue is complicated and would reveal its answers within time. Rea, on the other hand, presumed that he was either saying his master was not anyone of importance, or being rude by intentionally keeping it from her. She decided after a moment of consideration to simply watch him as he returns to his master for the first pairing. Surely, as all the pets will be seated by their masters, there will be no mistake who he belongs to. 

Riki looked around at the ceiling, at the bar, at the floor, at Iason, and at his hands. He felt a antsy craving to do something else other than sit there. He had forgotten to bring his data slate. If Iason was ever forced to attend another one of these, he would need a way to remind himself to bring that data slate. Sometimes, and more often than not, Riki wants to just read the hours away. 

As Iason conversed with his closest friend, he kept an eye on Riki, noticing how his pet was glancing at him as well every now and then. Raoul, noticing his friend's slight distraction, sighed with disapproval. 

"Iason, why come if you are not to enjoy yourself?"

"What kind of question is that, Raoul? I am plenty entertained." Iason replied as the corners of his mouth lifted slightly in amusement to his companion's annoyance. 

Gideon, sitting nearby, piped up, "Well, I am glad you are feeling well. Surely, you could share some of this... entertainment with the rest of us?" As usual, Gideon was looking to enjoy some drama. As he's experienced before, anywhere Riki goes, a scandalous scene follows. Tonight, he hoped Iason doesn't keep his pet on too tight of a leash. It would be a shame to sit all night and watch nothing truly fun play out. 

Aisha, on the other side of Gideon, replies to his comment, "Why else would we invite him? You may try to keep him to yourself as much as you wish, Iason, but we all know your pet gives the rest of us something to look forward to, be it may a different sort of performance than those we're accustomed to." 

"I suppose it won't be too much, if that is what you wish." Iason answers, to Raoul's immense dismay. Gideon smiled and turned to his friend to gossip about the latest stories floating around the city. Aisha, straight-faced as always, sat and listened to the spewing fountain of stories. 

Raoul glared at Iason, "I shall be going to find a qualified lab assistant. You wouldn't happen to have anyone in mind?" 

"Nobody I can recall easily would be up to your standards. Science is your field and not mine, after all." Iason lightly denied. Raoul nodded goodbye, and headed toward the common groups of people socializing near the tables. Finding a lab assistant was the sole reason he pushed himself to come to this party, so he shall find a qualified elite by the end of the night.