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The Multiverse

By: komrad1156



*Note to readers: This story involves the fetish of smoking. If that offends you, please move on but don't bother telling me how you feel about it. Smoking is legal and people who smoke do so by choice. As I've said elsewhere, from the moment it begins, life comes with a death sentence. How we live in between is a matter of free choice. Many of us find the site of an attractive woman smoking to be about as sexually erotic as anything on earth. If you don't, then please find another story to read.

It also contains a healthy dose of sci-fi and even a bit of actual science. Unlike most of my stories which are based on my own personal experiences, this one is pure fantasy. It was a lot of fun to write.

*****

Chapter 1

"We need to get moving. This door or wall or whatever this may be is the best lead we've had yet. Ten minutes, people. Let's get ready!"

Dr. Sandra Grayson was his deputy team leader and a longtime personal friend. "Adam? Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Yeah, sure," he replied as he prepped his rucksack for the day.

"You and Cassie. Are you really sure it's over? I've known both of you for 10 years. I was at your wedding six years ago. If ever two people were right for each other..."

"Sandy? Leave it alone, okay? You asked your question. That's my answer."

How could he expect anyone else to understand why he left the love of his life? Anyone else would say he was selfish, uncaring, and maybe even evil. But their opinions didn't matter to him anymore than the naysayers' opinions had mattered when he fell in love with her. What mattered was how Adam Miller felt and the rest of the world be damned. 

He'd spent his adult life in pursuit of two things: his passion for physics and history and a woman who was everything he wanted. The first two were easy. They were a labor of love. Getting a PhD from Stanford in particle physics was—fun. Staying there and getting a second PhD in ancient history was equally enjoyable. And that's where his second passion found its outlet. In a young, untenured associate professor named Cassandra Lewis. She was a year older than him and she was so beautiful! It took him some time to get to know her and even more time to get up the nerve to ask her out. But because she was exactly what he wanted in a wife, there was no chance he wouldn't ask her on a first date. Or a second. Or a third. Or to marry him.

Miller liked women with a certain look. Sure, they had to be intelligent, fun to be with, and at least aligned with him politically (Libertarian-ish) and religiously (read: atheist or agnostic) but beyond that, he loved women who dressed a certain way and that was Cassie to a tee. Finding all those things and a woman who enjoyed his deepest passion was the hard part. Adam decided long ago he would find a marry such a woman and Cassie was her. The decisive factor was that he knew Cassie smoked and he'd found one reason or another to sit nearby while she was outside on a break having a cigarette. Smoking had always enthralled him. Women who looked and dressed like Cassie who also smoked, sent him over the moon.

So when she suddenly told she planned to quit smoking last year, Miller's world was torn apart. She knew how much it meant to him but she was adamant. So was Miller. He loved her dearly and the scientist in him told him she was correct. Smoking was incredibly dangerous and unhealthy. But Miller knew what he wanted. He also knew the marriage couldn't work if Cassie followed through—which she did. 

Heartbroken, Miller moved out and threw himself into his work, the other passion in his life. He worked for a private company which supported archeological discovery and after just three years with them, he became a team leader and this trip to Egypt was his first as the person in charge. After such a huge loss in his personal life, he was determined to succeed in his work.

"Let's move out, folks!" Miller said as everyone got into one of the three Land Rovers they'd rented in Cairo. The arrived at the Great Pyramid just as the sun came up and began their investigation. He'd given everyone instructions to stay in place as he investigated a dark, narrow passageway. Adam always led by example and he wasn't going to send someone to check out a part of the underground structure no one had been in for some 4,000 years.

The Egyptian government had blocked his request for access to the Great Pyramid for two years until he was able to come up with the required "fee" of $100,000. Miller was convinced there was a network of underground tunnels and rooms under the central pyramid based on new a mathematical analysis of its visible surface area. In order to support the mass of the visible stones, they had to be a very large foundation underneath. However, the algorithm he'd developed allowed him to calculate the mass to 12 digits to the right of the decimal place. The results conclusively proved their were empty spaces in the rock below. It also showed some sort of very dense object which resembled metal but wasn't he metal known to science.

He determined four possible points of access and on his first attempt, he found what he was looking for. Some 50 feet below the current surface was what was clearly an entrance of some kind. What was beyond fascinating was that this "door" wasn't made of stone. It looked like a type of metal but it wasn't iron, bronze, or even steel. On this door which had no handle and no lock of any kind, were a dozen mysterious-looking symbols. Sandra was the resident Egyptologist on the team and was well-known and highly respected as one of the foremost experts in hieroglyphics. After a solid week of cryptologic analysis, she believed she'd deciphered their meaning.

"These marks—these symbols—are a code. They represent four pressure points as well as the sequence in which they must be touched. I believe that if done in the proper order, the door—or whatever this thing is—will open. Because of the timing aspect, it will require four team members working together as part of an orchestra, if you will. Those selected will need to practice this pattern on a wall of similar dimensions. Each hand must be placed to within four centimeters of the specified location within 0.5 seconds of the specified time. There's one additional issue and one unsolved problem. The issue is it appears we get one try and one try only before a kind of timer closes off access for another century. Therefore, there is no room for error."

"And the unresolved problem?" Miller asked.

"I don't know what the final symbol means. The others fit a known pattern. The last one is separated from the others by three times the spacing and it's unique. I recognize parts of it but taken in its entirety, I can't sense of it."

"What's you best guess?" Adam asked her.

"My best guess? My best guess is we can't afford to guess. We need to know what we're doing. In the meantime, we need to start training our four team members to memorize their parts like synchronized swimmers. Developing some sort of musical beat seems logical so that there's no mistake in hand placement or timing."

That comment—Grayson's reference to a musical beat and to hand placement—sounded familiar. Miller's academic background facilitated meeting all kinds of interesting people from around the world. His two areas of expertise were odd bedfellows, to be sure, but working in a field where he could potentially use both was the reason he worked where did. Making the relatively modest amount of money he made didn't matter. The discovery of ancient, scientific relics did.

Jakob Matumbo. The name hit him like a bolt of lighting. Jakob was another odd combination but in a different sense. His father was Jewish but his mother was Ugandan. Matumbo was a member of the University of Uganda's history department and he'd worked with Miller once before. 

Adam pulled out his smart phone, saw that he had a strong signal, scrolled through his contacts until he got to 'M', then hit dial. Four rings later he heard the familiar rhythmic voice of Dr. Jakob Matumbo.

"Adam! So good to hear from you. You're in Egypt these days, are you not?"

"I am, Jakob. And I have a problem I believe you can help me with."

"How so?" Matumbo asked.

"When we worked together in Jerusalem two years ago, you told me about an ancient Jewish hymn or chant or something. It was sung only by the leader of the people. What is it called?"

"Ah, yes! The Chant of Methuselah. The legend says that it is only to be sung by the leader of the people. The High Priest. He must place his hand in the center of the four hands on the wall of the Holy Temple, then repeat the Chant. In order, the others place there hands in the locations sung out in the Call. When properly done, access to the Holy of Holies is granted to the High Priest. I have the chant recorded in a wave file. Would you like me to send it to you, Adam?"

"Yes, please. If I'm right, this is the missing piece of a very important puzzle. Thank you, Jakob. Thank you so much, my friend."

Miller jogged over to Dr. Grayson and asked her if what Matumbo just told him made any sense. He played the file Jakob emailed him and Grayson's eyes opened wide. Grayson became very animated. "Yes! In fact, that makes a lot of sense," she said. "Look here." She showed Miller the final symbol. It made no sense to him but it apparently now did to Grayson. She pointed to the last symbol, specifically to one small part of it in the middle of it. "See this? This is one of four symbols used to denote a leader of a group. And this mark above it indicates a lyric or song or...a chant. And this final piece of the symbol says that the rhythm of the chant will facilitate the timing of hand placement. It fits, Adam. This fits!"

"Do you think this is the missing link?"

"I do because it makes everything else fit. I can't know with certainty this is correct, but this pulls everything else very tightly together."

Miller asked Dr. Grayson to help him select his four team members. Intelligence was secondary to dexterity and oddly enough, a sense of rhythm. Two of the team members played musical instruments. Kelly Sharp had been a drummer in a boy band during high school. Kara Winslow played the violin and was quite good at it. That left two other team members who had athletic ability which required good timing. Jason Markel played racquetball, a game of precision timing and accuracy while Everett King was a very talented table tennis player. Another odd grouping of talent but Miller couldn't afford to bring anyone else—especially the government—in on this. This expedition was his and his alone.

After three days of brutal rehearsals, they were ready. The ate breakfast very early and by 6am they descended below the surface and stood at the metal wall. They sat down their rucksacks and waited. 

Adam Miller asked his four assistants if they were ready. They all nodded. "Remember, stay calm. Stay relaxed. Tell yourself this is just another rehearsal and have fun. We've nailed this the last dozen times in a row. Let's move into position and we'll run through the sequence a few times without touching the wall."

Once in place Miller told them to visualize the exact spots on the wall where there hands should go. Whatever this wall—this, thing—was made of, they'd been unable to mark the locations for their hands with paint or tape or anything else. The good news was that the locations were very easy to find at the four corners. Miller quietly repeated the chant as everyone moved in sync with it. Each feigned placing a hand at the exact beat of the chant. Once all of them felt confident, Miller said, "Okay, folks. Let's do this."

He placed his right hand directly in the center of the wall then asked if everyone was in position. Four heads nodded. "All, right. Here we go."

Miller began repeating the sing-song cadence of the chant and one by one, exactly on cue, each hand went down perfectly in its appointed place. As the fourth hand was laid on the wall, a low-pitched sound was heard from what seemed like somewhere behind the wall. Miller told them to hold their places as the intensity of the vibrations increased. Just at the point when the human ear can take no more volume without passing out, an intense white light burst out from the wall engulfing Miller. The other four team members were rendered unconscious by the noise, and when they awoke several minutes later, Miller was nowhere to be found.

Miller was certain his eyes were open but the blackness was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. It seemed—total. The logical part of his brain told him he was alive but the area subject to myth and superstition suggested to him he might be dead. Was there really a God and could this be hell? It was only seconds but the time seemed an eternity before the room began to gradually grow lighter.

Adam noted the room was roughly circular. There was a large, thick, sort of glass pane set over what looked like a control panel of some kind. To the left was a chamber which would hold one person inside. The rest of the room appeared to be some sort of databank and a power source.

Miller moved toward the glass pane. As he did, the interior illuminated and he saw what he thought was some sort of holographic image. It was of a man who was very old dressed in the traditional garments of the ancient Hebrews. Once the illumination was stable, the figure spoke. Miller recognized the image of the old man was speaking Hebrew, a language he couldn't speak but had heard thousands of times. Under his breath he muttered, "No hablo." The image paused then began speaking again, "Me llamo Methuselah. Yo tengo..."

Miller raised his voice and said, "Do you speak English?"

The image stopped then started again. "My name is Methuselah. I am 5,000 of your years old. I once walked among the people of earth with the children of Israel until I was not."

"I don't understand. What does that mean?"

"Like you, Adam Miller, I was transmutated from there...to here."

"Where is...here?" Miller asked.

"This is the Transmutational Portal for this universe, Adam Miller, and I am the sentinel of the Keepers."

"Who are the Keepers and what is it over which you're standing guard?"

"The Keepers are the Eternal Ones. They are the creators of the Multiverse."

"The Multiverse? Are you saying ours isn't only universe? Does this mean that the mathematical construct of other universes—the Multiverse—is correct?"

"There are universes without end, Adam Miller. They exist infinitesimally close to one another but they cannot be seen or known without the aid of Transmutation."

"What do you mean by infinitesimally close? How far apart are universes from one another?"

The old man said, "You are a scientist, Adam Miller. Therefore, you are familiar with the concepts of Planck Time and the Planck Length."

Miller was dumbfounded. If this meant what he thought it did, then the proximity of other universes was staggering small. There were trillions upon trillions of Planck Times in a single second. The exact number was 10^43, a number so small, no human mind could accurately visualize it. It was the smallest distance known to science. A Planck Time is the time required for light to travel, in a vacuum, a distance of 1 Planck length. Light travels at 186,000 miles per hour so... Even with a PhD in particle physics, Miller's head was spinning.

"Yes, of course," Miller responded.

"Within the space of one inch, there are trillions upon trillions upon trillions upon trillions of universes. And yet the number of universes is infinite meaning they cover the expanse of infinite space-time. Each is unique in that it vibrates at a specific frequency. Therefore, transmutation, which is alteration of the vibrational frequency of matter, is the only means of moving between them."

Miller wasn't interested in making a point so he ignored the term "infinite number" which was an oxymoron. Infinite wasn't a number. It was a concept. He ignored that and asked instead, "So how does this place, this...Transumational Portal...factor into all of this?"

"It is here that beings from one universe may be safely transmuted to any other universe. There is one such portal in each universe."

"Does that mean Earth is the only planet in this entire universe with life as we know it?"

"Indeed. Each universe has but one such planet. Life is brought to each new 'Earth' by the Keepers."

The origin of life. Each major religion had an origins myth. Science readily admitted it did not understand how life began. It was one of the great unknowns and accepted as a brute fact. But unlike religion, science didn't fill in the informational gap with God. There were natural causes as yet unknown to explain life's beginnings. The difficulty of the problem had led one of the two discovers of DNA (Watson and Crick) to posit a theory known as 'Panspermia' in which aliens brought life to earth. It was an end run around the incredible difficulties of the origin of life by natural causes but was soundly and roundly rejected as nonsense. Even if it were true, it still didn't answer the question of where that life came from. Another point Miller didn't need not be make. Miller inquired, "As a Hebrew, did you once believe the story of Adam and Eve?"

"Yes. It was the simplest way for the Keepers to explain the origin of life once it evolved to the point it developed human speech. The Keepers seed each world which is rich in oxygen and water with the simplest of life forms knowing they will eventually evolve a race of human beings as well as numerous other species of life."

"Okay. Let's assume all of this is true. Why would someone want to leave this universe and this Earth and his or her life to go to another universe and another Earth?"

"In search of fulfillment, Adam Miller. I am the guardian of fulfillment. I arrange for the transmutation of those who gain access to the Portal to the universe of their choice."

"You said there are an infinite number of universes. How could anyone narrow done a choice like that in a human lifetime?" Miller inquired of the image of the old man.

"The Keepers know that those who succeed in entering the Portal know what they most want from life but which is unavailable to them in their universe. That person need only input all such desires then enter the Transmutational Chamber. Because the number of universes is infinite, every possible variation of life in this universe exists in a parallel universe. One need only be able to articulate his or her needs. This is the gift of the Keepers."

Miller's head had been spinning. It was now on overload.

"How does this Chamber work? How do you actually transport someone from here to another universe?"

"The technology is beyond your ability—or mine—to grasp. The essence of transmutation is the infinitely rapid vibration of every fundamental particle in the human body until it reaches the frequency of the destination universe. That can only be achieved in this place."

Miller shook his head. "That sounds like something out of Star Trek."

"I have observed the evolution of mankind since my arrival here and I am familiar with the conceptual device to which you refer. One day, that kind of transportation will become possible. It will allow beings and objects to move within their own universe. However, it will never be possible to move outside of it and within the Multiverse by any other means than transmutation."

"I have a team outside. I need to communicate with them. Can you help me do that?"

"Upon entry into the Portal, re-entry to your world is forbidden. You must remain within it or be transmuted to the universe of your choice. You must soon be initially prepared or you will perish. Your molecular structure must be altered so that it can survive in this place. When you have selected your destination universe, you will be terminally prepared. A return to your former life is not permitted because the Keepers know that all those who enter here will be more fulfilled elsewhere. You, Adam Miller, are one such being."


The Multiverse Pt. 01



Chapter One - The Introduction

It's very easy to look back at a situation and Monday morning quarterback it. To see what you missed the first time around and what you should have done differently. But that wasn't how I had gotten as far as I had in life. I almost always went with my first decision, not impulsively mind you, but I rarely went back on a decision I had already made. And even though it cost me something, I am glad I did not second guess myself on my recent real estate purchase. It led to a very memorable evening. 

I had lost money over the course of my relatively short career. Though I was still considered young in the market, I had just entered my thirties, I had managed to lose lots of money in fact, but I had made much more than I lost. I was in the money market business and had managed a portfolio that had become very healthy recently. My new business partner had convinced me to make a purchase of some real estate in his city. I made my own visits to a few private houses and condos but I really liked a penthouse suite I found at an open house. 

There were quite a few interested parties at this open house and I scanned the room to see if I could identify a realtor. Not being very tall, I stood just under six feet tall, I had to move around a bit, but I eventually locked eyes with a beautiful blond woman that appeared to be the one I wanted to speak with. She moved with an air of confidence that told me she was running tonight's show. We made eye contact and I watched her as she crossed the large living room to greet me. 

She was wearing a pair of black pants with a light red shirt. A matching black vest covered most of her chest, and was drawn tightly around her midsection. The vest parted right in the middle of her clearly defined bosom. Her long, blond hair fell behind her shoulders and, as she drew close, I saw her bright green eyes behind her glasses. They contrasted nicely with the ruby red lips smiling at me as she extended her hand in greeting. 

"Hello, are you lost by any chance?" 

Not exactly the greeting I was expecting but as I took another look around the room I saw why. Everyone else was dressed to impress, as if this were a black tie affair, and wanted to show off whatever wealth they had. I, on the other hand, was dressed how I normally dress when I'm not in the office or making deals. While my outfit was new and crisp it was still a pair of simple khaki pants and an ordinary short-sleeved button-up shirt. 

"No, I'm not lost. I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in to see what there was to see." I responded. 

"Well this is not an invitation only event but I wouldn't want to waste any more of your time, or mine, so I'll let you see your way back out." And she turned to walk away. 

"I take it you're the type that judges a book by its cover?" I tried to hide my anger at her veiled insult. 

"I see." She turned back to me. "Well why not I suppose. I could make a few extra minutes for you. "

"Thank you for humoring me. I'm new to the area and looking for a place to stay when I'm in town, roughly four months out of the year. So, tell me about the place."

"Well it is a beautiful location with plenty of amenities." She said as waved her arm around the room, turning as she did so. "The asking price is above market value though. It's a place that is better seen than described. Would you like a tour or do you like what you already see?" She asked as she faced me again. 

I hadn't even bothered to look around. Instead I had blatantly stared at this beautiful woman as she gave me a great view of her bottom while she had turned around. The pants were just loose enough to be considered professional but were unable to hide how round she was. It appeared to be the kind of soft bottom that a man could sink his fingers into as he thrusted into her. The kind that would ripple slightly when it was spanked. I drew myself out of my dirty thoughts just in time to hear her question. 

"I'd like to see the rest of the place before I make a bid so please, show me around." I responded with a smile. 

"Follow me, um," she hesitated, "I apologize for not already asking, what is your name?"

"Brian," I lied, "Brian Drake." I never gave my real name until I was sure I would be doing business. 

"Well, follow me Brian." She said with a smile. 

She showed me around both floors and all the rooms, from the guest bathroom to the master bedroom. I continued to steal glances at her fabulous bottom and I thought she even caught me once or twice but she never said anything about it. All in all the tour took about fifteen minutes and I was now sure I wanted to purchase the place. 

"So Mr. Drake, I'll ask again, would you like to place a bid or will be passing on this wonderful opportunity?" She asked as we made our way back to the main living area. 

I thought for a few more moments as we entered the room we had started in. There were less people gathered now, but there was about to be even less once I made my offer, at least I hoped so. 

"I'll buy it." I stated. 

"Oh Mr. Drake we're simply accepting bids tonight, I don't think..." I cut her off mid-sentence. 

"Hang on. I assume you stand to make a pretty decent commission on a sale like this, right?"

She nodded her confirmation. 

"Well here's my offer then. Fifteen percent above market value. But for every percentage closer to market value you can close me at I will provide you with," I paused, "let's call it a consultation fee."

"How can I be sure of your ability to fund this purchase Mr. Drake?"

"Well, I apologize for misleading you, but my real name is Jonathan, Jonathan Walt. As far as my funding goes why don't I show you an account or two on my phone and see if that convinces you?" 

"Hmm, lets see it then." She demanded. 

I showed her one of my accounts that would more than cover the price I had offered her. Since it was on my phone's screen she sidled up next to me for privacy issues. I stole a glance or two at her chest. Thanks to her tight vest I could tell that they were a healthy size, and would probably not fit in my hands if I were to palm them. As I imagined squeezing them in my hands I felt my dick stir and remembered where I was. I also reminded myself that I kept business and pleasure separate. 

She stepped away from me and I saw that her eyes sparkled at the prospect of extra money on the side and she quickly made her way around the room, briefly speaking with each potential client and then directing them to the houses exit. Within five minutes she had cleared the room of everyone except for the two of us. 

"So," I began, "I see you are confident that my offer will be accepted."

"As confident as I can be." She said as she closed the distance between us, "besides everyone else was trying to put in a lowball offer which would only waste my time," she paused and looked directly in my eyes, "and my time is very valuable." She enunciated her last two words. 

"Well it is a pleasure doing business with," it was then that I realized I had not received her name, "what was your name again?" 

She giggled for the first time and her cheeks blushed a light red. She stood in front of me so close that I could see her chest bounce slightly from her giggle. 

"Now it appears it is my turn to apologize. My name is Selina Kyle," she said as she offered her hand, "and may I be the first to say, assuming they accept your generous offer, welcome to Gotham city Jonathan Walt."

We shook hands.

Chapter Two - The Follow-up

I had lived in Gotham for a bit over two months now. My new business partnership had proven quite successful for me and I looked forward to a long and healthy relationship. I had just finished a long series of meetings and was happy to have a long and quiet weekend. 

In my two month residency I had had zero guests over. Not only was I truly still organizing my homes layout, but I was also a private person and considered my home to be my castle. So imagine my surprise when the doorman of the building greeted me that evening with news that I had a guest awaiting me at the elevators exit on the floor that led to my home. 

As I rode the elevator I pondered who could not only have figured out my new address, but also who would show up without an invite. I assumed it was someone who had gone through certain back channels and wanted to do business with me. The soft music of the elevator helped calm my concerns just as I reached the sixteenth floor. Then I exited the elevator, turned right, and saw her. 

Miss Selina Kyle had just stood from the bench seat at the chime of the arrival bell and was in the process of smoothing out her business suit when I happened upon her. It was a dark gray two-piece outfit. The top was drawn tightly around her chest and parted in the middle to reveal a soft purple dress shirt underneath. There was no mistaking the size of her breasts and I wondered if this was her normal attire or if this was being worn for me. Then she looked up at me. 

"Oh Mr. Walt! What a pleasure!" She said before glancing down at her skirt and finished smoothing it out. 

The top of her skirt was hidden underneath the bottom of her jacket but my eyes were drawn to the bottom of the skirt anyways. It ended quite a few inches above her knees and showed off a hint of her tanned thighs before the black, mesh stockings took over. Her legs looked well-toned, like a runners would. I noticed, as I drew near to her, that with the heels she was wearing we stood eye-to-eye. 

"The pleasure is all mine," I smoothly responded as I took her offered hand, "to what do I owe the reason for your presence here today?" I lightly kissed the top of her hand and let it drop. 

"Well it's been a few months since you've moved in and I make it a point to check on my clients and ensure they are satisfied with their purchase." She answered. 

"I can assure you," I began while I placed my hand on the middle of her back and walked us to my front door, "that this place is very satisfying."

"Well I'm glad to hear that. Would you mind answering a few short questions for me then?" She asked as I opened the door and ushered us inside. "Just a little customer satisfaction survey I like to do."

I glanced at her for a brief moment before responding. "Not at all."

I waved my hand over the sofa as I walked to the cabinet where I kept my drinks. Selina sat down and crossed her legs. She rested her notepad and tablet on her lap. 

"Excellent. So let us begin then." Ms Kyle began. 

"First, a drink Ms. Kyle." I offered. 

"Thank you. I'll take a scotch. And please, call me Selina."

I dropped a few ice cubes in each glass, poured the golden-brown liquid, and handed her a glass. She held hers outward and we clinked our glasses together before taking a sip. The warm liquid provided a good burn on the way down. 

I sat on a chair opposite the couch and relaxed myself. I took another sip and watched as Selina downed her glass. She impressed me by doing so and became more attractive to me. It helped that after she set her empty glass down on the glass coffee table she uncrossed her toned legs, and pressed them together. 

"How is it?" I asked Selina. 

"Mm, it's the cat's meow. Now onto the short questionnaire." She began. 

The first few questions were designed to be answered on a one to ten scale and were quickly answered. The next batch had to deal with my impressions of the purchase process itself, to which I gave her high marks of course. The final batch were a bit more exploratory. 

"Have you had any negative opportunities with the buildings staff and personnel?"

"No I have not." I responded. 

"Have you already done, or do you plan to within the first year, make any upgrades or layout changes?"

"I haven't given that any thought really. I don't suppose so though."

"I see. Do you find the security system to be fully capable of protecting your assets then?"

"Well yeah. I live on the top floor of a key access only elevator. What's a thief going to do? Climb up the entire building?" I scoffed. 

"Well yes that is true. Still, should you ever decide to overhaul the system I know a good company to do the work for you."

"Are we done with your questionnaire so soon then?"

"We are. I will now take my leave and again, thank you for your time."

"Not so fast Selina." I could almost feel the scotch influencing my words. "I have a few questions for you before you go, if it's not too much trouble."

"Fire away." She stated. 

"What made you sell to me?"

I thought I saw her glance downward before she responded but it could've just been a blink of her eyes. "Why, the size of your endowment." She said bluntly. 

I choked back a cough. "I beg your pardon?"

"The account you showed me that night. I knew you were a serious buyer. What did you think I meant?" She said with the slightest hint of a smile. 

"Never mind. Did you or did you not run a background check on me?" I had known she had as I pay to have my information monitored. 

"Well of course I did." She leaned toward me as she answered. Her shirt and jacket stretched tight across her chest and held her bosom in place. "I never get into bed with someone without running a background. Certainly you would do the same."

I gulped down the last of my scotch to cover my surprise at her choice of words. "Of course." I dryly rasped and then cleared my throat. "Of course I would."

"Is that all? I really should be going now." Selina smiled at me. "I do have other clients to visit."

"One final question." I said as I stood up from the chair and offered my hand to Selina. 

"Yes?" She said as she took my hand and stood from the sofa. 

We stood mere inches apart. I wanted to reach out and pull her into me. To have her pressed against me. However, I also knew how expensive a sexual harassment suit could be so I maintained my composure and asked a pointed but non-harassing question. 

"Selina, do you find me attractive?"

Selina blushed and politely answered, "Mr. Walt, that's not my place to say. We have a professional relationship and I..."

I cut her off, "I just want to know if I'm doing something wrong. I've been here for a few months and, well I haven't had much luck," I paused, "at all. Am I unattractive to you Gothamites?"

"Mr. Walt this might be due to your scotch loosening my tongue a little but I have found you very attractive since the night I met you. And you look even more dashing in your suit today then the casual look you wore that night."

"Well thank you. I appreciate your honesty. So I guess this is goodbye then?" I held my arms out for a inviting hug. 

"Yes it is." She leaned into my embrace. 

It was a hug one professional would give another. We patted each other's backs and she kept her chest away from mine. Then her hands lingered on my back, so I left mine on hers. 

"You know," Selina began as she stepped closer to me, "it is true what they say."

"What do 'they' say?" I asked. 

Selina pulled my back towards her. Our chests now touched and I felt her breasts press against me. Below my belt I could feel my pants tighten in response to her bold move. 

"They say, 'Parting is such sweet sorrow.' Mr. Walt." She purred in a soft voice. 

I lowered my lips slightly to meet hers. Her soft red lips tasted sweet like cherry-flavored gum and felt warm to the touch. Selina met my kiss with a reciprocating passion. My left hand cradled her neck and head while my right hand dropped to her lower back. I could feel the aggression in her kiss, as if she would take charge in the bed. Her own hands roamed over my back and I was impressed with the strength of her arms. She held me as tight to her as I was holding her to me. 

As we kissed my mind wandered to us being together in my bed, Selina would be on top of me, her breasts bouncing with every thrust of her hips. I'd watch my shaft repeatedly disappear inside of her until she cursed my name as she came. Perhaps I went too far. For as my mind filled with that fantasy my hand dropped from her back to her round ass. Selina moaned into my kiss so I gave her cheek a good squeeze. That's when the trance was broken. 

"Oh I apologize Mr. Walt," she spoke as she pulled herself away from me. "I'm not sure what came over me but I really must be going now."

"Blame the scotch. I always do." I ruefully offered. 

"Whatever the reason I apologize and I will see myself out. Goodbye. And again I apologize for my behavior."

As I watched her leave, and I did watch, I worked on ways I could ensure our paths crossed again. Perhaps I could buy another property, or arrange a business lunch, or just stalk her place of business. Then the elevator chimed, the doors closed, and I was left with pants that were now snug around my upper thighs. I briefly wondered if she had felt my endowment, but it was irrelevant anyways as she was gone. Sadly it was still the best action I had received these past two, albeit really busy, months. 

That night was frustrating to me. Not only did my normal method of self-relief fail to quell my desire but I also didn't sleep well. In my bedroom, against one exterior wall, was a floor to ceiling window about six feet wide. In addition to the full moon shining brightly that night, there was some idiot on a rooftop with a huge light that he was pointing to the sky.

There was some kind of weird symbol on the clouds. From my vantage point I couldn't see what the hell it was. Whenever he changed the direction to keep it on a group of clouds my room would inadvertently be lit up with the bright light as he swung it around. I had no idea what he was doing but if it happened the next night I swore I'd call the police. 

For the next few days I slept quite well. Then something occurred that would change my life in Gotham forever. 

Chapter Three - The Encounter 

The day had bored me. I had easily added to my portfolio with a few investments around the nation. It had all been done easily enough but then there were conference calls and quarterly reports to peruse. Not that there wasn't useful information. It's just that normally I would like to be a virtual attendee through a web call rather than being physically present. Unfortunately my business partner had insisted on my attendance. He seemed to believe I had an intimidating presence, as if he knew anything about that. 

Now I looked forward to a long hot shower and then a quiet and restful night. I greeted my doorman, checked for any packages, and entered the elevator. The ride to my penthouse suite was short enough and I was soon entering my abode. I dropped my coat and bag just inside the door. In the living room I turned on my television and hit the play button on my answering machine. There was only one message. 

"Good afternoon Mr. Walt. We have received a referral from your previous doctor and are happy to schedule to you in for an appointment two weeks from today's date at two in the afternoon. If this does not work for you please call us back at your earliest convenience. Otherwise Dr. Quinzel will see you in two weeks. Have a good day."

I told myself repeatedly that seeing a psychiatrist was a healthy thing to do. Living alone is and not having outside relationships is not necessarily a good thing for most people. So I talked, about a lot of things, and it felt good. It felt good. 

After having some dinner and watching a game on tv I decided to hit the bed early. I had already cancelled a scheduled business trip, well, I had delayed it at least. One more day and I would leave for Japan for a few days to meet with a potential client or two. I needed that shower. 

I let the hot, steamy water run over my body for a minute or two before I lathered up. Once I was soaped up I turned the faucet to a massaging pulse and let the water rinse and relax my muscles. I lowered my head and let it run down my neck and back. Though my body was relaxing I saw a part of my body was getting excited for some reason. I thought about rapidly scrubbing it for a few minutes but relented. Relaxation was my number one desire this night, not a high heart rate. 




The Multiverse



Miller's knees went weak. What about his parents? His younger brother? His friends? His career? He felt nauseous and sat on cold, hard floor.

"You must choose your new life, Adam Miller. View this not as a sentence of death but as an opportunity for new life. It is the gateway to fulfillment."

Miller felt ill. The pain in his head was worse than any migraine he'd ever experienced. He lay down on the floor and curled up in a ball. 

Miller opened one eye and then the other. Once again, it was utter darkness. As his eyes opened, the light again to gradually fill the room. He felt better. In fact, he felt much better. He stood and looked around. As he turned toward the glass pane, the room began to illuminate as it had—yesterday? Last week? Last month?

"How long was I asleep?" he asked the image of the old man.

"Ten of your hours, Adam Miller. During that time, you were—prepared."

"Prepared? Prepared for what?"

"For transmutation. You no longer experience hunger, thirst, or pain as long as you remain in the Portal. You will not need to sleep again for as long as you are here. How long you are here is a matter of the amount of time it will take to select your ideal universe."

Miller was amazed at how he felt. He felt...strong. Healthy. Energized. Whatever had happened to him, he felt better than he could ever remember.

"How do I go about selecting my new...home?" he asked.

"You must identify all things you wish to have in your chosen universe that are not available to you here."

"Okay, but since there are an infinite number of universes, that implies I can choose all of the things about this universe that I like and they'll still be there. Is that true?"

"Yes. Every variation exists, Adam Miller. All things are possible. Only your ability to imagine them will limit you. Examine your past life carefully. Retain those things most valuable to you. Then imagine your new life with anything and everything you want to have. I will then input your selected criteria and then transmute you to your chosen new world."

The first thing Miller thought of was the law of unintended consequences. If he asked to be wealthy, he could be sent somewhere where wealth is a capitol offense. If he asked to be taller, he might end up in a world where that's not a positive trait. He would have to think through all of these possible repercussions before deciding.

Since there was no measurement of time inside the Portal, Miller had no idea how long he was there. Methuselah showed him how to use what was, at least in his limited understanding, a computer which could record all of this desires while also helping him keep track of those things he didn't want. 

At some point, Miller declared himself ready. He had checked, rechecked and then checked again over and over and over all of the parameters he'd input. He laughed out loud when he learned that all he need do was hit the "enter" key when he was fully satisfied. 

As he did, the image of Methuselah reappeared saying, "Adam Miller. Your destination has been determined. You may go where you will, but I must inform you that in this world you will be mentally perceived as 37 years of age."

"I understand. I'm 32 years old on this earth but I will be perceived to be 37 there. I am willing to accept that as part of my new reality."

"Very well. Enter the Transmutation Chamber, turn around, and remain perfectly still. When you arrive, you will be in an identical Chamber in your new world. You must place your right hand on the wall where you entered then repeat the chant bearing my name just as you did to gain entrance. I wish you...happiness and the fulfillment of all of your desires, Adam Miller.

Miller entered the Chamber, turned around, and stood completely still. He heard a piercing noise, felt his body tremble, and then...nothing. The Chamber opened and Miller stepped out. His senses told him he was still in the same place even though his brain understood he was not. Absolutely everything was identical. He willed himself to walk to the door where he placed his hand as he had on the outside and repeated the Chant of Methuselah. 

A bright light flashed and Miller found himself standing outside. But he wasn't outside of the wall under the Pyramid. He was...exiting a limousine in front of the headquarters building of NanoSoft Technologies, the largest and most profitable company on Earth Prime.

"Mr. Miller! Mr. Miller! Are the rumors true? Have you secretly sold the company? If so, does that mean you'll be bidding this year? People are saying you've sold in order to spend time with your new wife. Can you confirm those rumors? Can you tell us who she is?"

Miller stopped at the top of the steps, turned and said, "To answer your questions, yes, I have sold NanoSoft and yes, I will be bidding for a wife this year. After the death of my beloved Marissa three years ago, I've decided to purchase a replacement. Thank you all!"

Miller waved and entered the building as reporters continued to shout questions at him. On the elevator ride to the top floor where he worked, he reflected on the final offer for his business. He would be paid $25 billion in cash along with half that amount in stock options in what would be his former company. His net worth wouldn't change because this was simply transferring assets from one form—the company—into another—cash and stocks. He would remain in the top five wealthiest men on Earth Prime but now be out from under the enormous pressure of running the most successful software company in history.

Miller signed off on a number of final documents then left the office for the last time to head home where another, more pressing concern and one of far greater interest to him personally awaited.

When he arrived in his 10,000 square foot penthouse, he headed directly to the media room where from which he would be able to bid in complete anonymity. The huge television screen was alive with activity as he entered the room. He was warmly greeted my his mother, father, and younger brother, Michael. All wished him well.

Miller took a seat. The Purchase was the most-awaited event in America Prime each year and was viewed by virtually every household in the country. Bidding, however, was possible only to those with a net worth of $100 million or more and who had paid the million-dollar entry fee.

Today was the much-anticipated Annual Selection for Adulthood Status or ASAS day. Colloquially, it was known as The Purchase. Every girl in the country dreamed about being selected but only 250 very talented and beautiful girls were chosen each year. All of them would be required to complete three months of rigorous training following selection. The first month would be identical for each of them while the final two months would be specially tailored to the exact specifications of their purchasers. 

Miller was known on Earth Prime as kind, generous, and was well respected by all in his personal life. In business, however, he had a reputation as being ruthless, cutthroat, and vicious. His friends and most of the public loved him while his competitors feared him. Miller had the financial resources needed to ensure he could purchase the girl who was most suitable for him. He, like many other wealthy men, had paid handsomely to have each of the 250 selectees carefully screened and evaluated. This year, there were five girls whom he found completely acceptable and one whom he wanted most of all. On Earth Prime, Adam Miller was used to winning and he was determined to purchase the girl of his dreams no matter how high the bidding went. 

Depending on who else might want her, the bidding could be enormously high. If he got lucky, he might be the only man of means willing to bid any amount to have her. But because she was such an ideal candidate, it seemed likely that at least one other purchaser would be willing to try and outbid him. Beauty was most definitely in the eye of the beholder and Miller was hoping against hope no one else would find her as beautiful as he did.

During the bidding, the public at large wouldn't know the name of the bidders, but the total amount of the bid could be a strong indication as to their identity. Everyone would be pulling for him to get the 18-year old girl of his dreams who would then be specially trained to be his perfect wife. 'Everyone' included his mom, dad, and brother who were in the media room waiting for him. They were his biggest fans and were dying to know which girl he wanted. Miller knew these weren't the same human beings he loved on Earth, but they were indeed his own family and each of them loved one another dearly.

In this world, being purchased was the highest honor society could bestow on an 18-year old girl and it collectively adored and respected the girls who were chosen. The ASAS served as a means for poor families to become fantastically wealthy overnight as the parents of the purchased girls would receive 25% of the purchase price which could range anywhere from several million to many hundreds of millions of dollars. For the girls, the prestige which came with selection was enormous. The were the darlings of society; they were the girls every girl aspired to become. Following training and graduation, they would be meet their purchaser for the first time and be given to him in a brief marriage ceremony. From that moment on, society conferred adult status on them five years ahead of their peers. They would go from legally being considered children in America Prime to adults with the right to vote, drink, or do anything any adult could legally do. Due to the intense interest of the ASAS to all of society, nearly all of the girls would be recognized in public by face alone, but each would be given a special diamond ring in the wedding ceremony by their husband-purchaser which identified them as full-fledged, purchased wives with adult status.

This immediate increase in social status was significant. On Earth Prime, physical development was identical to that on Earth. However, due to a change in key genetic markers, there was absolutely no mental development during the first five years of life. Therefore, the established legal age for most things was 23, the same age at which young people typically graduated from high school. During high school, children could drive a car at the age of 20 1/2 with a parent and at 21 by themselves. Miller fully understood why he might well be perceived as being five years older—or at least five years more mature on Earth Prime than he was on Earth.

The Purchase was as old as society itself and was the most-anticipated and most-celebrated holiday of the year. School was let out for the week and nearly every person in the country tuned in for the bidding. An annual event, ASAS was held on the Winter Solstice and was open only to those girls who had turned 18 after the last solstice and the day before this year's holiest of holidays. The competition was fierce and the initial selection process was brutal. Each state held its own primary ASAS. It was allocated a certain number of quotas based on its total population. However, it was possible for a state to exceed its quota if a girl was determined to be eligible for national review. This precluded someone from being excluded if she were truly beautiful and desirable in all areas but would be otherwise excluded due to population restraints.

From the moment of the beginning of the maturation process, parents began hoping for and preparing their daughters for the Purchase. Most were excluded early on due to the lack of physical beauty and others due to a lack of intelligence or some other disqualifying feature. Only the brightest, the most pleasant, the most charming, and the most beautiful had any chance of being selected and purchased. Still, every girl dreamed of being one of the Chosen 250 and there was no higher honor than being one of them.

All 250 of the men bidding had already watched a 20-minute video of each of the finalists and knew for whom they would bid. In many cases, it simply wasn't possible to get any of one's top ten choices. The bidding for the most sought-after girls would escalate quickly into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Therefore, one needed to prioritize and bid strategically.

All of the selectees were required to appear wearing five different outfits which were identical.. Each girl was also required to present herself nude so that her body could be thoroughly inspected before the bidding began. This allowed the bidders to compare apples to apples, as it were

Once their physical beauty was demonstrated, their intellect was showcased wherein each of the girls answered the same set of questions on a variety of topics. Finally, they were placed in various social settings so that bidders could gauge their levels of maturity and sophistication. Each girl knew that their performance could mean the difference in millions of dollars for their families which meant that they gave their best efforts at all times.

Armed with this information, the bidders were ready to go to war for the girl they would purchase and marry for a period of two years. If both parties agreed, and the bidder was willing to pay and additional fee, the marriage could be extended one time for an additional two years. 

Surrounded by his family, closest friends, Adam Miller was ready to begin the bidding.

As each of the girls was presented for the first round of bidding, all viewers could see the amount bid which was shown on the screen. Also shown was a number assigned to each of the bidders. Miller was assigned #116 but no one outside this room would know the name associated with that number. He knew exactly which girl he wanted and he was ready to spend any amount of money to get her. 

"So who is she, Adam?" his younger brother Michael asked him excitedly. "What's her name? What does she look like? What state is she from?"

"Be patient, Mikey. You'll know when you see her. She's absolutely beautiful."

"Yeah, but all of these girls are beautiful, Adam. How can you decide?"

Adam knew that beauty was subjective and he knew exactly what he liked. He wanted a wife who had long, silky dark hair with green eyes, high cheek bones, soft, full lips, perfect teeth, a pleasing voice, a very high level of intelligence, and a calm, demure demeanor. All of the girls were raised to be pleasant. Being disagreeable was an instant disqualifying feature. Only those who were happy, pleasant, charming, and stunningly attractive had any chance at being purchased. In that sense, Michael was right. ALL of the girls were beautiful. But one stood out above them all to Adam Miller.

Her name was Courtney Cunningham from Columbus, Ohio. She'd turned 18 in November and was in her seventh year of education at Columbus-15 Middle School. Her parents were very poor. Her father worked as a school custodian while her mother was unable to work due to serious health problems. The money from her purchase would allow her to receive the treatment they needed and to have everything they ever wanted. They were proud of their little girl beyond belief. And she was beautiful beyond belief.

Courtney was assigned #88. Miller hadn't said much as the first 87 girls were presented. When the 88th was introduced, Miller sat up straight in his chair and prepared to make his first bid.

"Ladies and gentlemen, #88 is Courtney Cunningham from Columbus, Ohio. Miss Cunningham is one of the top-rated girls in our selection this year. As such, we will begin the bidding at our highest minimum bid of fifty-million dollars. Gentlemen, the bidding is now open." 

Courtney was sitting with her legs crossed smiling at the camera. Each selectee wore the same thing and all of them had their hair styled identically. They wore no makeup as each was presented as a fresh pallet to be painted by their purchaser. Miller noted the initial bid for Courtney was $100 million. Several girls had already been purchased for amounts between five and fifty million. She, along with nine others, was considered a "top-tier" candidate and therefore, able to attract this kind of bidding. Miller knew that very few bidders could compete beyond the $100 million mark so he doubled the initial offer. In just seconds, his bid was topped. The purchase price was now $250 million. Offers of $300 million, $350 million, and $400 million hit before he could bid again. Miller bid half a billion. There were no other bids for 15 seconds. Then he saw an offer of $750 million. Miller was furious. He bid one billion dollars. He was trumped by an offer of $1.5 billion. Miller bid $2 billion. When purchaser #181 bid $2.5 billion, Miller was livid. He raised the price to an unheard of FIVE BILLION DOLLARS! The countdown to the close of bidding was one minute. Still time for him to be outbid.

The emcee said, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a new all-time high bid! We have an offer of $5 billion for this lovely young lady. We have one minute of bidding time remaining. Who'll raise the price?" 

All eyes were on the clock and Miller's hand were on his keypad in case of a last-second bid. The clock wound down from 10, 9, 8...to 3, 2, 1. Time expired and the emcee congratulated bidder number 116. 

He stood next to Courtney and said, "Young lady, how does it feel to know you are now most valuable selectee ever purchased in the history of the ASAS?"

Courtney remained calm and said, "I am honored to think that any gentleman would consider me worthy of such a considerable sum. I've been preparing for this all of my life and I must say that this the most thrilling moment I could ever imagine. I only hope that I will prove to be the perfect wife for my purchaser—whoever he may be." 

The media room exploded in cheers as did the small gathering in the Cunningham house.

Later that day, 12.5% of the $5 billion would be transferred to their private account immediately and the 12.5% after the wedding ceremony. The rest would be divided among the federal government and the state from which she hailed.

Miller relaxed now that he'd purchased the girl of his dreams. He had just two other things to do. Submit his list of requirement for specialized training and wait.

Chapter 2

The Headmaster stood before the newest class of selectees and said, "Good morning, ladies! You have now been here for thirty days. Congratulations to each of you on having completed your initial training. Let's have a round of applause!" 

The entire faculty, staff, and special assistants applauded loudly and cheered for the girls while each of the beautiful young ladies sat straight in their chairs permitting themselves to smile but show no external emotion. They had learned during this first month that composure and self control in such situations were essential. They had all spent a very intense last month learning to sit, speak, and behave as an adult. After all, in just 60 days, they would legally BE adults and treated as such in spite of being just eighteen years old! 

While there was no higher honor than to be selected, there was no greater disgrace than for a Purchased Girl to behave like a child. The training was thorough and demanding and every girl took it very seriously. Should she fail, and that was a very rare thing, her parents would lose their advance and she would be returned home to live in shame. That's why only three girls in the last 20 years had failed to complete the entire three-month program.

Like each girl in the room, Courtney spent much of her free time wondering what specifics her future husband would choose for her. What would he want her to wear? How would he style her hair? Would he want her to be athletic to share a life in the outdoors? Would she wear beautiful gowns and appear at formal events with him?Would he permit her or even require her to drink alcohol? Would she be allowed to drive or would he insist she be chauffeured at all times? Would he be young and handsome or older and experienced? That, of course, didn't matter. All of the girls were trained to accept the love of their purchasers, to include their physical appearance, as it was offered. Still, if he were handsome...




The Multiverse



She was resolved that no matter what he husband-to-be wanted, she would be better at it than anyone had ever been. There was only one thing she anticipated with trepidation even though she knew the chances of that being incorporated into her specialized training was less than 5%. Still, that meant it would be part of the regimen for up to perhaps a dozen girls. Courtney was a realist and she knew that this was out of her hands. If it happened, it would happen. Still, she secretly prayed it wouldn't to her. Society had no issue with it but for some reason, Courtney had never wanted to smoke. She knew some men found it incredibly alluring and sexy but because she, like all of the girls, was a virgin, "sexy" had no meaning to her beyond "pretty." If her husband found girls who smoked to be pretty, then she would accept her fate and do her best to become very proficient at it. But still she hoped that...

In another hour, all of them would learn what it was their new husbands-to-be expected of them. Hoping to avoid just one thing didn't seem unreasonable to her.

After the short ceremony, each of the girls was assigned a speciality instructor or SI. During the first month, the general trainers or GTs were interchangeable. They rotated duties and all taught the same things to every girl. For the next two months, each girl would spend twelve hours a day with her SI learning those things tailored specifically for her. Where specifics overlapped for two or more girls, they could be trained together.

A beautiful woman who appeared to be about 25 or so, introduced herself to Courtney. "Courtney, I'm Amanda Williams and it's my pleasure to serve as your specialized instructor."

Courtney smiled and said sincerely, "It's such an honor and a distinct pleasure to know you, Miss Williams. I will do everything in my power to successfully complete this phase of my training."

"I know you will, sweetheart. You not only received the highest purchase price ever, you come as highly recommended as any girl has ever come at any ASAS. So the pleasure is all mine."

Each of the GTs and SIs were girls who had previously competed at the state level but who had not been selected. If they made it to the final round, they were eligible to be purchased informally but the prices were comparatively very low and they did not attain full adult status until the age of 23. They did however, have full adult status in public when accompanied by their purchaser-husbands. They were identifiable by a unique but inferior ring presented to them in their wedding ceremony. Still, many of them were happy to be purchased at all and the money their families received was often enough to pay off a mortgage or other large debt. There was very little status involved but it was far better to be purchased informally than not at all. Amanda had been purchased for $350,000 which was very good price for a non-finalist. The nearly $90,000 her family received allowed them to pay off the huge credit card debts they'd amassed and trade both of their old, unreliable cars for newer models. She was married to and spent four years with a very kind and loving man. Now that her contract had expired, she was only too happy to offer her services to the nation's top tier of purchased girls.

"So, we have a lot of things to cover today, Courtney. Are you ready to get started?"

"Most definitely, Miss Wilson. I am not only ready, I am very much looking forward to beginning this phase of training!" Courtney said excitedly.

Amanda asked Courtney to accompany her to the wardrobe area where she would receive a large amount of clothes, shoes, handbags, and jewelry as specified by her purchaser. This one by far the most enjoyable aspect of the girls' training to date.

"Okay, Courtney. Your purchaser has provided me with a detailed list of the kinds of things you'll be wearing for the remainder of your training and during your marriage. Are you ready to go shopping?"

Courtney did her best to restrain her happiness but couldn't keep it from bubbling over. "I am so excited I can hardly wait! This is by far the largest clothing store I've ever been in before! Everything is SO beautiful and the displays are SO...classy. I love it!"

"That's because you must become accustomed to only the finest things in life. Throughout your marriage, you will never again shop in a department store. This is the kind of place where you will spend your new husband's money so please feel free to take anything within your designated area."

Courtney began looking at all of the beautiful gowns and dresses, blouses and skirts, shoes and bags. "I feel like I've died and gone to heaven! I've heard of these designers before but I've never actually seen any of their lines."

"You will need several formal gowns of the style shown here. You will also need a number of cocktail dresses of the type modeled here." Amanda was showing examples of the kinds of things she could choose on the tablet she carried with her.

"Most of your wardrobe will come from our sweater selection over there as that is what your future husband prefers." Amanda pointed to a very large section of the store which had every imaginable kind of dressy, expensive sweater and knit tops. "You'll notice your purchaser wishes you to wear this type of clothing at all times unless told otherwise for certain formal functions. Therefore, most of what you will choose will come from this section. Please ensure that most of your items have a rib-knit look to them. Sleeve length isn't important and you may choose any neckline from square to jewel to turtleneck."

Courtney selected 100 of the most beautiful sweaters and knit tops in the store. Amanda then led her to the section where skirts were sold. Courtney elected another 150 beautiful skirts most of which were extremely short. Some though, were only a few inches above the knee and a handful were very long with long splits in the side.

Once she'd selected 200 pairs of shoes—mostly high heels in the 3-6" length, she moved on to jewelry selection where she chose dozens of beautiful earrings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, and other items in gold, silver, onyx, and other colors.

The last thing was underwear. Courtney would also need dozens of lacy bra and panty sets of various colors, hundreds of pairs of stockings, but NO pantyhose.

All of the items were delivered to her new living complex which was a very large, very spacious suite of rooms meant to accustom her to this type of environment. She would have other assistant specialists to do her hair, makeup, and to assist her with wardrobe.

"Okay! Wardrobe is complete. Now we will get you dressed in your new style and then we will proceed to the in-house salon where your hair will be cut, colored, and styled to the specifications of your purchaser. Once that is complete, you'll be given a makeover. Rather than teach you how to apply makeup, yours will be applied for you by an expert each day as will be the case once you are a married woman, as well. Are you still excited?"

"I am," Courtney said. "This is just so different from generalized instruction and so very exciting! I love all of my new clothes and can't wait to see what color and style my hair will be or what I will look like wearing makeup for the very first time!"

A stylist was waiting for them as everything had to run like clockwork. An hour later, Courtney's hair had been trimmed to shoulder length and set in large rollers. When finished, her dark hair was long and silky with gentle waves which cascaded down around her face and neck. She was given just the softest hint of wispy bangs to complete her new look.

"Oh, my goodness! It's absolutely wonderful! I love it!" she bubbled.

An hour later the finishing touches of her makeup were applied and her finger and toenails painted to match her dark red lipstick. She had never seen herself in makeup before and when she looked at herself for the first time, she was unable to speak. Finally she said to Amanda, "I can't believe this is me. I look like I'm...25."

"My age?" Amanda said with a smile. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant..."

"I know what you meant, dear. It's quite all right. When I was your age, someone my age seemed ancient! While we're talking about age, I'd like to share something with you, Courtney. Even though I didn't make it to the final 250, I did manage to get purchased in a run-off round and I spent four wonderful years with a fantastic man. At first, I was completely overwhelmed. But that's where the beauty of the Purchase comes in. You will belong to a man who is older and wiser and he will provide you with love, affection, and happiness. So never worry about being so very young and inexperienced. Every girl who competes for final selection is a virgin. In fact, none of them have ever been on a date. Then again, they are so young it's actually a good thing. Dating at 18 is something no parent should allow. Some do, I know, but girls that age are simply not ready to handle the implications of dating boys. The Purchase solves all of those problems at once. You will soon be an adult, and although you may appear like one physically—and let me assure you are nowhere near adulthood mentally. But the final two months of training will prepare for your new life as an adult as much as possible, so please pay very close attention and give 100% at everything asked of you. Can you do that, Courtney?"

"Yes. Of course I can. And I promise I will. I don't understand very much about love and marriage but I know my mommy and daddy love one another and I want to be happy just like them!"

Courtney most definitely did look like an adult. In fact, she looked more like a very young supermodel. Her future husband was a very lucky man.

Amanda led them back to Courtney's suite and said, "We'll be having dinner in one hour. You will be introduced to a number of new foods as well as beverages and other things. Please remember that many adult things are what are known as 'acquired tastes.' For instance, you not enjoy the taste of caviar the first few times you try it. It has a rather salty, somewhat fishy taste, but it is essential you learn to enjoy it. The same applies to anything else you will try for the first time. Also remember, this is the first event you will attend looking the way your purchaser directed. From this point on, everything you wear, do, and say will be done with one purpose in mind—to mold you into his ideal wife. Do you understand?"

"I do," Courtney replied sincerely. "I've been waiting for this all of my life and I promise I will work very hard to learn to enjoy everything I'm expected to like!"

"That's an excellent attitude, Courtney. It will serve you well and make your purchaser very happy."

Courtney was escorted to dinner by a special assistant. "You'll be seated in here, my dear," she told her pointing to an area that was separate from the rest of the dining area. It was a fairly large, spacious area set behind a very large plexiglass window which separated it from the rest of the tables. Inside, there was one very large table with a total of five place settings. The assistant showed Courtney where her exact seat was located as four other assistants did the same with their charges.

The outer room was also filled with the other 245 girls who were also seated. Courtney was trying to see if she could see any patterns. Were girls with the same style of clothing or hair color seated together? The same hairstyles? She noticed that most tables had either wine glasses or champagne flutes but not all of them did. She couldn't find any such pattern if it existed and she was very curious as to why she and these four beautiful girls were seated in here together rather than with the majority of this year's selectees.

The Headmaster called for their attention. "Ladies? Welcome to our first informal dinner event. Each of you has been told that you will experience new firsts this evening. Those may include, but need not be limited to, new foods and beverages. Some will also be privileged to try other adult activities in preparation for their new lives. Remember, each of you has a very specialized training regime and it matters not what any other girl is or is not doing. What is important is each of you does her best to become accomplished at every task specifically given to her. Now please take the next few minutes to introduce yourselves to the rest of your table. I wish all of you a very pleasant and memorable evening!"

Each of the five girls looked at the other four. None of them spoke. Possibly, that was due to Courtney's presence. All of them knew who she was because of her purchase price. Because of that and her obvious beauty, all of them were in awe of her to some degree. She spoke first. "Good evening, ladies. I'm Courtney Cunningham from Ohio." Each girl in turn introduced herself. Courtney was seated in between a beautiful blonde girl named Madison on her left and a fellow brunette with very short but very cute hair named Alexis on her right. Madison was wearing a gorgeous silk kimono and had her hair done in traditional Japanese fashion. Alexis was wearing a leather dress, leather boots, and a leather collar with some sort of silver protrusions from it. She wore a great deal more makeup than any of the other girls at her table. 

Courtney then also noticed that five of the girls at a table with no wine glasses were all wearing sports attire of some kind. Two wore cheerleader uniforms, another was dressed as a Girl Scout, and two others wore athletic attire. The most interestingly-attired girl was dressed as a nun and sitting alone at a table for one. All of this was just so fascinating and yet very puzzling to Courtney.

As the first course arrived, the girls' SI's entered and stood behind them. Amanda spoke for all of them. "Ladies? We are here to supervise and make corrections. We will not interfere unless we see you make a mistake of some kind. When you do—and you all will—we will correct you. Keep in mind it isn't personal. We are here only to ensure you become the perfect companions for your new husbands-to-be."

Their initial new first was wine. Stewards brought them bottles of the finest chardonnay and poured a tiny amount in each glass. Courtney was served first. She'd never tasted any alcohol before so she was very unsure what to expect. The steward presented the bottle for her examination. The girls had been instructed in general training to take a very small sip and then tell the steward whether or not the wine was acceptable. As he presented the wine he said, "Madame? Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet." She nodded her approval and the steward poured her a very small amount. She took a tiny sip then swallowed it. The taste was so bitter she wanted nothing more than to spit it out. However, she knew that was forbidden. She shuddered slightly then managed to say, "The wine is excellent. Thank you." The steward then filled her glass half full, bowed, and back away.

As each dish was set before them, their steward lifted the silver lid and said the name of the dish. "Madame? Escargot."

The girls had learned to use the tiny fork and tongs provided in general training. They had yet to master the art of gracefully removing them and eating them. This went on course after course. The girls had been warned that alcohol makes one 'giggly.' They would be allowed some latitude but silliness would not be tolerated. By the third course, some of the girls had almost finished their glass. This brought a gentle rebuke from their SI. "Small sips only, ladies. One glass must last the entire meal. No exceptions."

The conversation did flow much easier after each of the girls had drunk a little over half of their glasses. Courtney realized why alcohol was such an important part of the meal. She was certain she would 'acquire' a taste for it at some point. That just wasn't going to be anytime soon. She was quite sure of that. For now, its very pleasant effects were reward enough for putting up with its awful taste.

After the dessert course, each of the special instructors stepped out and returned with a small box wrapped with a small bow on it. "Ladies, a gift from your husbands-to-be. Each was carefully selected by him personally with you in mind. You will find your initials engraved on each. When you look, you will notice the last initial is not yours. That is because it is the first letter of your new last name once you are married immediately after graduation."

Courtney opened hers first. It was a beautiful gold cigarette lighter. She looked at both sides then turned it upside down and read, "CAM." The C was for Courtney and the A for Allison, her first and middle names. An M. Hmmm. Could the "M" stand for? No. Was it possible her future husband was... It couldn't be. But the amount paid for her was...

Her thoughts were interrupted when each special instructor set a pack of cigarettes next to each girl. Courtney noticed hers were Virginia Slims Menthol Lights. Her eyes darted around the table. In front of Madison was a pack of Benson & Hedges Menthol Lights. Before Alexis was a pack of Marlboro reds. The other girls were given Virginia Slim Lights and Misty 120 Lights, respectively.

"Ladies, you five have been given the honor of learning to smoke. Each of us assigned as your instructors also smoke. I can tell you that it is very much an acquired taste but one that you will love and cherish once you adapt to it. Each of us began smoking at the request of our husbands after we were purchased in the run-off. We didn't have the benefit of such training, so we had to learn as they watched us. You will leave here loving to smoke and being proficient at it. Please pay very careful attention."

Amanda explained and demonstrated how to hold a cigarette. Style was incredibly important she explained. One must always, always appear very feminine and ladylike when smoking with the exception of Alexis who would be taught the technique of dangling and inhaling and exhaling without holding her cigarette. Again, except for Alexis, the wrist was to always be bent thusly when holding a lit cigarette. When taking a puff, it must be held with the first two fingers fully extended. She showed them how to properly ash and put out a cigarette when they were done.

"Ladies, with the exception of Alexis, please open your packs and gracefully remove one cigarette. Alexis? You will tap yours your pack, let one filter rise up, then remove it with your lips and let it dangle there."

Courtney realized what was happening. She was indeed one of those very few selected to learn the art of smoking. It wasn't something she'd wanted. In fact, it was the one thing she dreaded. Yet instinctively, she knew that it was her duty...no, her pleasure to learn this technique and to learn it well. She removed the silver foil and set it aside then slid out one of the long, slender cylinders from the open pack. For the next two minutes, each of the girls practiced holding it as they had been shown. One of them laughed as she pretended to inhale and was gently rebuked for her lack of seriousness. She was informed that only a tiny, select number of girls were selected for this honor and that mocking it in any way was a sign of very poor taste. The girl apologized to the rest of the group and behaved properly from then on.

"Ladies, I am now going to demonstrate how to light a cigarette and then I will show you how to inhale. Most of the time, your husband will light your cigarette for you. If you are with him, you will hold the cigarette like this and lean toward the lighter in this manner. Because I am an accomplished smoker, I will take a very long inhale and exhale it to show you how you will one day appear." A steward offered her a light and Amanda's cigarette burned cherry red. She took a very deep drag as she hadn't had a cigarette herself in almost two hours, an unreasonably long time to go without one. She exhaled a long, beautiful stream of smoke which each girl watched with awe.




The Multiverse



"Now, ladies. Watch me carefully. The first time you inhale be very careful. One does not inhale directly. Doing so will cause even an experienced smoker to cough violently. Rather, one takes a small amount of smoke into one's mouth and holds it there. The first several times, count to three after you take the SMALL amount of smoke into your mouths, and then gently inhale it into your lungs. I will demonstrate. Later, we will teach you how to allow some of the smoke to escape after you take it into your mouth and then snap it back in by performing what is called a snap inhale."

Unlike her first drag, this time Amanda took the tiniest of puffs and held it in her mouth. She held up one hand and raised one, two, then three fingers before doing an exaggerated inhale. As she exhaled, she said, "Please do NOT exaggerate your inhale as I did. That was done for instructional purposes only. All right, ladies. Are you all ready?"

Each of the girls nervously looked at one another then nodded. Their SI flicked their lighters and all but Alexis leaned toward the flame as they had been shown. She removed hers as instructed then lit it herself with the large Zippo lighter she'd been given.

"Okay, ladies. Now take just a very tiny amount into your mouths ONLY and hold it there for three seconds."

Courtney was surprised at how bad the taste had been from just lighting the cigarette. She couldn't imagine how awful it would be to take smoke into her mouth. Undaunted however, she did just that. She noticed it was warm and that it wasn't as bitter as it was when the cigarette was first lit. Amanda was holding up her fingers for them. One, two, three, and... "Gently, ladies!" 

Courtney and the other girls inhaled the smoke and although she thought she would cough and choke, she did not. In fact, none of the girls did. As she exhaled her first tiny puff, she felt something rush up her spine toward the base of her neck. It was a very pleasant tingling sort of feeling. To her surprise she found that the taste wasn't nearly as unpleasant as it had been when it was first lit.

"Ladies? A second puff, please. No deeper than last time, though."

Courtney complied but decided to take just the tiniest bit more. She found it a bit harder to inhale as the extra smoke seemed to kind of stick in her throat. But it did go down and she was again rewarded with a very nice rush.

"How many of you felt the nicotine rush?"

All of the hands went up. "How many of you enjoyed it?" The girls nervously looked around before raising their hands. "All of you? Wonderful! I must warn you, that won't last long nor will you experience it too many times. But it is very pleasant, isn't it, girls?"

All of them said yes and several of them giggled slightly. There was no rebuke this time.

"Okay. Just two more small puffs and then we'll extinguish them. Smoking any more your first few times will make you feel nauseous. Your bodies must gradually become used to nicotine and that will take time. But each of you will smoke on a very strict schedule starting tomorrow when you will you smoke this much three different times during the day. We will gradually increase the number of puffs until you are able to smoke an entire cigarette. After that, we will increase the number of cigarettes you smoke by one per week until your final week when we will add in three more per day. When you graduate, you will be smoking ten cigarettes per day. After that, you may smoke as much as you desire. After all, you will be full-fledged adults. Now, by a show of hands, how many of you enjoyed smoking your first cigarette more than you thought you would?" Courtney was the first to raise her hand followed by the other four girls. 

"Wonderful! Did anyone really enjoy smoking tonight?" Only Courtney raised her hand. In sharp contrast with her prior beliefs about smoking she was so pleasantly surprised by the experience she found herself looking forward to smoking again the next day. "Very good, Courtney! I'm sure the other girls will also soon enjoy smoking as much as you, too. Okay. Listen, ladies. We have one more extremely important aspect of training to cover tonight. Please go with your SIs to your suites and we will continue with you individually. Very well done, girls. I'm so proud of each one of you!"

"Courtney? May I come in?" Amanda said as she stood just outside her bedroom.

"Yes, certainly. I would enjoy your company very much, Amanda!"

"I'm so glad you enjoyed your first smoking opportunity. It really is one of life's most enjoyable pleasures! But now we're going to turn to what most people consider life's most enjoyable pleasure. Do you have any idea what that might be, Courtney?" Amanda asked.

"My guess would be that it would involve love as love is such an important aspect of marriage."

"That's correct! This does pertain to love but it applies to a very specific part of love. A part that can only be shared between adults. Does that help you understand?"

Courtney looked perplexed for a moment then said, "Are you referring to things of a sexual nature by any chance?"

Amanda smiled and said, "Yes! That's exactly right, Courtney. We're going to begin your preparations for the sexual aspects of love. Just as every other part of your training is critically important from the clothes you wear to the way you smoke, being completely in touch with your 18-year old body is essential for you and your new husband to be perfectly happy. Therefore, it is essential that you pay very careful attention to everything I teach you for the rest of the time you're here. Just minutes after graduation, you will meet your future husband. He will have a Class One diamond ring to place on your left hand after you are pronounced husband and wife. It would unthinkable for a new wife not to know exactly what makes her new husband the happiest or what he can do for you to give you the same kind of wonderful pleasure. My job is to make sure you are fully prepared to both give and receive adult, romantic love. So let's get started, shall we?"

"So tell me, Courtney, do you ever—touch yourself?"

"Yes, if I have a blemish or something then of course, I touch it."

Amanda smiled and said, "No, sweetheart. I'm talking about touching yourself you know, down there." Amanda nodded toward her lap.

"On my private parts? OMG! Why would I ever do that?" 

Amanda took Courtney's hand and said, "Don't be embarrassed, dear. It's very normal and natural for girl's to touch themselves—down there. You've never, ever done that?"

"Well...I mean, once I was riding a horse for my 18th birthday party, and there was really cute boy riding next to me and when the horn of the saddle pressed against me—against...it...it felt really nice."

"Okay, that's very good. Did you push back against the saddle because it felt good?"

Courtney blushed, turned her face, and said, "Yes. Is that bad?"

"No! No, it isn't bad, Courtney. That's actually good!"

"It is? So I'm not in trouble?"

"No, sweetheart. In fact, this part of your training will require you to um...push back...on many objects."

"You mean like the saddle?" Courtney said with genuine interest.

"Well, yes and no. Maybe a little bit like the horn of the saddle. Do you know what a dildo is, sweetie?"

For the next hour, Amanda introduced Courtney to the concept of clitoral stimulation using vibration, human fingers, the tongue, and a man's penis. There were no demonstrations this first session. It was simply familiarization with the basics of human anatomy and commonly used instruments which can provide pleasure. Courtney was shown photographs of a man's penis flaccid, partially erect, and fully erect. They were of a man whose phallus was much smaller than her future husband's and at no time would see one as large as his let alone one that was any larger. The same was true regarding the dildos used as examples. Courtney would never be stretched quite as large as her future husband but she would be brought fairly close.

Before going to bed, there were two more tasks to complete for the day. The first was an anatomical review with flashcards. "Please name each object for me, okay, Courtney?"

Courtney aced the test. "Cock, penis, dick! Pussy, slit, cunt! Dildo! Vibrator! Balls, nuts, testicles! Anus, asshole, gloryhole!"

"Perfect, Courtney! Okay, one more thing tonight. We need to shave all that nasty hair from around your pussy so it will be smooth, sweet, and clean for your new husband!"

Courtney lay in bed thinking of all the new changes in her life. Her beautiful new clothes, jewelry, shoes, and handbags. Makeup! Perfume! Exotic foods. Alcohol! Smoking! Even going pee with her shaved pussy was different. It just shot all over the place. She was so excited thinking about tomorrow she felt her hand moving toward her...clit...and rubbing it for the first time. Mmmmm. It felt SO good! Courtney also found that it felt very nice to pinch her pussy lips around her clit and squeeze. Her body began to respond to her own touch until at some point it began to shudder and shake. Courtney somehow knew to keep her fingers on her clit while her body trembled. When it was over, she felt so warm and...happy. Courtney loved every aspect of her training and couldn't wait to start the next day!

"Good morning, Sunshine!" a cheerful Amanda said at 8 am. "Time to get up and have a cup of coffee with me! And do you know what goes wonderfully with coffee, Courtney?"

Courtney was still sleepy but she was even more excited. "Uh, uh. What goes well with coffee, Amanda?" she said as she slid out of bed.

"First, go pee, then put on your prettiest new silk robe and then we'll talk."

When Courtney returned, she was wearing a beautiful white, knife-pleated silk robe over her white silk nightie. Amanda handed her a cup of coffee. "Have you had coffee before, honey?" she asked.

"No, never. My mom and dad told me I was too young to drink it. Does it taste bad like wine?"

Amanda laughed but not in a mean way. "It's yet one more acquired taste, dear. Take a small sip and be careful, it's hot."

Courtney did so and in spite of her best efforts, she made a face. "Ewww. It's even worse than wine." She knew she would be allowed to complain only once so from then on, she focused on learning to acquire a taste for strong, black coffee.

"Are you looking forward to smoking again today, Courtney?"

"Yes! Very much. When do we do that again?"

"Right now, as a matter of fact," Amanda told her. "A cigarette is what goes oh-so-well with coffee. In fact, it goes quite nicely with alcohol, too! Go ahead and get a Virginia Slims from your pack, sweetie. This time, light your own but remember how I taught you. Make sure you look very ladylike and feminine at all times, okay?"

Courtney followed instructions perfectly. She took in a small amount of smoke, held it for a count of three, then anxiously inhaled it. "Mmmm. That feels so nice!" she said happily.

"This morning you may have four puffs, okay?" Amanda informed her. "And they can be just a little deeper if you like."

Courtney took a longer drag and held it in. This time, the extra smoke didn't seem to 'stick' but went down very smoothy. She felt the nicotine rush again and as she exhaled her first decent-sized plume of smoke said, "I felt the rush again! I really like that feeling!"

"May I ask a question about Alexis?"

"Well, you may ask but I'm not allowed to say much about other girls."

"I was just wondering why she does things that aren't feminine. Why does she look kind of masculine and smoke well...like a man?"

Amanda sighed and said, "You see, different men like different kinds of women, sweetheart. Alexis's purchaser wants a wife who is well, very um...rough and hard and..." She stopped talking and said, "That's probably more than I should say so please don't ask me again about other girls, okay?" Courtney nodded and left it at that.

After coffee and cigarettes, Courtney showered but didn't change into her clothes yet. Each morning, she would spend time learning to connect the feel of various toys on her clitoris and inside of her pussy with pleasure. Amanda would carefully guide her to no less than two orgasms each time using a combination of small dildos and a vibrator. She would also kiss Courtney and suck on her breasts so she would learn to respond to those pleasures, too.

"Be vocal during sexual activity, Courtney. Your future husband loves hearing sighs of pleasure, moans, groans, and lots of...adult words. Do you remember them?" Amanda asked as she used a small vibrator on Courtney's clitoris.

"Yes...I do," Courtney whimpered.

"Say some of them for me, please."

"Fuck! Oh my God! Fuck my goddamned pussy hard! Oh, Jesus! Oh, fuck. Fuck, yes! That feels so fucking good! Fuck me harder." 

"Very well done, Courtney! Another perfect score. Now just close your eyes and relax."

Courtney was moaning softly. "Good girl. Add in some words whenever you feel excited, okay?"

"Mkay," she moaned. "Oh...God! Jesus! Oh, yes. That feels so goddamned good! Oh...fffuck!" Courtney's body tensed and that wonderful, pleasant feeling followed again. She was breathing hard and very deeply. She lay there reveling in the afterglow of her orgasm.

"I love my training!" she said joyfully. 

Chapter 3

The girls sat with one another in the same room. Each of them greeted one another pleasantly except for Alexis who said, "How you fuckin' doin' bitches?" Her SI praised her for her performance. Courtney was stunned but somehow realized it was necessary for Alexis to say that.

As coffee was poured the girls were allowed to have another cigarette and five puffs. They all lit them in a graceful manner except for Alexis who dangled hers in her lips, flicked open her new Zippo lighter, clicked it shut and took a small drag without touching it. "That's fucking awesome ain't it, bitches?" she said. She was wearing all leather again today along with a leather hat as well as several large chains of some sort. Courtney noted her hair had been dyed red and green. She wasn't sure what to think but knew better than to ask.

For the next seven and a half weeks, Courtney, along with the other girls, were put through their paces. Sexual familiarization took place three times per day even as she learned to smoke more heavily each day. There were also many classes on social etiquette along with vocabulary building. Courtney was head and shoulders above the other girls who had also had just eight years of formal education, but she had a lot of ground to cover to take her place as an adult in society in less than two months. Every hour of every day was jam packed and dedicated to teaching her those things she would most need to a beautiful, wonderful wife to her new husband.

As graduation day approached, Courtney had a moment to reflect on her progress. Amanda regularly heaped praise on her as she continued to guide Courtney through the intense process. Courtney had acquired not only a taste but a true love for all of the things with which she had initially struggled. She adored caviar and escargot, she was familiar with and loved all of the best red and white wines, as well as the best champagnes, brandy, cognac, and other liqueurs. But there was nothing she enjoyed more than smoking! She now looked forward to her next cigarette as soon as she lit the one she was enjoying. Amanda had been so right. Nothing went better with coffee or alcohol like smoking and Courtney loved smoking more than she could have ever imagined. 

Well, there might be one thing she enjoyed as much as smoking. She was still a virgin but she had had many hundreds of orgasms during this period of specialized instruction. She often dreamed of having her new husband's cock in her mouth and in her pussy. Courtney hadn't been trained for anal but even the thought of his warm, hard cock in her ass could almost make her cum!

Unbelievably, graduation day was here and Courtney's team of assistants were on stand by to do her hair, nails, and makeup. 

"So what have you decided to wear for your wedding day, Courtney?" Amanda asked as they smoked their morning cigarettes together. 

"I have this beautiful very dark red, long-sleeved rib-knit sweater with a deep scoop-neck. I'm going to wear that with a short black skirt and 4" heels."

"That sounds perfect! How short is the skirt and what jewelry will you wear with it?"

"It won't be extremely short. I think 4" above the knee will be appropriate for our wedding and I plan to wear gold and onyx jewelry. What do you think, Amanda? You know how much I value your opinion."

"First of all, I think we should break the rules and have another cigarette."

"I like the way you think!" Courtney said. So many times she wanted another one immediately after finishing a cigarette but she could only smoke per the schedule. She also knew she couldn't smoke for two hours before the wedding ceremony so she was happy to smoke as much as she could beforehand.

"I love your idea regarding the gold and black jewelry, by the way. It will go beautifully with your green eyes and dark hair. Your husband is such a lucky man!"

They hugged goodbye so that Courtney could cry without spoiling her makeup which had to be perfect when she met her new husband.

An hour and a half later, he hair was styled, her makeup was done, and she looked positively stunning in her soft sweater which so nicely framed her full-C cup boobs and tight waist. She was permitted to have one last cigarette before her lipstick was applied and that would be it until after the graduation ceremony and her wedding. Courtney's sexuality was so finely heightened that she almost came thinking about having a real cock in her pussy for the first time ever. Would he fuck her in the limousine immediately after leaving? Would she have to wait until later that evening? She'd had three orgasms that morning but there would no more at the academy. She was horny and wanted another cigarette in the worst way.

As the graduation ceremony ended, Courtney's family gathered around her to hug her and congratulate her. "We are SO, so proud of you, sweetheart!" her parents said. "Everyone in America Prime knows who you are and they adore you so much! We can't wait to meet your new husband. Are you ready?"

"Yes, mother. Yes, father. I am most definitely ready to meet my new husband. As you know, we are presented in terms of bidding price so I will be given first. Daddy? Will you be presenting me?"

"Of course I will, honey! I wouldn't miss it for the world. In fact, I just heard the headmaster announce that the wedding ceremonies are about to begin. Shall we?"

Her father gave her his arm and escorted her to the head of the line. The process was televised and known to everyone. This was the first time the nation had seen the 250 selectees since the Purchase when they were just little 18-year old girls with no makeup or sense of sophistication. Now, each of them had been fully trained and prepared to the specifications of their Purchasers and the people would see their darlings dressed accordingly.

The girls would be re-introduced on camera, then step through what was called "The Veil" and be introduced to their new husbands. There were no vows and no words. The groom simply produced the Class One diamond, placed it on her finger, then kissed his new wife. They would exit via the red carpeted walkway and begin their new lives together.

"Our first bride is Miss Courtney Cunningham of Columbus, Ohio, who was purchased for the unheard-of sum of FIVE BILLION DOLLARS! Courtney is also one of our honor graduates this year having completed all phases of her training with the highest possible marks from her special instructor. Courtney? You and your family may pass through The Veil."

Courtney's heart was beating wildly as her father stepped through first then turned and offered his hand to his little girl who was now 18 and a 1/2 years old. 




The Multiverse



The announcer on that side said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Courtney Cunningham. Courtney, this is your future husband, Mr. Adam Miller. Please extend your left hand to him."

Adam smiled at Courtney who felt weak in the knees. It WAS him! He was so young and so handsome and he was HER husband. She blinked back tears as she held out her hand with her wrist bent just as she'd practiced so many times.

Adam slid the huge diamond onto her ring finger then stood before her. Speaking was technically prohibited but even so Adam Miller said, "Courtney? I would have given everything I have to purchase you. You are now my wife and I love you and will love with all my heart." He leaned down and kissed her passionately and Courtney felt her pussy get very wet and as his tongue met hers, she came hard but managed to maintain her composure outwardly. She said goodbye to her old family and as they waved at her she walked down the red carpet and outside for the first time as a married woman and as an adult.

"You look absolutely amazing, Courtney. How did you know this was my favorite look of all those you could have chosen?"

"I didn't know with certainty, my husband. I just paid very careful attention to every clue I received about you and hoped this would please you. Does it?"

"Yes, very much. So would you like to celebrate?"

"I would love to! Yes!"

Adam had the limousine stop in front of the classiest restaurant in the city knowing the paparazzi would give them twelve hours of freedom as was their custom on wedding day. Miller told Courtney to go inside and order them some champagne and he would be right behind her.

As she walked inside, people stopped, stared, then burst into applause. "Courtney! You look gorgeous! Courtney! Congratulations! Mrs. Miller! We love you!"

Courtney had rehearsed handling this so many times she knew exactly what to do and how to respond. She took a seat and a moment later a man of about 27 came out and said, "May I take your order?"

Courtney sat upright with her hands in her lap, smiled and said, "Yes. I'd like two glasses of your best champagne, please."

The man looked agitated. He said, "First of all, I am an adult and you can't be over 18. Therefore, the proper response is 'yes, sir.' Secondly, you are way too young to drink alcohol."

Just then, Adam Miller entered the restaurant but was out of earshot of the conversation.

Courtney unfolded her hands and placed her left on the table. The young man, who had been changing during the wedding ceremony and not watched it, was horrified beyond belief when he saw the Class One diamond on her ring finger. "Oh, my God. I am SO, so sorry. You're Courtney Cunningham, aren't you?"

Just then Miller arrived and said, "No, she's Courtney Miller, my beautiful new wife. Is there a problem here?"

The restaurant manager stepped in and fired the young man on the spot but Miller said, "No. Don't do that. It was an honest mistake. Just take my wife's order and we'll call it even."

"Yes, Mr. Miller. Mrs. Miller, I cannot tell you how sorry I am. Please forgive me."

As he slunk off, Miller took Courtney's hand and looked at the diamond. "Do you like it, my love?"

"I adore it and I adore you, my husband."

"Please tell me about your training. What did you most like or dislike? I want to know all about it and all about you."

Courtney removed her fresh pack of Virginia Slims menthol lights and said, "This was the best part of my training. May I?" she asked as she removed one.

"You never have to ask that, sweetheart. I want you to smoke as often as you like. Nothing is sexier. Nothing is more arousing. I've waited to watch you smoke since the moment I first saw you after the ASAS. Do you enjoy smoking?"

She allowed her husband to light her cigarette then hungrily double-pumped drawing in as much smoke as she could. "Oh, my God that is so good! I wasn't allowed to smoke for the last two hours and I was dying for a cigarette." She doubled-pumped again and said, "To answer your question, I absolutely love smoking. It is the most enjoyable part of my life." She paused then said with a wicked smile, "Well, so far, at least." Another deep inhale with a long, thick, exhale of blue smoke.

"I'm so glad. I hoped you would love smoking as much as I love watching beautiful women who smoke. What else did you like, honey?"

Courtney had been taught not to be embarrassed or shy about sex with her new husband. She was to tell him how she felt and what she wanted as well as to do anything and everything he asked her to do. "I also loved the sexual preparation training. From the first day I reveled in the way my body felt when it orgasmed. I loved the way my SI used dildos and vibrators but I want nothing more than to have your cock inside my pussy as soon as possible. I've dreamed of that for two months straight."

"We'll go home as soon as we have our champagne and I will teach you what it's like to have a nice, thick cock in your pussy instead of a lifeless dildo."

Courtney had two more cigarettes as they finished their champagne before Adam escorted her back to the waiting limousine.

It was an hour's ride to their home and Miller couldn't wait. He pulled Courtney close and kissed her. "Mmm. You taste so wonderfully good when you smoke. So rich and smoky." He ran his hands down her sweater and cupped her breast and squeezed it gently at first and then more roughly.

"Oh, my fucking God!" Courtney gasped. "Yes. That feels so good!"

Miller probed around her pussy through her skirt then said, "Lift up so we can get that off you."

Courtney raised up and let Miller remove her skirt. Miller pushed her on her back and said, "No panties and a shaved pussy. You are such a good wife!" Courtney purred as Miller began licking her pussy and her clit. "You taste so good, honey," he said in between slurps.

"Fuck! Oh, my fucking God! Yes! Eat my pussy. Oh, fuck. That feels SO good!"

Miller's fingers probed deeply into his new wife's cunt and his tongue swirled around her clit. "Feel good, honey?" he asked.

"God fucking damn that feels SO fucking...GOOD! Jesus! Don't stop!"

Miller brought her to orgasm them sat her up and told her to take off his pants. As she did, she gasped as she saw his huge cock for the first time. "Oh, my God! It's so beautiful! Oh, Adam honey! I love it!"

She didn't need to be told what to do. Her head went straight down into her husband's lap. She grabbed his cock with her right hand then took the tip into her warm mouth. She licked and sucked until he was going crazy then slid down the shaft as far as she could. She bobbed up and down repeatedly then held him as deeply as she could. When she gagged, she left long, thick streams of saliva between her mouth and her husband's dick. "It's so delicious! I love sucking your cock, honey!"

Miller pulled her onto his lap and said, "Are you ready to get fucked for the first time?"

Courtney was breathing hard and deep, "God, yes. I want your cock so bad I can't stand it. Please, please fuck my pussy!"

Miller lifted her up and let her slide down onto his waiting shaft. Courtney was so wet it was indescribable. "Oh, my fucking GOD that feels amazing!" she screamed. "Oh, yes! Oh, God! Please fuck me! Fuck me hard! Please!"

Miller obliged her. He hammered her as hard as he could. Courtney pulled herself close and rode him for all she was worth. "This was so fucking worth waiting for! Oh, fuck! Oh, God I love sex! Please fuck me harder!" She tensed then came with a furry. Miller kept pounding her until he could take no more.

"I'm gonna cum! Are you ready to take my cum, bitch?"

"Yes! Oh, God yes! I'm such a fucking slut! Cum inside me. Please fuck me and cum in my pussy." As he did, Courtney screamed at the top of her lungs. "Oh, my fucking GOD!! That is so fucking amazing! Yes! Yes! Yes!! Cum in my pussy!!"

As Miller's orgasm ended, they held one another close. He pulled back and looked into his new wife's eyes and said, "You have no idea how beautiful you are. You are so beautiful and so perfect. And you make me so happy."

Courtney kissed him and said, "And I love you so much. You are so handsome and you make me so happy. I dreamed of this day for so long and it's even better than a dream come true. I am the luckiest girl on Earth Prime. I love you, Adam Miller."

"And I love you, Courtney Miller."

Courtney had an after sex cigarette before letting Miller know she wanted his cock again. Adam was all too happy to oblige her. As he pounded her pretty shaved pussy, the Chant of Methuselah ran through his mind. He said a silent prayer of thanks to the Keepers for the new life they'd given him. One that was truly happy and...fulfilled with a woman who was everything he'd ever dreamed of having.