"And you're modest as well," Vera teased when Linnis claimed to be a symbol of sexual liberation. With initial blows to each other healing, things were finally starting to calm down. To an outsider, things would have looked calm already but for Vera she had to deal with emotional conflicts happening around her. "I suppose that can work but I still find it a bit off. But we are talking about a monster filled island.." She continued to the current subject. "Some buyers do have picky tastes so making a small population of the best would hopefully satisfy the monsters for the time being. Though I am not so sure about making them love the tentacle and other wonderful ways they have to pleasure us. Majority of our crop never encounters a monster. It is a bit difficult to prepare them for that. But, if it feels good I suppose succumbing is inevitable."

She was rather pleased with the response and feedback she was getting. The other Head Girl was proving to be a rather intelligent woman not that she did not entirely expect she wasn't. Emotions always had a way to interfering with even the most skilled individuals. "Would you like some more tea?" she asked, "I may still have some left on the kettle. We did get off on the wrong foot I suppose but your absence and other Head Girls attempting a... softer hand has left me with what is left. Unfortunately not many potential Prefects are available to ease the burden. But, I do hope I eased your burden if only a little, Ms Van Ryan."

"Please," I handed my cup over to Vera. It afforded me some time to think. There was still a part of me that wanted to show her just why I had the position I held, but that part was fading quickly. At least, the idea of essentially raping a fellow head girl was starting to settle in as possibly not my most elegant of moments.

I turned my thoughts instead to the island. A lot of students didn't encounter the monsters... then again, a far number of encounters ended with memory 'adjustments', so the real number of those affected was a little harder to come by. Perhaps this was a way to 'try before you buy', find the ones that would sell for the most? Still, that seemed not to have all the answers either. No matter where I looked I found parts of the whole. Something was still elusive.

It also occurred to me that we all seemed to have our knowledge in slightly different areas. Probably something to do with the various risks associated with each of us. Maybe the whole story was still attainable, but with wider perspectives. I knew Madison... I knew what became of her. I didn't know how it happened, but I knew it had. Perhaps, I thought, enough of her was left to answer my questions. Still, it seemed too big of a risk to take. Certainly for myself, I had someone else's future riding on my successes and failures.

She smiled and accepted the cup before picking up her own. "I will just be a moment," she replied, taking both cups into the kitchen. It was not long before Vera returned with two fresh cups of tea. Once more, she offered one to Linnis first before taking her own to her own chair. With her guest accepting another cup, she could assume that the woman was changing her opinion of her little by little. She did not want to make enemies with this woman. Though she finds the idea of doing all this for one woman a bit silly, it was no different than any other one belief one chooses to follow. Furthermore, making enemies with another Head Girl would only mean more work to her already busy days.

Vera sat down, crossing her legs as she took a more comfortable position. Though Linnis obviously came here with a goal in mind, the Head Girl considered the business dealt with and anything further was for their own benefit. For now, the silver haired woman said nothing. She did not mind silence and she wished to see what this woman wished to speak about next whether it be about her problems or anything else.

I sipped the delightful tea and closed my eyes, letting the chai relax me. It was good for the soul. "I suppose it's right to go home to Sondra then," I said, not really to her or for any reason in particular, simply just addressing a question I had for myself. I didn't think what I had done was forgivable, per se, but it was forgettable. Dismissable. Something that could be the secret we shared. I sipped again.

I changed my train of thought rather abruptly, mostly because Vera's opinion of Sondra could probably do little but upset me, "I still don't quite know what to make of you, to be honest. You make good tea, at the least," I said with a bit of a grin. It held with it a little something hard to place, for me as well as, I suspect, for her. It was something between studying her and carrying a little residual anger toward her. There was still the desire to show her the side of me the administration loved me for. But perhaps that was too harsh, for me as well as for her. I didn't much like the thought of angry sex, it was so antithetical to the purpose most sex had for me.

"Well at least making good tea has stopped you from strangling me. Would not want your return to be filled with violence," she replied with a smirk, "I fail to see the confusion. I am a Head Girl, nothing more. My reasons for being one or how I became one may be different but that does not change anything. As Head Girls, we are already slaves to a master. We may be toys for the Headmasters to play with but it must be better than the alternative, it has to be."

"If knowing what you will do and holding such secrets bothers you so much," she continued, "Why not just resign when the time comes? You will still have the device inside you but your memories of the truth will be altered and removed. This place will just be a distant memory and it will just be you and Sondra. She cannot know what you will no longer remember. Perhaps you consider it unethical but then again you will not remember the events to even consider questioning the matter." Vera would never do such a thing to herself. She prefers knowing and she had no intention of giving up her higher position in hopes of not being shipped off to be an alien sex slave.

"Not a terrible idea," I nodded. It was a really awful sort of lie, but one I wouldn't know I'd done. Like I said, this place fucks with the notions of good and evil. A small sigh passed my lips and I sipped tea again. Anything to give Sondra the life she deserves.

Of course, what, then, was the point of sending me home, "I'd probably need to work out some contract. Three years as a recruitment official and poster-girl for the school, then 'retirement'. I can always be a smiling face on their web site, and will have the added benefit of believing everything I say about the school."

I doubted that she'd share my perspective about that being at all useful, but what did I care? The minute I was back on home soil, I was free. I was charitable to give them three years.

"I am sure they will accept that. Getting good publicity will help draw more students into enrolling here," Vera replied. She was not entirely a cold hearted monster. There was benefits and skills that certain people can provide. Linnis was rather attractive and seemed to have a knack of getting close to others. Becoming an icon for Shokushu will only bring good things to the business. But she herself did not care either way. Her role as Head Girl did not go to such a level until the Headmasters decide it is time for her to continue her business on Earth.

She left the woman in silence for a bit longer, allowing the Head Girl to enjoy the tea before speaking once more. "How are you feeling now?" she asked though she already had an answer from what she was sensing from Linnis. Despite the rough edges, they did manage to make some of the pieces fit together at least.

"Better," if a little hopeless. Though accepting the hopelessness probably contributed to being better. So I supposed it was a wash. Still, I sipped near the last of the delightful tea, "Half a mind to molest you to illustrate just why they made me a Head Girl to being with still, but that'll pass. No reason our working relationship need be strained."

Besides, it seemed she'd come to understand the reasons I was who I was. I connected with people well. I prepared them emotionally for what was to come. That was the service I provided. And while not everyone encountered the monsters, a hell of a lot encountered myself. I was very different from Vera, but I thought we both had come to understand the role the other was to play, even if we didn't approve.

I sipped. I wondered how she'd react to knowing I wasn't going to strangle her, but something altogether different. I added after enough time, "Don't worry, I'm not like our clients. Sex is a sacred thing to me. It would be a crime to waste it on anger. But just know that that skill set is one that the people we work for cherish. I may not have your unwaivering devotion to them, but that's not what they need from me."

Vera giggled softly, finding the threat rather cute especially being on this island. "You forget who we work for," she replied with a faint smile, "Those Headmasters... they are barely human and you know as well as I what sort of numbers they put us through to satisfy their needs." The thought made her insides shiver. She like the other Head Girls were slaves to the Headmasters so naturally her body would react to the thoughts of being with one of them.

"And where did this unwaivering devotion idea come from?" she continued, "I simply said do your job. I only suggested you do your job better to show that you have some ounce of loyalty. I merely do what is required of my position, that is not devotion. That is doing your job. Do not make such drastic assumptions of me from just two cups of tea now. I have already apologized for my brash judgements so lets not go into too many circles. Perhaps someday I will find out what a priviledge being in your bed is. Or maybe you will find out that my business is not just files and paperwork." She found it amusing that this woman is so confident that such a thing was sacred. Not the belief itself but the belief that having sex with her was of some rarity or importance. She took no insult of course. This was now two Head Girls taking playful jabs at each other.

"You mentioned returning from your special.. assignment. Did you return recently? I can provide you with some data on various students in your area if you like. Or do you wish to hunt on your own?"

"I already landed the Kiras sisters in my harem," I responded with a devious smile. At least she appreciated my talents in that regard. And maybe I was holding too much a grudge for getting off on the wrong foot. With a sigh, I let the lingering aggression go and focused on the task at hand, finding new marks.

Sadly, the Kiras twins were the only conquest I'd made, "Since I only got back a day ago, that's not terrible progress, but some updates, and some information on them that might not be in their admissions file, that'd be useful. Any prime candidates?" God it felt good to be myself again. And I owed a little of that to Vera, I supposed. Maybe by the time I was done here, I'd even let her call me Lin, a right I previously chose not to extend.

"Hmm... If you are lacking student personal information, I can send that to you. I am sure you already have access though," Vera replied, "I generally only keep files of those who collect demerits. Recently things have grown rather quiet since a rebellious group of students disbanded. My guess is the unknown leader had graduated. There was a small attempt to reform but those involved are already being picked at one by one. I can send you some names if you like, they were members of the cheer squad so perhaps you may get some joy out of making them squeal. Otherwise, I am merely keeping up with a backlog of demerits and corrections needing to be made." She finished her tea and places it down on the table. Anymore and she would be ruining her appetite for dinner.

"Oh, yes. Cheerleaders are so much fun," I sipped my drink, finishing off my tea as my thoughts became dark and decadent, "Do send those names along." She had a backlog of demetirs, eh? That information, too, was useful. I leaned back a little considering what to do with it, "I imagine not every punishment is basement-worthy. The ones that are more a pain than an actual problem I would be ever-so-glad to take off your hands. I do have a lovely wife to bring home presents for, what better way to abuse my authority?" And, after all, abusing authority was kind of like doing your job exceptionally well here.

Linnis seemed to be getting back to work finally, a good sign she thought. She did not expect her to go into the basement and begin punishing students immediately. But what the woman offered was reasonable and could be useful. Most minor infractions are dealt by the Prefects and sometimes a Head Girl, usually a verbal reprimand and an issuing of demerits. Though she knew her Prefects were no doubt making their own networks, blackmailing and toying with students who may have a bit too many demerits, she herself continue the visage that she follows the rules to the letter. Linnis was obviously a type to do things her own way and dealing with problems before they can grow would take some weight off her workload.

"Aww, do not judge the basement so harshly," she gave a sly smirk, "It is not all whips and chains. But I see what you are intending. Very well, it will take no effort at all to add another person to my messages and updates. I also grow a bit tired of Prefects having all the fun so perhaps you will show them how it is done. Beyond that, I do not want to hear the details. I prefer to correct my students while punishing them. Seems you are going to do this for your own personal gain." Not that Vera minds at all. Naturally with different morals and reasons, their methods of maintaining order will also be different. But perhaps their differences were a benefit in itself.

"How often have you been there?" I asked her semi-seriously. Though, as I pointed out, "I did meet Sondra there, so I guess I can't say its all bad." I laughed a little and stood up. I offered her the cup back. Business seemed to be concluded, as it were. And while she and I didn't see eye-to-eye, we did have a working relationship. Professional, and a hint of personal. We could get along.

"Mm... I've had my share of punishments before becoming a Head Girl if that is what you are asking," she replied, "Only natural to try and spread the word that monsters are on the island no matter how crazy one looks. As of now, those who need correction I take down there. Sometimes I punish in other places or even in this very room. It all depends on the violations, the person, and my own mood. I also occasionally am called down there to speak further of past agreements with certain monsters. Miss Steel for example has her own room down there and is more than happy to take some of work load."

Vera stood as well, accepting the cup while grabbing her own. She would take them into the kitchen to be cleaned later before returning to Linnis. "I hope our discussion has made your path clearer, Ms Van Ryan," she said, giving a polite bow, causing strands of silver to pour over her shoulders, "Just remember what you are doing this for and what you claim you are willing to do to accomplish your goal. I will send what information I have of violations within your area and perhaps a few my own if you are so eager to have your fun." Vera offered her hand to the woman. Though she could feel that the other woman was more or less content, she had no clear idea of their own relationship. A handshake was harmless enough.