Not PG rated
There were the usual procedures of inspection. It had to be done, there was always a Monitor, and if a client was dissatisfied, no complaints could be made if there had been no inspection. Contrary to the usual practices of giving orders, Ji’an had her own method. 
Just letting them undress and going through the prescribed motions was not very exciting, so she acquired her own way. First she walked up to the resident and looked at his face. It was good-looking, all residents were nice to look at, though this one had something really nice about him that some sometimes had. Ji’an looked a little longer, enjoying the well-made face. He didn’t look at her, but straight ahead to the view of the City, his eyes violet in the red sunlight. He was obviously waiting for the usual inspection and she really shouldn’t stall.
Ji’an laid a hand on his right shoulder, it was firm and warm. She sensed a moment of surprise and smiled. Her method always surprised the residents. Then she began, tracing firm biceps, a broad chest, solid abs, feeling his smooth skin as she slid her hands over his body. It was firm and good, his muscles well trained. It was a delight to feel. She liked taking her time with this, exploring every ridge and curve, relishing the simple joy of touching a strong, healthy body. Maybe it was silly of her, but she liked to think the resident enjoyed it as well. She didn’t look to check however, it was enough that he remained still. An inspection wasn’t supposed to take too long anyway.
She walked around him and ascertained all was well. The dark hair was still unusual to her eyes, especially with that skin tone. It had always struck her as strange that most of Mistress Koun’s residents had a kind of cream-like skin. It was said she got them from the Mainland Territories, that unmapped dangerous place, but that was probably just a rumour. And how should anyone get them from there, the Territories were a savage place, nothing sane could live there. This resident was strong and young and didn’t look like the monsters they said were bred in those savage places. Quite the contrary, he was perfectly built, and since Mistress Koun was always very particular, there was a guarantee that he had been tested. It was a prerogative that Ji’an came to the inspections regularly as well, and she was careful never to miss them, one could be downgraded if one became careless. Next to that Ji’an thought it simply irresponsible to be negligent in such matters.
Ji’an continued, picking up the scent of freshly washed skin, maybe he just came out of the baths. Did they bathe together or did they have separate stalls? Just once she would like to see it… but this was not a time for that. She really should hurry up, she didn’t have all that much time.
*
After the successful inspection Ji’an went behind the screens. As always there was an armchair and a table with the necessary provisions: cleaning pads, a fresh towel, a robe, a sealed supply of make-up, a mirror and a phial of perfume. Ji’an undressed quickly, folding her clothes neatly over the armrest. Then she used the hygienic pads to clean herself, using one pad each for her armpits, and two between her legs. They smelled faintly of Jasmine, just like Ji’an liked them. She cleaned herself thoroughly. She always felt that, if one expected cleanliness from the residents, one should be clean as well. Once done, she threw the pads into the slim, white waste basket and checked herself one last time, then took the robe off the hanger and put it on.
She considered using the phial of perfume on the table but decided against it. She didn’t want everyone to know she’d been in a House when she left again, House perfume always stuck to one’s skin for hours on end. Sashing the silk robe, Ji’an walked around the screen. The resident was already on one of the recliners, the right one, stretched out on his back looking to the ceiling. With the sunlight fading into reds he looked like one of the sculptures in the PRA[1], smooth stone turned into perfect proportions. He had his hands folded on his middle, he had lost some of his firmness. Ji’an was a little piqued. She was considered attractive, if not beautiful, she wouldn’t have been able to enter her Loge[2] otherwise. She hadn’t taken that long. Then again, it wasn’t up to her to make him ready.
He didn’t look at her until she was right next to him. For a moment she thought she saw surprise, but you never knew with residents. With so many clients as Mistress Koun had, only few things probably surprised them and with a face and body like his, this one probably got requests very often. Ji’an removed her robe. She caught him tracing her body with his eyes, her breasts, her waist, her sex, her legs. It was quick and made Ji’an smile. It wasn’t something residents usually did, at least not so openly. Maybe he was surprised. She was young, and few of her age had the means to acquire permanent membership at a House like Mistress Koun’s, but in these matters, Ji’an had always been particular. Certain necessities were a given in such a House, and Ji’an was very willing to cut down in other parts of her life to keep this high standard.
* * *
Ji’an paused a moment while she retouched her make-up behind the dressing screen. That was… unexpected. Her body was warm, parts of her still echoed with sensation, and she felt pleasantly tired. She smiled a little, and finished preparing herself. Once done she walked out. One quick look into the glass walls was enough, she looked as she should.
Ji’an crossed the Garden Path, passed through the sliding doors and stepped out into the lobby where Sila was waiting. The payment was quick, though she couldn’t help a furtive look to the Monitor’s door. She half expected the silver door to slide open, but it remained closed. What happened on the recliner must have looked adequate on the Monitor’s screen, which in turn made Ji’an wonder how often the residents broke House Rules without the Monitor noticing. No resident was to put a client in a position where she no longer was in control of what was happening, which meant they had to be in control of themselves. It was a well-known House Rule, and the fines were high if it was broken. And yet, Ji’an didn’t file a complaint. She felt too well served for that. After so many days in the VBA without any kind of gratification, it had felt great to let go like that again.
The fee was high since her booking was for the following day, which was a very short notice. Ji’an felt she could only do it because she was a long-time client of the House. She would never have booked but for the dinner she had to attend the following evening. One of her colleagues had to go to the Upper Falls on an emergency and now Ji’an had to go in his place. It was a formal dinner, so one was to bring one’s resident, which in Ji’an’s case meant she had to request Mistress Koun’s services, since she had no permanent residency yet.
One day she would, maybe not too far away now. For a moment, Ji’an wondered how high the fee would be for the resident she had just been with. She could then have that kind of satisfaction at least once a week. Granted she would have to consider the expenses, the clothes, the allowance etc. She would eventually have to move. It would be expensive, but after what just happened on the recliner, Ji’an was starting to think it was worth it. She would make a formal request after the dinner, that way she’d have enough time to think about it without having someone else snatch him away.
As far as Ji’an knew, most of Mistress Koun’s clients had enough means to pay an a.v.[3] on a moment’s notice. She wondered if he satisfied all the clients like that. Probably, he had the build and the stamina. She would like to see him in a libria, but that always cost so much. Maybe his a.v. had already been paid and he was just waiting to change residency, you never knew really. She didn’t even know if she could afford permanent residency yet. Where would she move to? Prices were exorbitant these days. Ji’an decided to wait until after the dinner, she’d know what he could do better after that, and so waited patiently for Sila to finish the last touches to the booking.
*
Once Ji’an paid the fare and signed an agreement of full legal responsibility for the time the resident was with her, Ji’an left the House via the Commuters. Sitting in the comfortable armchairs she felt that particular softness under her skin that she always had after a session in the House. She slid the token Sila had given her into her Receiver, and watched the screening the Monitor had made, plugging her earphones in so she could hear it at high volume. It really did look all right on the screen. She replayed a few parts… there, that. He was good. She would talk to her Referent and see if she could afford a permanent residency.
Ji’an reached her home in the SSQ[4] not long after, humming quietly to herself as she stepped out of the Commuter, joining the crowd of men and women leaving the blue-lit station, wondering how many were just returning from a House. There were many in Cartin Place, some inexplicably luxurious, others simple Baths, where one took a quick bath, got a massage and picked one of the residents from the crowd. She had gone to Baths when she was still in training and couldn’t afford being a House client.
With her Loge on the higher scale it was easy to get into the better Baths, where she had been part of some long nights, where a simple bath and massage turned into something very satisfying. That was back when they still went out in groups, usually four to five trainees, both men and women. There was one particular night she remembered, a night she went out with Enna. It was a simple Baths, but the residents had been ‘delicious’ as Enna said. Ji’an still had the screening. Enna’s preferences were fixed after that night, she kept on saying that one day she would apply for joint-residence, never mind the expenses.
That was one of the last parties Ji’an went to with Enna though, they didn’t see each other as much as they used to now that they were no longer trainees. Work kept them busy, but every now and then they met for drinks in the Main City and inevitably ended up in a House, where Ji’an could see Enna’s latest preferences. Sometimes they’d meet one of the men they used to go to parties with when they were in the Main City. As far as Ji’an knew, Enna had been eyeing one of them, Telen, for a consort the last time they met for drinks, but Ji’an didn’t know if anything had come of it. It was all a little while ago, and with the travelling she did she hardly had any time to keep herself updated on other people’s lives.
* * *
[1] PRA: Pre-Reconstruction Artifacts: exhibitions of artifacts created before the Reconstruction, set up in every JDC of the City.
[2] Depending on a Citizen’s physical condition and monetary abilities, once of age, each Citizen enters a Loge and thus is allowed to become a member of the Houses ascribed to the respective Loge. Beauty tends to reign over money, but since surgical redefinitions* are not uncommon, unattractiveness among adult Citizens is practically unheard of in the Federation. Natural beauty, however, is rated higher than ‘enhanced beauty’, and since redefinitions are always cited on a Citizen’s detail, the Loges choose accordingly: the more natural the beauty, the higher the Loge.
*Redefinitions are only open to adult Citizens. It is part of Federation Regulation that only women who have ended their years of fertility are allowed mammoplastic redefinitions, also known as mammoplastes. This is largely due to Federation Regulation 8-20 where fertile women are expected to breast-feed for three months after pregnancy as a service to the Federation. Federation testings found that the healthiest nutrition for newborns is mother’s milk. Mammoplastic redefintions are considered harmful to the adequate development of the necessary milk. Since pregnancies are strictly monitored under FR 8-20, and unauthorized pregnancies are severely fined, the prohibition of mammoplastes for fertile women is practically the law.
[3] a.v., short for Alias Via: the price set for residents to be released from a House to a paying client.
[4] Stellar Stair Quarter: main residence of VEN Centre employees
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