Carl looked around the room with a grimace on his face once more as he took in the sudden agitation of the masses in response to the latest events. Ugh, they ruined it. If she wasn't coming out of a sex club with certain expectations, I'd bid just to hear her sing more. That's gotta be some kind of processing effect, but she also had a great voice, too. I wonder if there's concerts or anything here that I could go to. Well, not here since we're leaving soon, but in general. I bet they can do some pretty crazy stuff if a lot of work was put into bard classes and skills.

The elf character on stage was clearly trying to help the sale along, rotating from side to side, leaning over slightly towards the edges of the catwalk, and striking various seductive poses. Then she turned and blew a kiss up towards Carl.

Carl's expression soured. Maybe I overdid it with the implication that I was related to the royal family, but Mina seemed sure it'd be a good idea.

Mina's shoulders shook, and her skeletal arms were wrapped around her chest as she looked at him while laughing to herself.

Carl rolled his eyes while his expression softened. I must've had a funny look on my face. At least she's got a sense of humor about this whole thing. Helps keep me from getting too weirded out. Though I think I'm mostly over that now.

He looked out at the stage again. This elf is kinda attractive, I guess, but it's one of those only-in-porn things. Actually, now that I think about it, Annie always liked videos with girls close-ish to this elf's figure. He sighed. I wonder what she was planning for tonight.

"Eight!" called the brown-haired man in the balcony across and slightly to the right of Carl. The green-haired elf and green-skinned non-human were now both kneeling in front of him as he leaned against the railing.

Jeez, guy, give it a rest. He must be some kinda kingpin or something. Actually… Carl scanned the balconies on the opposite side of the auditorium as the auctioneer awarded the smiling elf woman on stage to the brown-haired man. Only the people in the balconies are taking the whole private room thing to the next level. So they must be the rich ones. Which maybe means… "Is that Tomas's father?" he called quietly, pointing across the room.

Mina visibly shuddered, then nodded without turning around. She wrapped her arms around herself after as though she was suddenly cold.

Carl poked her in the leg again, and she spun around to face him. "Don't worry so much," he said, patting the seat next to him. "Sit down, relax a bit. Nobody here's gonna bother you anymore." I don't care if it's breaking character or against policy, I'm gonna pull out my keyboard and warp some people on top of an ultraboss if I see anyone even looking at her the wrong way.

He frowned at the thought and looked out over the clamoring crowd as his skeletal companion hesitatingly moved a step closer and sat down in the incredibly-comfortable reclining chair next to him. Gotta rein this in a bit. Getting weird. He felt a light touch on the back of his hand and looked over.

Mina was nodding enthusiastically, sinking deeply into the now-reclined chair with her hands up behind her head.

Carl chuckled. Nice to see this side of her after how serious and awful things got earlier. Still feels like she's bouncing back a bit quicker than I'd expect, but I probably shouldn't read too much into it.

His smile faded as he continued to think. Really wish Annie was here. She'd have a great take on everything. Feels like forever since I've even talked to her.

"Honored patrons," announced the auctioneer after a short while from his spot at the end of the stage, "again, we thank you for your patience. Many spectacular pieces have been sold already tonight, and we do have a number of distinguished buyers returning home with their happy purchases, but we do have one. Last. Piece. Tonight."

The auctioneer went silent, and for a time, there was not a single person who spoke in the entire auditorium. The lack of sound was intense, almost too eager as everyone awaited the grand reveal.

Carl was not entirely immune to the anticipation, un-reclining his seat and leaning forward a little. What the heck is this thing we're supposed to be buying, anyway? Mina was oddly non-specific about what exactly it was when I asked.

"Before we begin," the auctioneer resumed, "I've been advised to announce that the starting bid will be twenty million coins, and the sum must be paid in full by midnight."

"What?!" echoed a woman's shout that seemed to represent the vast majority of people in attendance, a sudden din erupting.

The auctioneer raised his gloved hands from his position next to the curtain. "Please," he called, raising his hands even higher. "Allow me to explain."

The noise faded somewhat, but not entirely, and Carl himself was on the edge of his seat.

"The piece in question is from the most distinguished and discerning of collectors," the auctioneer continued. "Incredibly rare, to the point of being a true one-of-a-kind. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, honored patrons. To even be present for this auction is something to be told with pride to children and grandchildren."

"Get on with it, then!" shouted the same woman from across the room to some amount of chuckles and laughs.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Of course," said the auctioneer, bowing towards the second balcony on the far side of the room. He strode out to the center of the stage. "Let us begin!" he shouted.

The curtain parted, and a pair of large, suited men began rolling out a table on wheels along the catwalk with painstaking slowness. Their heads swiveled constantly from side to side as they walked. Each had a gun strapped across his back and a sword at his waist.

Another dozen or so suited guards emerged from behind the curtain to stand at the end of the stage, some carrying wands, others carrying swords, and none seeming especially happy with the current situation.

Carl watched.

The table was completely covered by a plain white sheet. It rolled across the stage to a point just in front of Carl where it came to a halt.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the auctioneer said, walking a few steps over to the table as the guards who had pulled it out split up to each stand a short distance away with hands on weapons. "It is my privilege to present to you all the finest piece that we have ever sold—likely that we ever will sell." He grasped the sheet with one hand, then tore it off in dramatic fashion.

There was an instant of silence, followed by a deafening roar.

Carl's eyes widened.

A naked young woman with skin that was slightly too pink to be human lay on top of a small white mattress on the table. Her long, waist-length black hair was arranged so that it zig-zagged under her as though part of the mattress's design. Her eyes were closed, but her face was dazzling: a small, perfectly-rounded nose, ears with the slightest of points, flawless complexion, and lips that were lightly puckered in a near-kiss.

A plain, brown leather collar with a visible metal buckle circled her neck. Small, black tattoos were placed a short distance below each shoulder, each one a series of interlocking squares with some sort of runes running in a circle around them. Her small hands were clasped under a pair of breasts large enough that they covered nearly half the length of her torso. She did not appear to be breathing.

Her navel was covered. A delicate, gold chain wrapped around her middle, meeting at the gentle indentation of her impossibly slim midsection with a gold, diamond-studded chain that reached down a short distance towards her legs. On either side of her navel were small, black tattoos which resembled curved claws.

The descending chain terminated just over her waist, where another, larger tattoo was visible. This one, also in black, looked to be a small heart, surrounded by two halves of a larger outline of a heart. A pair of long, wavy wings extended from the top sides of each half, and a pair of water droplet outlines rose up along the bottom sides from the point of the heart. A third, opaque droplet was aimed downward towards her legs.

Carl blinked. Whoa. It's like her body was designed by someone for a certain type of sex appeal. Which… I guess maybe it was? Not that I'm interested in that. He shook his head, trying to clear off the feeling of enchantment that seemed to be clinging to him. I think this atmosphere is getting to me a little. Really regretting missing that night in with Annie; she's been dropping so many hints all week and teasing me way too much…

The auditorium had gone completely silent once more, as everyone seemed to be staring.

He turned his head and found Mina sitting up and staring as well, but at him. Her purplish-black glowing sockets seemed to have an accusing look to them.

Carl patted her hand on the arm of her chair a couple times, mimicking her previous gesture. "Hey, I was just curious. That's it, huh?"

Mina nodded slowly.

Carl shrugged. "Alright. Ready whenever."

Mina nodded again, this time more quickly.

"Were this the entirety of the piece, perhaps its total cost would be no more than the starting bid," the announcer declared. "No, this is but her resting state!" He held up a small cylinder of gold. "However, once she is in any way penetrated…" He reached over and gently pressed the cylinder into the girl's nose.

What the hell.

The change began instantly. Her hair lightened to a tawny shade of brown, and her skin seemed to undergo a fast bleaching to become a white that had never seen the sun while her tattoos turned pink. A pair of furry, cat-like ears sprouted from the top of her head, their color matching her hair. She sat up abruptly, and a brown, furry, cat-like tail flicked out from under the cascade of silky-looking hair falling down her back.

Her eyes opened, revealing dark brown irises, and she took in her first breath. Her head twitched around in matching timing with the flicks of her tail, taking in her surroundings. She focused on the auctioneer, and her tail waved sinuously back and forth. "Are you Nyakko's nyew master, nya?" she asked in a high-pitched voice that Carl might have described as cartoonish.

A stunned silence permeated the room.

Carl's mouth was open as he gawked. When the hell did something like this get put in? A shapeshifting anime catgirl sex doll? What the actual fuck…

"Temporarily, yes," said the auctioneer, looking back at the animated catgirl sex doll who had proclaimed her name to be Nyakko. "Please stay there and remain silent unless I ask you to do something."

Nyakko sat in place, gazing at the auctioneer as her tail flicked playfully from side to side.

Carl looked to Mina.

"What is that?" she said in her new, raspy voice, continuing to stare down at the stage.

A new furor emerged, and the auctioneer let it build for a couple minutes before raising his hands in an attempt to stop the growing number of questions being shouted at him. "Honored patrons," he called loudly while turning from side to side to address everyone, "calm yourselves as I explain." The noise level dropped precipitously. "As you have seen, she is capable of changing her form. We speculate that she will do so based on the wishes of her 'master'. As is the nature of our marketplace, we would never presume to act in this capacity, as we are merely temporary caretakers. We do, however, have reliable information which tells us that her former master did, indeed, favor this sort of form, and that she appeared differently to her master before that."

The crowd grew agitated once more, though none shouted out as they had previously.

"Nyakko," boomed the auctioneer, "please lie down, then hand me the object in your nose."

The catgirl complied at once, laying down and reaching into her nose without hesitation. She pulled out the gold cylinder and deposited it into the auctioneer's waiting, white-gloved palm.

The auctioneer pocketed the object and turned again to the rumbling audience. "She'll remain active for the next few minutes. Possibly even long enough to see who will be the proud winner of this auction." He paused for a dramatic moment. "Charus City, are you ready for the greatest auction of your lives?" he shouted the question.

The crowd roared in reply.