Shizuka The Fashionista Part 3

Chapter 1

Shizuka's work on her second major motion picture stresses her to the breaking point when she puts her all into a gruelling role.

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Thanks to the success of her growing movie career Shizuka was in more demand than ever. She went to Arisa's office to consider her options.
"The days where you could just take every job are over," Arisa began. "You are getting a lot of job offers that are mutually exclusive because of the time consideration." 
"I understand," Shizuka said, nodding.
"You will have to decide which jobs you want to take," Arisa said. "I'll go over the offers with you. You can decide which one you want to accept, and then we'll see what happens."
Arisa went through the various offers, and they decided which ones were the best for Shizuka to take.
"I have one more offer that I think would be a good fit for you."
"What is it?" Shizuka asked.
"A movie production company wants to meet with you. I think you'd be a good fit for their next movie they're working on."
"That sounds fun! When do I have to go meet them?" Shizuka asked.
"They want to meet with you as soon as you can, in the next couple days."
"Oh, well I could go tomorrow if that's the case."
"That'd be fine," Shizuka said. 
"Great, then I'll pick you up in the morning," Arisa said.
The next day, Arisa picked Shizuka up from her apartment. Shizuka greeted Arisa with a smile as she stepped out of her apartment building. She wore a white blouse and a black pencil skirt with matching heels. Her ponytail swayed as she walked towards Arisa's waiting limousine.
As they made their way to the movie production company, Shizuka fiddled with her ponytail, hoping it looked perfect. Arisa noticed her fidgeting and gave her a reassuring smile. 
"Don't worry, you'll do great," Arisa said.
As they walked into the movie production company's lobby, Shizuka took in her surroundings. The walls were adorned with movie posters and the sound of bustling staff filled the air. A receptionist greeted them and directed them to a conference room. Inside, a group of people sat around a large table, including a middle-aged man in a suit who introduced himself as the producer. 
"Welcome. You may take a seat," the producer said.
Shizuka and Arisa sat down in the empty seats. Arisa sat across from them while the producer sat at the end of the table. As soon as everyone was seated, the producer stood up and spoke.
"We'd like to discuss the roles for our upcoming movie," he said. "It's called 'Masquerade of Moonlight' and it is a modern fantasy psychological thriller. Also, since this is a rather large role, I'm looking for someone who can work for a long period of time without much interruption. Finally, I'm looking for someone who is experienced in action roles and has a great work ethic." He paused to let his words sink in. "Does that sound like something you'd be interested in?" he asked.
Shizuka's heart raced as she listened to the producer speak. She was determined to make a good impression.
"I'm definitely interested in the role," Shizuka said, trying to sound confident.
"That's great to hear," the producer said with a smile. "As you know, we've been looking for the perfect actress for a while now, and we believe you would be a great fit for the part. However, there is one thing we need to clarify before we proceed any further."
"What's that?" Shizuka asked, curious.
"The role requires some physical action, such as running, jumping, and fighting scenes. It also requires you to express yourself with your face and body gestures more than your voice. Are you comfortable with that?"
Shizuka nodded confidently. "Yes, I'm up for the challenge," she said, hoping her voice didn't betray her nerves.
"Excellent," the producer said. "In that case, we'd like to offer you the role."
The producer smiled, revealing a row of perfectly aligned teeth.
"Wonderful," Shizuka said, smiling back.
The meeting continued as the producer went over the details of the movie. As everyone was familiar with Shizuka's filmography they knew she took on roles either in high class kimonos and Lolita outfits, and prominently played the lead role in the live action adaptation of the video game Vampire Princess Luka. Shizuka's role in this film was a leading female role, playing as a beautiful yet independent woman who is the central character in a story about a woman who is forced into a life of servitude. She would be playing a maid during the day and an assassin during the night. 
----
A few days later Shizuka attended the fitting for her costumes. She would be wearing two main costumes: a maid outfit, and her assassin outfit. The maid outfit was to be designed so she would eventually be fighting in it at the end of the movie so it had a notably short skirt so it would not impair her movement. Her assassin outfit, on the other hand, would have plenty of room for her to fight in. 
She walked into the dressing room with her maid outfit in hand.
"So, what do you think of the outfit?" the stylist asked, a gentle smile on her face.
"It's... short," Shizuka said, examining her outfit. "I guess it's meant to show off my legs, right?"
The stylist shrugged. "It's a movie."
Shizuka nodded, then went to put on the maid outfit. When she was done, she examined herself in the mirror. Her black blouse had a sweeheart neckline, showing off her small, modest cleavage. The shoulders were ruffled and she wore white gloves with frills at the cuffs. The skirt was poofy and frilly, but was only long enough to barely cover her butt. Her panties were white with horizontal baby blue stripes for contour. She wore white thigh high stockings with frills at the top, and black Mary Jane shoes to finish the ensemble. Shizuka looked at herself and saw a sultry maid.
Shizuka stepped out of the dressing room to present herself to the director and producer, who wanted to see her in the costume. Despite her reservations about the short skirt, it was really no different than the costume she wore as Vampire Princess Luka. In fact, she surmised her role as Luka was why the producer tapped her for this role.
When she presented herself to the director and producer, they loved how she looked in the outfit.
"There is one thing, though," the director said. "We can't go with your natural hair with this costume. We should have you wear a wig while dressed as a maid."
"I understand," Shizuka said. She surmised her lilac hair contrasted too greatly against the black and white maid outfit, which was not the look they were going for.
The stylist brought out a selection of wigs for the producer to choose from. There were many colors and styles to choose from, but he selected a simple, sleek black bob with blunt bangs. When Shizuka put the wig on, it transformed her appearance completely. She looked like a different person altogether, yet still undeniably beautiful. She could picture herself as a seductive yet vampy character. 
"Excellent," the director praised. "This should better capture the alluring side of your character."
When Shizuka finished changing, the stylist helped her put on her assassin outfit.  The outfit was made of leather, with a deep V-neckline and a cinched waist. The sleeves were long and tight, and the pants were loose and comfortable. The outfit was designed to allow for a greater range of movement, with strategically placed slits along the legs to show off some skin. Shizuka felt powerful in the assassin outfit. She liked how it hugged her body, yet gave her the freedom to move around comfortably. The leather felt cool against her skin, and the deep V-neckline made her feel daring and confident. She admired herself in the mirror, her lilac hair spilling over her shoulders in a ponytail. 
As she turned to face her reflection, she noticed the subtle details of the outfit that made it unique. The leather was soft and supple, with intricate stitching along the seams and edges. The cinched waist emphasized her curves, while the tight sleeves accentuated her toned arms. She wore black boots that came up to her mid-calf, with silver buckles that gleamed in the light. The boots were comfortable and fit perfectly. 
Shizuka went to present herself to the director and the producer. The producer was amazed at the result, but the director had some reservations.
"That V-neck is supposed to emphasize a woman's cleavage," the director said. "Your chest is rather... small, to put it bluntly."
Shizuka nodded. In her modeling career her small chest was usually an asset because it allowed her to fit into most designer clothing, but she would have no such luck in a film role.
"She is the one for this role," the producer pointed out. "All that means is we should alter the outfit to emphasize something other than her chest. The maid outfit does a great job of emphasizing her legs, so perhaps we should do the same with this outfit, too."
"Hmm... I suppose that makes sense," Shizuka said. "Change the outfit to fit the character."
"I'll go get the stylist," the producer said.
When the stylist came out, she and the director and producer went to work. They exchanged pleasantries as they waited for the stylist to return with new leather outfits. Shizuka took a seat on a nearby couch. She felt apprehensive about the new outfit. 
To her surprise, the stylist approached her with a long, black coat. "Put this on," the stylist suggested. 
Shizuka hesitantly accepted the coat, and allowed the stylist to guide her arms through the sleeves. When she started buttoning up the front, the stylist stopped her at the midrift level.
"No, that's okay. Leave that part open."
Shizuka did as instructed and presented herself to the director and producer again. This time, both of them were impressed.
"The long coat adds another dimension to the costume," the director said. "When you run it'll trail in the wind behind you, like a scarf or cape. That's a good image."
"It's perfect," the producer agreed. "Leaving your coat open like that gives a little flirty feel, too."
Shizuka smiled, feeling more confident with the new outfit. She stood up and walked around, the long black coat trailing behind her like a graceful extension of her body. It made her feel mysterious and powerful, like a character out of a spy movie. The coat was made of a soft, lightweight leather that flowed with her movements. She imagined herself darting in and out of shadows, striking her enemies with lightning-fast moves. The coat added an air of mystery to her character, making her seem more enigmatic and dangerous. She felt like a predator, ready to pounce on her prey.
"Thank you very much," Shizuka said to the stylist. "This is a wonderful improvement on the outfit."
The stylist smiled.
With the costume test concluded Shizuka returned to the dressing room to change back into her regular clothes, happy with how the day turned out. She looked forward to filming the movie.
----
While the costume test was a success for Shizuka, she found there were issues in the script. She had no problem with the scenes where she was playing as the assassin, but the maid portions seemed to be the most challenging parts for her. The scenes were designed to make her character submissive, the subject of humiliation and abuse by her cruel masters so when the climax of the movie came they would get their just desserts. Shizuka dreaded the idea of being humiliated, even in character.
The director of "Masquerade of Moonlight" seemed to pick up on this. He would often talk to her about how she needed to prepare for the humiliation scenes, and that she needed to work on her mindset for them. Shizuka knew that as an actress, it was her job to embrace her character, even if it meant portraying something that made her uncomfortable. She spent the following days practicing her lines and trying to get into character. 
When Shizuka rehearsed her lines, she found herself struggling to embody the character of the maid. Her movements felt forced and unnatural, and her voice lacked the timid, subservient tone that the role required. She needed to find a way to connect with the character on a deeper level.
That night, while she was watching TV, Shizuka found herself thinking about the way her maid character would react in certain situations. If someone yelled at her, she would probably get angry and shout back. However, that was not in character, Shizuka knew. Her character would probably run away or perhaps faint. 
After thinking about it for a few minutes, Shizuka felt that she had found a solution to her problem. 
The next day she went to Kanna's mansion and asked her to make her one of her maids.
"What?" Kanna exclaimed in surprise. "What brought this on?"
"I need to practice for a role in a film," Shizuka explained. "I want you to make me a maid for a week so that I can practice acting out scenes."
"But why? You don't have to be one of my maids for that," Kanna said, confused.
"This role is very important for my career," Shizuka explained. "And I don't have much time. Please, can you do this for me?"
"Well... okay," Kanna said. "I'll make you a maid."
"Thank you," Shizuka said.
Kanna summoned a maid, and immediately a girl with shoulder-length, face-framing blonde hair entered and bowed.
"Haruka, my friend Shizuka here wants to get some experience being a maid," Kanna said. "Please teach her how to be subservient and submissive, will you?"
"Of course, Lady Kanna," the maid, Haruka, said, bowing politely.
The maid walked over to Shizuka and bowed again.
"Would you like to change into your uniform before we begin?"
"Of course," Shizuka said. 
Haruka helped Shizuka change into her maid uniform. The skirt only fell to Shizuka's mid thigh and she tugged at it as if it would extend its length. She knew the maids had short skirts for their uniforms, but she didn't have to like it.
"Are you ready to begin, my lady?" Haruka asked.
"Yes," Shizuka said. 
"Very well then, let us begin."
The maid grabbed Shizuka's wrists and forced them behind her back.
"You will now bow to me," Haruka demanded, her tone suddenly changing from polite to snarling.
"What?" Shizuka asked, taken off-guard. "Why?"
"You are my maid. I am your master," Haruka boomed, continuing to hold Shizuka's wrists together with one hand and pulling her forward with the other.
Shizuka felt a jolt of fear run through her as she realized how serious Haruka was. She had expected some role-playing, but this felt different. Haruka's grip on her wrists was strong, and Shizuka knew that if she resisted, the situation could escalate quickly. With a deep breath, she lowered her head and bent her knees, performing a perfect bow.
Haruka's eyes gleamed with amusement as she watched Shizuka's obedient performance. "Good girl," she said with a smirk. "Now, let's see how well you can act like a maid."
Shizuka felt a mixture of emotions as she tried to embody the role of a subservient maid. Haruka ordered Shizuka around, making her perform various tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and serving tea. Shizuka tried her best to follow Haruka's commands, trying to stay in character as much as possible. She found herself getting lost in the role, forgetting about her real life for a while. But every now and then, she would catch Haruka's mischievous smirk and remember that this was just a game for her.
After a few hours of being forced to do menial tasks Haruka seemed to want to up her game. "Now, Shizuka," Haruka said with a sly grin. "It's time for your punishment."
"My punishment?" Shizuka repeated, feeling her heart rate pick up. 
"Yes," Haruka said. "You've been a bad maid, and I can't let that go unpunished."
"What did I do?" Shizuka asked, feeling genuinely confused.
"You forgot to clean the corners of the floor," Haruka said, her tone serious. "That's unacceptable for a maid like you."
Shizuka felt a wave of panic wash over her. She had been trying so hard to do everything right, but it seemed like she had missed something. "I'm sorry," she said, bowing her head.
"Sorry doesn't cut it."
Haruka walked over to Shizuka and grabbed her by the collar of her uniform. "Now, you'll clean the floor properly from now on," she said, dragging Shizuka to the task.
Shizuka nodded quickly, trying to show her submission to Haruka. She got down on her knees and began to scrub the corners of the floor with all her might. Haruka watched her for a few moments before nodding in approval. 
"You're doing well," she said. "But you know, I don't think you're really feeling the punishment enough."
"What do you mean?" Shizuka asked, looking up at Haruka with confusion.
"I mean, you're still holding on to your pride," Haruka said, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "If you really want to learn how to be a humble and timid maid, you need to let go of your ego and submit completely to me."
Shizuka wasn't sure if she was ready to give up her pride, but at the same time, she needed to tap into the character she was supposed to be playing. If she gave up now she would not get that.
"Okay," she said hesitantly. "What do you want me to do?"
Haruka smirked, enjoying the power she held over Shizuka. "I want you to beg for forgiveness," she said. "On your hands and knees."
Shizuka hesitated for a moment before slowly lowering herself onto all fours, her forehead touching the floor. "Please forgive me," she said in a soft voice.
Haruka watched as Shizuka's shoulders shook with her suppressed emotions. She knew that this was the moment when Shizuka had to let go of her ego and become the character she needed to be. Haruka wasn't going to make it easy for her. She walked over to Shizuka and lifted her chin, forcing her to look up at her.
"Now, I want you to say it like you mean it," Haruka said, her voice stern. "I want you to show me that you're truly sorry for what you've done."
Shizuka felt a surge of anger rise up within her. She didn't like being talked down to like this, but she knew that she needed to stay in character. "I am truly sorry," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "Please forgive me for my mistake."
Haruka nodded in satisfaction, letting go of Shizuka's chin. "Good girl," she said, patting Shizuka's head like a pet. "You're learning quickly."
Shizuka tried to stand back up, but Haruka held her down with a hand on her shoulder. "But don't think that means you're off the hook," Haruka said, her tone serious. "You still have a lot to learn if you want to be a good maid. Now get back to cleaning, and make sure you don't miss a single corner." 
Shizuka nodded quickly, feeling angry at Haruka for treating her like a child, but kept her thoughts to herself.
Haruka watched from the doorway as Shizuka struggled to scrub the floor. "Good job."
Shizuka looked up at her. "Thank you," she said.
The maid then turned around and left the room. Shizuka looked down at her scrubbing again. 
After an hour of scrubbing the dirt off the floor, Shizuka's arms were sore from the repeated motions. While she was not out of shape, the repetition got to her. She was tired, anxious, and, most of all, bored. 
She came to attention when she heard footsteps approach. She was expecting to see that same maid again, but it was a different one, one of the younger maids.
"Lady Shizuka?" the young maid inquired, concerned.
"Who are you?" Shizuka asked. 
"Lady Kanna was concerned for you," the younger maid explained. "She tasked me to find you."
"Kanna...?" Shizuka repeated, her mind trying to force its way back to its normal working order. "That's right... you're Erika, aren't you?"
"Yes!" Erika replied enthusiastically. "I'm glad you remembered my name!"
Erika was one of the younger maids working in Kanna's mansion, and unusually for the maid staff she was comparatively bubbly and enthusiastic, as if the menial work she performed could not subdue the vigor of youth.
"It's nice to meet you, Erika."
Erika giggled. "Now, come with me."
Erika walked into the hallway, and Shizuka followed her, keeping her eyes lowered.
She glanced at the polished wood floors, imagining her heels leaving marks as she walked. The white marble was slippery and dangerous. Erika's heels clicked loudly as she walked. She stopped in front of a door and knocked on it.
"Come in." Kanna's voice.
Erika opened the door and walked in. Kanna was sitting in a chair, reading a book. She put down her book and stood up when she saw Shizuka.
"I've been worried about you!" Kanna exclaimed happily. "What happened to you?"
"I think I learned a little more than I wanted," Shizuka answered sheepishly. 
Kanna nodded. "Don't worry about Haruka. I'll have a talk with her later. You need to get cleaned up. It wouldn't do if you ended up in the hospital from this escapade."
"I'm fine," Shizuka claimed, not wanting her friend to fuss over her.
"You should probably lie down," Kanna said. "You look like you're not fine."
Shizuka nodded slowly and lay down on the couch. She didn't care she was still dressed like a maid nor that Kanna was watching her as her body ached all over. She closed her eyes and prompty fell asleep.
----
After the first day preparing for her role was a disaster Kanna instead assigned Shizuka to work under Erika for the remainder of the week. Unlike the other maid Erika was friendly, outgoing, and helpful to Shizuka, so while Shizuka still had to perform menial tasks around the mansion she was not treated like a slave or a subhuman anymore.
That night Shizuka and Erika ate dinner together, and they talked about their lives. Erika had lived in Tokyo for years, and had worked in a variety of jobs to help her family's poor financial situation, to the point where she had to abandon her plans to attend university because of it. Getting a maid job from Kanna was extremely rewarding for her.
"You know, you can talk to me about anything," Erika said, "I'm not an idiot. I'm a normal person just like you."
"Thank you," Shizuka said, "but I don't want to talk about myself all the time. Let's talk about you."
"I'd love to."
"How do you like working for Kanna?"
"She's amazing. I'd love to work for her forever."
"How did you first meet her?"
"I was working at a maid cafe. Lady Kanna was there with her husband, Mr. Shion. She noticed me and hired me a few days later."
"Do you like being a maid?"
"Yes, very much. I get to wear cute clothes, and I get to be with a cool person like you!"
Shizuka smiled. It was just like Kanna to meet someone at a maid cafe. She idly wondered if Erika knew Megumi, Yuki's girlfriend. If she did, it would explain why Erika seemed so interested in her.
----
On the fifth day of her maid training, Kanna summoned Shizuka into her office.
"You've done an excellent job," Kanna said, "and if I didn't know any better I would have hired you on the spot."
"Thanks... I think," Shizuka said, unsure if she should take it as a compliment, or if her friend was joking.
"I don't want you to get too used to being a maid, though," Kanna admitted with concern. "Remember, this is just to prepare for your acting role. You're not going to be a real maid for the rest of your life. I'd hate to see you break down."
"I won't," Shizuka assured her.
"I know you won't, but as your friend I have to look out for your well-being, too."
Shizuka smiled, relieved. "You're so sweet. Thank you for that."
"Don't mention it. I want you to be happy. Now, I'm going to let you go. I suggest you work hard and do a good job, because I won't be happy if you're fired, okay?"
Shizuka bowed politely to her friend, like a proper maid would.
"I'm counting on you," Kanna added, amused.
Shizuka left Kanna's office and resumed her daily chores. She eventually got used to the maid uniform's short skirt because it allowed better movement in her legs. She continued to work as a maid until a few days before filming for the movie was to start, longer than the week she initially planned for.
"So, how are you feeling?" Erika asked.
"I think I'm ready," Shizuka replied.
"I'm really happy for you! I'm sure you'll be great!"
"Thanks," Shizuka said. "I'll drop by between filming sessions, so keep up the good work."
"Okay, I will!" Erika replied, smiling, before rushing off.
Shizuka watched her go and sighed. It was time to do her real job.
----
When the filming for "Masquerade of Moonlight" began the director decided to film all the scenes of Shizuka as the maid first, leaving most of the assassin scenes for later, along with the majority of the action scenes. The only scenes while in the maid costume that were set aside were from the climax of the film where she would be doing action scenes wearing it, which made sense to Shizuka.
She quickly learned that the director had a certain thought about how to film the maid scenes that made her uncomfortable. During the first few days of filming, while dressed in the maid outfit, she noticed that the director filmed her from below, almost as if it were a voyeuristic peeping Tom situation. The director apologized and assured her this was the style he intended for the movie, as he wanted to film her submissive side from below and her dominant side from above. Shizuka understood this, but she still felt like the director was being a bit too obvious about it. When she brought this up with the producer, he told her she shouldn't take it personally and that occasional peeks up her skirt would give her scenes a certain bite to it when paired to what was happening in the scenes.
As the days went on, Shizuka got used to the director's filming style. However, this was around the time she learned that the film's art director drew a series of lewd production images of her character in the maid outfit. An assistant to the director told her this was a common occurrence, and that the art director would often create these sorts of visual aids to give the director inspiration. Shizuka was disgusted and felt the art director's actions were repulsive and in poor taste, but since the images were not specifically of her there was nothing that could be done about it.
Shizuka's humiliation scenes were filmed last of her maid sequences. This allowed the director to create a more intense atmosphere for her scenes. The first such scene called for her to be wrapped up like a mummy. The crew prepared rolls of cloth to wrap around her, and Shizuka did not look forward to it.
"I'm going to wrap you up like a present for the director," one of the crew said in jest.
Shizuka felt her face flush red. "Let's get this over with."
The scene had started with Shizuka's character standing before her cruel master. Between takes they added bindings to her wrists, her ankles, and then over her mouth, before wrapping her up with the cloth. The cloth was wrapped tightly against her body and against the protests of her hair and her clothes, and Shizuka couldn't see anything. 
"This feels really weird," Shizuka said, trying to keep her cool.
"Yeah, it's supposed to. The director said this was how you'd feel when you were captured."
Shizuka tried to remain calm as she could not see what was going on, but she could hear and feel things around her. The crew was moving her around as required for scenes, but she could not make out what the director was saying. 
Suddenly, she felt something heavy press against her body. It felt like a viscous, thick liquid was being poured on her, and when it got to her head she was finding it difficult to breathe. She could feel her scalp starting to burn as she tried to scream through the cloth that covered her mouth.
After a few minutes of struggling, Shizuka could hear the director's voice, saying, "I think she'll be okay, let's move on to the next scene."
Her panic soon subsided, and the crew started unwrapping her from her mummy prison. When they finished unwrapping her head, Shizuka tried to focus her blurry vision, looking down on herself. The cloth she was wrapped in was covered in black oil. After all the cloth was removed it was determined that the maid outfit she was wearing was not suitable for the next humiliation scene, so Shizuka was asked to change into a spare costume. She headed back to her dressing room while the crew started working to prepare the next scene. Once she was away from the prying eyes of the director and the crew she pulled off her black bob wig and loosened her hair. She slumped in her chair and stared at herself in the mirror. 
"I really need a shower," she decided.
Shizuka had an extended break after her previous scene and had plenty of time for herself to unwind, but after the ordeal she felt she needed more time than that. She notified her assistant to inform the director she was going to take a little longer cleaning up, then went to take a shower. She showered for a long time, hoping the hot water and steam would relax her. She also took some time to let her hair air dry a bit. 
Her assistant came back into the room with the dresser and they helped her get back into costume. For the upcoming scene they placed flesh-colored tape on her private parts and breasts, then gave her black lingerie underwear before helping her back into a spare maid outfit. When it was time to resume filming her assistant escorted her back to set.
Her second humiliation scene was to have her clothes removed while she was tied up. This scene was filmed in a similar manner to the previous one. However, there was a difference in the way she was tied up-- instead of the crew just rolling her around with cloth wrapped around her body, she was bound with rope. Her maid outfit would be destroyed by actors armed with a pair of scissors. Shizuka was darkly pleased that she had numerous spare maid costumes for this reason and hoped that she could get through this in one take. 
"We've closed the set for your privacy," the director explained patiently, knowing the gravity of the scene. "You're going to be naked, but due to movie standards we're not allowed to show it. We're going to be filming you from the shoulders up, and from behind, so we're going to let everyone see your bare butt, but not anything else."
Shizuka nodded. "I understand."
Once everyone was ready they got to work. She was tied up and her arms and legs pulled apart.
When the scene started the actor playing the torturer picked up the scissors and meticulously started snipping away at her maid costume. Shizuka winced as her blouse was cut up from the front, opening up and revealing her racy lingerie bra. As the scene continued, her skirt was also cut away, showing her panties she was wearing just for this scene. When the torturer was finished, Shizuka was left only wearing her gloves, her thigh high stockings, and her black bob wig. Her face was reduced to tears as was required of her character. Shizuka was glad she was not going full frontal while filming, but the shame she felt in front of the gathered crew was real. 
When the scene was finished Shizuka was untied and led back to the dressing room. Another assistant came and covered her up with a bathrobe to cover her bare butt. As soon as she got there Shizuka closed the door and slumped in her chair, wiping the tears from her face. 
"This is really degrading," she said to no one in particular. 
She spent a half hour in the dressing room as part of her designated break, then got dressed again in another spare maid costume to resume filming. She did not look forward to her third humiliation scene of the film.
Her third and final humiliation scene was a follow-up to the previous. She was to be covered from head to toe in white paint and do a sensual pole dance. For this scene she was said to be naked, but for her modesty she was given a full body suit that covered everything except her face, with padding in the right places to support her.
The director told her to close her eyes and count to ten. Shizuka counted. When she was done counting she opened her eyes. She was covered head to toe in white paint and looked like a porcelain statue.
"Perfect," the director said.
The crew finished covering her with the white paint and got to work on her face. They painted her lips a deep, vibrant red, and put a generous amount of eye shadow around her eyes. They painted her eyebrows in a delicate arch, and her eyelashes were a deep, lustrous black, and put some pink on her cheeks to give off a nice, rosy complexion. When they finished they put the black bob wig back on her. 
The director looked her over. "Okay, you're ready," he decided.
Shizuka walked to the set where a brass pole was set up. She was to do a seductive, raunchy pole dance, and the scene in the film she was said to be naked doing it. While the body suit she was wearing was giving her padded support in all the necessary areas, she still felt completely naked and exposed.
When she first received the script many weeks ago Shizuka was offered the chance to use a body double, but she declined, feeling that she wanted to do it herself. Her costume would have made it easy, considering how much she was covered up, but she wanted to learn how to do a pole dance herself. She spent weeks preparing for this scene, taking pole dancing lessons from a professional dancer, and learned a lot about herself in the process. Now, standing by the brass pole, Shizuka knew it was time for the payoff.
She climbed the pole. She stayed there, moving her hips seductively, her legs and arms gracefully moving up and down and around the pole. Shizuka tried not to let the lustful air in the set get to her and concentrated on completing her carefully practiced dance. She knew the scene was meant as a visual feast for male eyes, and perhaps some female eyes as well, but she also wanted it to feel empowering. It was a scene that would bump up the rating because of her supposed nudity, and perhaps be the signature scene of the film.
After she finished her routine, she stepped off the pole and her scene was over. The director praised her and the crew applauded her performance, and for a moment Shizuka felt a sense of satisfaction despite her reservations.
----
Having finished filming for the day, Shizuka returned to her apartment. For the last several weeks she lived by herself as Yuki, her best friend and roommate, was still gone on her travel photography trip. She wondered what Yuki was doing right now. She missed her friend, and the quiet of her own home was beginning to get to her.
Shizuka sat down on her couch and took in a deep sigh. She looked forward to filming the assassin scenes, the majority of which were going to be filmed at night. The assassin scenes were the most physically demanding, but Shizuka liked feeling like a powerful warrior. It was a stark contrast to playing a submissive and helpless maid for half of the movie, which is probably why the director had the two versions of her character filmed separately.
Her stomach grumbled. She had not eaten anything since early that day, and she was famished. The day's filming had been tiring, and she had not gotten lunch. 
Shizuka got up from her couch and went to the kitchen in the back of the apartment. She opened the refrigerator and stared blankly at its contents. She decided to make herself an oyakodon, which was quick and easy to do. Shizuka turned on the rice cooker and set out some grilled chicken on a cast iron pan on the stove. 
She had just started to pick up the eggs when the doorbell rang. Shizuka wondered who would be coming by at such a late hour as she had not invited anyone over since Yuki left. Turning down the heat on her food, she went to answer the door. Checking to see who it was before opening, she was surprised to see Erika standing there, looking to the side nervously, and still wearing her maid uniform. Shizuka guessed she came directly from Kanna's mansion. When she opened the door Erika jumped, as if she was surprised.
"Erika? What are you doing here?" Shizuka asked. 
Erika did not respond immediately. 
"What's wrong?"
"Uh, I um...I came to talk to you..." the young maid stuttered.
"What is it?" Shizuka asked nervously. She felt a little uneasy about this visit, feeling something was wrong.
"I need to talk to you...about, um...something private..."
Shizuka let Erika inside and she sat down on the couch. Erika immediately started apologizing for coming unannounced.
"Can I... stay here tonight?" Erika asked, fidgeting nervously. "I can't go home, not now."
"What happened?" Shizuka asked. "Is your family alright?"
"I... uh, had a fight with my parents," the maid revealed, now clearly distressed. "I never told you this, but... I never told them where I was working. They're furious I'm working as a maid. They said I'm wasting my life. They threw me out of the house!"
Shizuka listened quietly as Erika continued her story.
"I had to work to support myself and my family, and the pay was good. How did everything turn out so badly?" Erika cried, the tears welling up in her eyes.
Shizuka wrapped an arm around Erika's shoulder and Erika leaned her head in, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"My parents are acting like I'm whoring myself out," Erika bawled. "They think I'm a hooker!"
"I'm so sorry, Erika. What can I do?" Shizuka asked softly.
"I can't go back home! I don't know what to do!" Erika cried.
Shizuka nodded slowly. It was uncommon for teenagers and young adults to move out like that, but she had done it herself and made a successful life for herself. Erika was still in the age range where Shizuka was starting out on her own and making her own mistakes in her life, but she was also making enough money to live comfortably herself. She had no doubt that the wage Kanna gave her was sufficient to live off of if she no longer wanted to give it to her parents, but that was a different issue entirely.
"Why don't you stay here with me?" Shizuka offered. "You could help out around the house. I wouldn't mind the company."
"Really? You would do that?" Erika asked in wonderment.
"Of course. Naturally we'll figure out something else in the long term, but for now, you can crash here."
"Really? You'd really let me stay here?" Erika asked, smiling through her tears.
"Yeah. I'd let you stay here." 
"Thank you! Thank you so much! I don't know what I'll do without you, Shizuka!"
"You're welcome, Erika."
----
Shizuka allowed Erika to spend the night in her apartment. She slept on the couch, not having the space to alter the living arrangements in the apartment. Shizuka had one room to herself and the other went to Yuki, but there were no other bedrooms. She knew it was only a temporary solution and hoped she could convince Kanna to let Erika stay at the mansion later. It was too much to ask for her to stay there full time, but at least for now it would help Erika get back on her feet.
The next morning, Erika was up at the crack of dawn and quickly used Yuki's shower to freshen up. Yuki was still gone on her trip and was not using it, but both Erika and Shizuka felt it was too much to let Erika sleep in Yuki's bed. As she stood in the shower she thought about her options.
She could go back home. She would have to quit her job as a maid, and any job she got likely would not match the income she made now. Her family's financial situation would simply deteriorate.
Erika considered remaining as a maid working for Kanna. The pay was good, and she loved working for Kanna and Shion, but she also knew it was not her long term life goal.
Her initial goal was to attend university, but her financial situation did not allow it. However, now she had the money to make the change. She had already passed the entrance exams and could go to university. If she could save up enough money, maybe she could finish her university degree while she worked. That would provide her with a steady job after she graduated.
The problem with that plan was that it was almost impossible to save up enough money. She would need to give up her job as a maid, and even if she could manage to save for the years it would take to graduate, it would be difficult to come up with that kind of money on her own. The money Kanna paid her was more than enough to live on, but it would be so much easier if she had that extra to put towards her goals.
She considered becoming a model like Shizuka. The pay was not as reliable as her current job, but she would not have to give up her savings to get started. It was a dangerous industry, though, as it would be a lot more work for her to try and build up a portfolio from scratch.
Erika shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, having considered many paths she could take, but unsure of which one to do. She would have to at least give modeling a shot, or she could stay where she was.
Erika decided to take a chance on modeling, and if it didn't work out, she would go back to her previous job.
She dried her hair with a towel and put her maid uniform back on. She went to the kitchen and decided to make breakfast for herself and Shizuka, as thanks for letting her spend the night. While she was cooking Shizuka emerged from her room, stiffing a yawn.
"Good morning, Shizuka!" Erika greeted her cheerfully. "I'm making breakfast."
"Breakfast? You didn't have to do that," Shizuka replied.
"I know, but I feel like I need to pay you back for letting me spend the night here," Erika reasoned.
"Thank you, but I feel like I shouldn't take advantage of you," Shizuka said.
"Oh, it's nothing," Erika replied. "I have to prepare meals for Lady Kanna all the time, so this is easy for me."
"Well, I'm glad you feel that way. I wouldn't want you to feel obligated," Shizuka said.
When Erika finished, she set out two plates and brought them to the table. The two quietly ate as the morning dawned.
"So, I'm thinking I can become a model," Erika posed. "Do you think it's something you can help me with?"
"Why are you considering a career change so suddenly?" Shizuka asked, concerned. "Are you trying to get back in your parents' good graces quickly?"
"No, it's not that," Erika replied. "I was thinking I am probably not going to be working as a maid forever. I just want to explore my options more."
"Well, I'm not going to stop you, but you should think about what you want to do before you do it," Shizuka said. "You don't just jump into things like that."
"I know," Erika replied. "I'm going to give modeling a shot."
"I can hook you up with Arisa," Shizuka suggested. "She will take care of getting you good modeling jobs. She's done a good job for me, after all."
"Really? That would be awesome, thanks!" Erika gushed.
"Wait, there's more," Shizuka said. "Modeling isn't just about wearing nice clothes and looking pretty. You have to sell yourself. If you want something you have to go get it. I find that modeling and acting have some similarities in that you're taking up a role that isn't necessarily yourself. You have to make yourself look good, and your client look good in the process. And you need to work with your photographer to bring out the best pictures."
"I hadn't thought about that," Erika said. "I guess it makes sense."
"Well, I'll talk to you about it later," Shizuka repeated. "You're going to need a lot of help if you want to succeed. I'll help you as much as I can, but it's up to you to help yourself, too."
----
After they finished breakfast Erika cleaned the dishes while Shizuka went to get dressed. Since she was not filming that day she was free to do as she pleased, and Shizuka decided to take Erika to meet with Arisa. She sent a message to Kanna letting her know what Erika was up to, and Kanna replied with her approval. The two made their way to the Moon River Talent Agency. They made their way to Arisa's office, where they found her sitting at her desk, casually moving her mouse with one hand while propping her head up on her other arm, obviously bored. It was a position Shizuka frequently saw her in and it amused her to no end.
"Oh, hello," Arisa said, without looking up from her computer. "What can I do for you?"
"I would like to become a model, and I was wondering if you could help me," Erika said confidently.
Arisa laughed, turning her head away from the computer. "Oh, I like the direct approach. You really know what you want, don't you?"
Both Erika and Shizuka sat down in the seats across from her desk. Arisa glanced at Erika, then at Shizuka. 
"She's a maid...?" Arisa said quizzically. 
"Yeah, but don't mind that," Shizuka answered quickly. "I'm good friends with her. She's a really nice person."
"Oh, I know, I know," Arisa said, waving her off. "But are you sure you're up to it? Modeling is a competitive industry. You'll have to work hard."
"I know how to work hard," Erika replied.
"I mean, you're still learning, and you don't have any experience," Arisa explained, wanting to instill the gravity of the request into the maid.
"That's why I want to learn. I'm willing to do whatever it takes."
"Well, that's good. I'm going to give you a test. I want you to go get a pack of gum from the machine by the elevator."
"What?" Erika asked in confusion.
"Just do it," Arisa said.
"But...but..." Erika said.
"I'll wait here and take notes," Shizuka said.
Erika got up and left the office. Arisa glanced over at Shizuka, who nodded at her reassuringly. 
Arisa waited for Erika to return with the gum. She tapped her foot impatiently as the minutes passed, and soon her phone started ringing. The noise made her wince. She ignored it.
Erika came back into the office, and Arisa smiled.
"Here it is," Erika said, handing the gum to Arisa.
"Perfect. Sit down," Arisa said.
Erika sat down on the chair across from her.
"So, do you know anything about modeling?" Arisa asked the maid.
"A little," Erika answered.
"Well, we're going to start with something simple. It's called a catalogue. You'll be posing in a variety of outfits for catalogues. How does that sound?"
"I can do that," Erika said.
"It will be the foundation of your portfolio," Arisa added. "But don't get ahead of yourself, because it's not all fame and glamor. This is how we wash out wannabe models from the serious models."
"What do you mean?" Erika asked.
"You see, there are a lot of wannabe models out there. They think that being a model is all about dressing up and going to photoshoots. It's not. Clients don't just walk up to you and say, 'Hey, would you like to be a model? You look pretty good. You can have a career for this agency!' No, you have to work your way up. You have to impress the people who make those decisions. If you can't handle rejection, if you can't deal with failure, then this isn't for you."
"But I'm good at other things, and I'm not afraid of hard work. I think I can do this."
"We'll see. Our first test is tomorrow. You're going to go to a photoshoot, and we'll see how you do."
"Tomorrow? Why can't we do it today?" Erika asked, trying her best not to whine.
"Well, we need to set you up with a photographer and gather some clothes," Arisa explained. "We just don't have the time to do it today, is all."
"Oh, I see," Erika said, nodding in understanding. "That's pretty annoying, but I understand."
"Just be grateful that you even got this far," Arisa informed her. "Not everyone gets this kind of opportunity."
Erika walked out of the office, leaving Arisa and Shizuka alone.
"So, what do you think?" Shizuka asked. 
"She can work out, but she might not be cut out for this," Arisa replied. "I'm going to have to test her hard. You understand that, right?"
Shizuka nodded. "Yeah. If she can't take this, she won't survive the real world."
----
The next day Erika received permission from Kanna to take the day off, and made her way back to Moon River for the photoshoot. When she got there Shizuka was not around, but Arisa and the photographer assigned to her greeted her in the studio.
"Erika, right?" the photographer said.
"Yes," Erika answered, bowing politely. "Please take care of me."
"We're going to be doing a few test shots today, to see how you react in different situations. This is just a simple test, nothing major. Just a few poses in a variety of outfits."
"Alright," Erika said.
The photographer led her into the next room, explaining that she would be wearing one of the outfits there. "We're going to do a few simple shots of you in this dress," he explained, as he pulled a bright red floor length dress with a plunging neckline from the clothing rack. "It's a bit revealing, but we need to know how you react wearing it." He held the dress out for Erika to take. "Anyway, put this on, and try to look as natural as possible. Don't worry about trying to look great; just be yourself."
Erika changed into the dress. It was a vibrant shade of red, and the neckline plunged to her navel, exposing a good deal of her cleavage. It was a very attention-grabbing piece of clothing. The maid blushed, but the photographer did not seem to notice.
"Alright," Arisa said. "You're going to do a few simple poses, and then a series of shots from behind. Just follow the photographer's lead. Don't stare at the camera too much; just relax and have fun."
Erika nodded nervously, following the photographer back to the set.
"Alright," he said. "Let's begin!"
Erika posed for several shots. She was starting to enjoy herself when the photographer abruptly stopped. 
"That's good," he said. "Go change into your next outfit."
She changed into a simple black cocktail dress, then returned to the set.
"Alright," he said. "I think we're ready to start the next series of shots!"
The young maid posed for several more shots. She was enjoying herself.
"You look good," the photographer said. "I think this might be a good outfit for you. Let's do a few more poses, then we'll go to the next outfit."
Erika happily followed the photographer's instructions. Maybe she could become a successful model, after all.
When she returned to the dressing room, the next outfit presented to her caused her heart to sink. It was a simple red bunny girl costume, with a white bunny tail attached to the rear, and fishnet stockings for her legs. She groaned in despair.
"What's wrong?" the photographer asked.
"I... can't wear this. My parents would kill me."
"This is all part of what being a model is all about," Arisa said. "You're not going to like everything you wear. This is just one example of it."
"I'm not a bunny girl," Erika pouted.
"This is part of your test. If you can't wear this, who knows what other things you won't wear? Besides, as a starting model you can't make those kind of decisions because you have no pull. Shizuka is an experienced and in-demand model, so she gets to choose what she want to do. When you get to her level, you can, too."
"I... I guess you're right," Erika said, reluctantly accepting the costume. "But I still don't like it."
The photographer smiled. "It's your first day, so I doubt you'll be wearing this for long."
Erika rolled her eyes and changed into the costume. She sighed, tugging at the fishnet stockings as she struggled to put it on. She stood in front of the mirror and studied her reflection, thinking that she must have sunk to a new low to be reduced to wearing something so skimpy and degrading.
She decided to face the music and return to the set. She noted that several props were set up on a table, including a serving tray and a phony drinking glass styled to look like a martini. She knew she would be posing with the serving tray and likely doing several generic poses she had seen anime girls do. 
"Alright, let's begin!" the photographer said. "Get in position! Give me a big smile!"
Erika focused on the camera, and tried to look enthusiastic.
The photographer took several shots, then nodded. "Great! One more set of poses before we move to the next costume! Let's see some sultry and alluring poses."
Erika's eyes widened. "Alluring?"
"Yeah," the photographer said. "Show off your feminine charms. Don't be afraid to let your eyes linger on the camera. Get into the mood!"
Erika frowned. "I'm not... I'm not good at that sort of thing."
"Trust me, you'll be fine," the photographer said, smiling encouragingly. "Don't think of yourself as a girl, think like a woman. Act like you're trying to seduce me."
Erika took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright."
She stepped forward, trying to recall pictures she had seen of Shizuka making the same expressions. She closed her eyes, and tilted her head seductively. Then she opened her eyes and smiled, showing off her white and pearly teeth. 
She saw the photographer smile in response. He snapped several shots of her in various poses. 
Erika sighed in relief. "Thank goodness," she muttered. 
The photographer laughed. "Sorry. I was just getting a feel for the poses. We'll be done with this set in a moment, and then we'll move on to the next costume."
After that set was completed Erika returned to the dressing room, wondering if she would ever get used to posing like a bunny girl. She quickly changed into her next outfit, which was a skimpy two-piece swimsuit. She returned to the set to find the photographer waiting. Erika frowned, tugging at the string that tied her bikini bottom. She was used to wearing a one piece swimsuit, not a bikini. She imagined scenarios in her head where she lost her bikini bottom.
"Isn't this too revealing?" she asked nervously.
"Not if you know what you're doing," the photographer said. "Anyway, let's get this over with." 
The photographer handed Erika an inflated beachball and told her to pose with it. 
"This is a bit odd," Erika muttered, but did as she was told.
The photographer snapped several more shots, pausing to adjust her clothing or give Erika a more flattering pose.
"Okay, that's it for now."
"Alright," Erika muttered.
She returned to the dressing room and put her street clothes back on. When she emerged Arisa was waiting for her.
"You did a good job," Arisa said. "A little rough around the edges, but nothing experience won't fix."
"Thanks," Erika replied, although she felt the star stricken attitude she had at the start faded. She hadn't gotten a chance to really show her abilities yet.
Erika followed Arisa back to the elevator. She pressed the button to take her to the lobby. 
"Thanks again," Erika said. "I think I've got a future in modeling."
Arisa smiled at the compliment. "I'm glad to hear it. Now you just need to work hard and you can be a star model in no time."
Erika returned the smile. She was nervous about her future, but she was also incredibly excited. 
The elevator door opened and Erika stepped out. 
"I'll let you know when you start receiving offers," Arisa said. "Don't quit your job or anything, because modeling is far from steady work. You will need to build your portfolio up enough to get noticed."
"I won't," Erika assured her, bowing to Arisa politely.
----
The next day, Erika went back to work at Kanna's mansion. She cleaned the place again. Once more she ironed clothes and washed laundry. Once more she swept the floor and dusted and polished the furniture. Once more she cleaned the shower.
Erika tried to maintain her usual cheerfulness, but after having a taste of a potential modeling career being a maid somehow felt like a lesser, unfulfilling position. 
However, Erika knew that she could only do her best, so she did her best.
As she cleaned the kitchen another maid, Haruka, peeked into the room. 
"Well, aren't you studious today?" she said with a teasing sneer. 
"I am studious, Haruka" Erika replied.
"Oh, sweet little Erika," Haruka said, using her condescending pet name for Erika. "Well, I heard from a little bird that you think you're better than being a maid."
"I don't think I'm better than being a maid, I am a better maid than you are," she replied, deciding to trade barbs with the older maid.
Haruka's eyes widened in shock and her mouth dropped open. She looked like she was about to say something, but she changed her mind and turned to walk away. 
Erika realized she said something rude to one of her co-workers and didn't want to have her situation with Haruka get any worse. Haruka had a reputation of being a trickster, and Erika was one of her favorite targets, so egging her on like this was likely to get her in more trouble.
"Wait!" Erika called after her. 
Haruka turned to face her. "What?" she asked, clearly upset.
"I'm not better than you," the younger maid clarified. "I'm just better at my job. That's all."
"Whatever," Haruka said dismissively.
After Haruka walked away, Erika sighed and continued cleaning.
Later that afternoon, Haruka approached her again while Erika was cleaning one of the bathrooms.
"Hey, it's your turn to clean up the machine."
Erika rolled her eyes. The machine, as the maids called it, was a strange contraption in a room by itself. Nobody was certain what it was for, but they all knew it was messy to clean up.
"I'll get to it when I'm done here," Erika replied.
"You're really good at ignoring work, you know that?" Haruka stated sourly. "You're either really good at it, or you don't want to do your real job."
"I'm good at cleaning," Erika said. "I also happen to enjoy it. I don't think being a maid is a bad job."
"You're too good for it," Haruka replied, rolling her eyes. "You're too good for us here."
Erika sighed. When she finished cleaning she went to the machine room. It was a mostly featureless room that held nothing but a large, sophisticated looking machine that looked like a type of printing press. Erika had no idea what it did, but she knew it liked to make a mess whenever someone used it.
Erika got to work cleaning the machine, but unbeknownst to her Haruka was waiting at the doorway silently, a smirk on her face. She reached just inside the room and pulled a lever, and the machine whirred to life.
Erika jumped at the sound of the mechanical parts moving, and looked around, not knowing what happened. All she saw was a rapidly moving gears and pumps that made a lot of noise. Since she had opened up the maintenance doors to clean the pipes and nozzles, she screamed in alarm as a clear, sticky fluid jetted out in her face. She held up her hands to the sticky liquid in reflex, but it only covered her hands and arms, and it was getting all over her.
"No!!" she screamed as she was being covered in the clear, sticky goo. 
Haruka laughed as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. When Erika was completely covered in goo, Haruka pulled the lever again, and the machine came to a stop.
Erika stood there, frozen with an exasperated expression on her face as Haruka quietly slipped away, her prank done. Erika had no idea what happened, not knowing Haruka was behind it, nor how the machine suddenly turned on while she was cleaning it. She looked around, and saw the sticky goo all over the room and herself. She reflexively tried to wipe it off her skirt, but only pulled out a sticky strand on her hand.
"I... I'm covered in goo!" she exclaimed in shock.
She tried to scrape it off her skin, but it was a losing battle. She needed a cloth, or something. 
"Hey Erika, look at me."
Haruka's voice snapped Erika out of her shock, and she turned to face her fellow maid. Haruka was standing in the doorway, a mischievous grin on her face. She held out a towel for Erika.
"You need to clean yourself up. What did you do, you clumsy girl?"
"I don't know!" Erika cried, accepting the towel. "It suddenly turned on and sprayed me in... stuff!"
"Oh," Haruka said, nodding her head in understanding. "Well, you need to clean up your own mess, but first you need to clean yourself up."
"But how?"
"Use your imagination," Haruka replied, walking off, leaving Erika to her own devices.
Erika needed to wipe the goo from her clothes. She had no idea how to do it, so she decided to focus on cleaning off her face. Her face was covered in goo, and it had to be dealt with first. She had her eyes closed as she frantically tried to wipe the goo from her face. When she opened her eyes again, her face was clean.
The goo had dried into a sticky, clear coating on her skin and in her hair. It made it easier to peel off the goo from her skin, but her hair and maid uniform were a different matter. The goo was soaked into the fabric of her uniform, and it made her hair feel stiff. Erika surmised she would need to wash her hair thoroughly to get it out.
She decided to strip off her uniform to get out of the yucky mess, and stood in the machine room by herself in her underwear. She peeled the dried goo off her skin to the best of her ability, then surveyed the mess in the room. She sighed, wondering if she was going to get fired for this. She decided to clean up the sticky goo that had spilled on the floor, and started wiping it with a cloth. As she worked, she thought about how she could get out of this mess.
"Doing a good deed doesn't count for much these days," she mumbled to herself, and continued to wipe the goo off the floor. 
When she was done, she had a small pile of goo that she would need to get rid of properly. It seemed like a daunting task, but she didn't see any other option. 
Erika thought about the goo on her ruined uniform. She wondered how long she could stay in this job before she got in serious trouble. She decided to face the music and report what happened to Kanna. 
She made the walk of shame to Kanna's den, drawing stares from the other maids wondering why she was walking around in her underwear. Erika tried her best to keep her chin up and pretend like nothing was wrong, but the embarrassment was getting to her. By the time she made it to her destination she was on the verge of breakdown.
When she entered the den, Kanna looked up at her in surprise.
"Erika, what are you doing?" she asked. "Why are you walking around like that?"
"I... don't think I should be working here anymore," Erika said in a small voice. "I'm sorry, I tried to take care of myself, but I just..."
"You poor thing," Kanna said, jumping up from her chair and giving Erika a big hug.
Erika stepped back, feeling completely filthy, but Kanna did not care, and hugged her. Kanna's eyes began to tear up, and she quickly let go of Erika and stepped back. 
"I don't blame you, Erika. I don't blame you at all. You must have had a rough time."
"I... don't deserve your kindness," Erika said. 
Erika was flustered at Kanna's reaction. She expected a stern reprimand, but all she was getting was nothing but sympathy. She had no doubt Kanna would make a great parent.
Kanna patted Erika on the shoulder. "Now, go get yourself cleaned up. I'll make sure you get sent a spare uniform."
Erika nodded, and left the room. She went to the bathroom to shower, change, and brush her hair. It took her a long time to feel clean again. When she left the shower, she felt like a new person. As Kanna promised, a maid left her a fresh uniform to wear. Erika changed in the bathroom, then went back to the machine room to finish cleaning up.
When she was done, she was exhausted. She removed her dirty uniform and placed it in the laundry pile, and then she curled up on one of the office couches and fell asleep. 
----
Erika dreamed. In her dream, she was a normal college student. She had shoulder-length black hair, and was wearing a simple gray sweater, a pleated, plaid skirt, and dark pantyhose. She entered her college dorm. Her dorm room was small, with only a desk, a dresser, and a single bed. She thought it was perfect, just like her. She was going to take her exams soon. She had studied nonstop for weeks, and she had it all down. She was scared, but she knew she could do it.
That is, until the dream took a turn for the worse. Erika's mind could not come up with the subject matter for the exam, for she wanted to attend university, but did not know for what subject or for what job she really wanted. She simply wanted to attend university for its own sake.
Erika panicked. She did not want to fail. She tried to wake up, but her body was frozen. She was trapped in her dream, unable to move, unable to escape. Her heart began to race. She felt the familiar fear that she had known in so many nightmares. She was so scared that her mind began to create all sorts of scenarios. Would she be kicked out of university? Would she be sent back to her hometown, where she would have to work at a convenience store? She began to cry. She felt so helpless. She was trapped inside her nightmare, and there was nothing she could do.
She woke up in a cold sweat on the floor. Erika realized she rolled off the couch. She sat up and brushed her hair out of her face. She felt disoriented; the dream had been so real. She looked at the clock, noting it was late in the evening, past the dinner hour. She sat up on the couch and buried her head in her hands.
"What am I doing?" she asked herself. "I can't just live like this. I'm not a kid anymore. I need to get my act together."
Erika stood up from the couch. She didn't know where she was going to go. She just knew she needed to get out of the room and move around. She needed to get her mind off of the worries she had.
She decided to go to the maid cafe in Akihabara she used to work at because the maids were always friendly to her, and she needed to see a friendly face. She changed out of her maid uniform and into her street clothes and headed out.
When she got to the maid cafe, she was greeted by the friend foremost in her mind. 
"Good evening, master!" Megumi said as Erika entered. She raised her head from her bow, and her expression turned into excitement. "Oh, Erika! Welcome back!"
"Thanks," Erika said. She felt a wave of gratitude to Megumi, her longtime friend from when they first started working at the maid cafe.
Erika sat down at one of the tables. She ordered a glass of orange juice and a chocolate pastry from the dessert menu. She wondered what she should do. She should go to the university, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, not only because of the expense, but for the fact that she didn't know what she would study when she got there. She was in a rut. She didn't want to study. She had no real dreams, no real goals. She was going nowhere.
Megumi interrupted her gloomy thoughts by bringing her chocolate dessert and juice. "Here you go. You look like you're in deep thought, Erika."
"Yeah... I'm fine."
"Okay, then. Enjoy your meal!"
Erika sighed as she took a bite of her dessert. The chocolate was delicious, the cream smooth and sweet. She was thankful for Kanna's generous salary that she could afford to eat like this.
She thought about what she should do. She decided that she really needed more modeling jobs and make her fortune that way, just like Shizuka, but she needed a way to expand her portfolio. She couldn't just start applying to modeling jobs; she would have to network and build relationships. Erika knew Arisa would keep her appraised for modeling work, but she felt like she needed to do something now.
She paid for her dessert and waved goodbye to Megumi. She decided that she would head to the fashion district in Shinjuku. She figured that there were many fashion modeling jobs there. 
Erika was looking for a place where she could obtain freelance modeling jobs, things that did not require an agent to obtain on her behalf. Sometimes these were low budget affairs, but they were usually meant to give up-and-coming models more experience. She found an office that looked promising and inquired about modeling work. 
----
A few days later Erika received notice of an open casting call for a late night variety show which was looking for an outgoing, cute girl, and Erika was a candidate who fit the bill. She was overjoyed; she quickly left the mansion to get to the casting call as soon as possible, making an excuse that she needed to run an errand. She did not change out of her maid uniform, and hoped that the casting call wouldn't mind.
When she got to the large and modern building that housed the variety show, she was surprised to find a long line of girls waiting to get in. Erika joined the end of the line, looking at the girls around her and thinking that they were all probably competing for the same job. They all had hopes and dreams, just like she did. 
A tall, thin man in a suit with slicked back hair and glasses came up to the front of the line and scanned the people around him. "How many of you are here for the casting call?" he asked in a loud voice. 
The girls all shifted around nervously. Erika found herself shifting from one foot to the other. She imagined herself on the stage, with the perfect chance at her dream job. She found herself wondering if the man would notice her if she got the part.
"Excellent," the man said. "We're looking for a girl that has a cute, bubbly, and friendly personality. You're all going to go in together. Just do your best. Don't worry about the results. The important thing is to have fun."
Erika found herself in the hallway with the rest of the girls. They fussed with their hair, straightened their clothes, and did their makeup in front of the mirrors. Erika was already in character; she knew exactly who she was supposed to be. 
"This is going to be fun!" she said to herself. 
As the last girl in line she had to wait a very long time while the casting director weeded out the candidates. Erika found the line was moving quicker than expected, and wondered what kind of draconian selection process was taking place. 
When it was her turn, she saw the casting director and his compatriots looked extremely bored. 
"Is the maid outfit your gimmick?" the casting director asked, irritated.
"Oh, no, this is my day job," Erika replied. "I work as a maid."
The casting director raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Name and age, please."
"I'm Erika, age twenty," she replied.
"Twenty? You look much younger than that."
"Thank you." Erika smiled. She tried to hold back her embarrassment at being thought of as a young, naive twit.
"Can you show us something?" the casting director asked. "Please."
Erika was confused. She had never modeled before, and had no experience acting. "I'm sorry, what are you asking me to do?" she asked.
"Could you please do a twirl for us?" the casting director suggested.
"A twirl? Well, okay," Erika said, taken aback.
She looked down at her maid uniform and her short skirt. Erika realized that doing the twirl would billow her skirt in the spin, showing off her panties, which is probably what the casting director wanted. She understood that this was a test, and decided to swallow her pride and do the twirl. She took her time, and did the twirl to the best of her ability.
"Oh, a beautiful white angel!" one of the men muttered.
"Okay, that's enough. Thank you," the casting director said. "You're hired."
"Oh, I... I don't understand," Erika said. "I didn't do anything."
"You've passed the test," the casting director said. "You have the right personality and the looks, and the ability to follow directions."
Erika was speechless. 
"You're hired," he repeated. "Congratulations."
"But I didn't do anything."
The casting director laughed. "Maybe you just didn't believe me that I wanted you. I've had a feeling about you since the moment I saw you. Just keep it up, and you'll get it in the end." 
Erika was too shocked to respond. She couldn't believe it. She had actually gotten a part on a late night variety show.
Afterward, Erika found out she had gotten the part of the hostess of a quiz show. The show runners wanted her for her looks and personality, and all she had to do was read off a card with the same energy. She had a suspicion that part of her looks requirement had to do with fan service, but she shoved that to the back of her mind.  This was the opportunity of a lifetime. Her parents were going to be so proud of her.
----
Erika had been chosen as the hostess of a late night quiz show. The show was called "Give It All You Got." Erika would ask the contestants to answer various qeustions, and if they did well, they would receive prizes, but if they failed they received a penalty game, an activity that was done at their expense for laughs.
On the day of her first show, Erika was nervous, but she knew she would do well. Her costume made her look like an idol singer. A huge tutu was wrapped around her, and over the tutu she wore a sparkling, low cut top. On her feet, she wore four inch platform boots. The effect was that of a scantily clad pop idol. Erika thought it was absolutely adorable.
Erika had to admit, she was also a little excited. This would be her first time hosting her own show. She wondered who her "regular" guests would be. Would famous people come on the show, and speak to her and the audience? That would be so cool! 
Erika's first show was a success. She had a lot of fun, and the audience seemed to enjoy her, too. None of the contestants won the quiz and each had to play a penalty game. Erika found the penalty games amusing. One contestant had to wear a ridiculous outfit, and then perform some humiliating activity in public for the audience's amusement. Another was simply put in a booth and doused with slime.
While the quiz so was a success, Erika did not tell anyone she was the hostess. She was using the variety show as a second job while she continued to work as a maid for Kanna, as the scheduling allowed for it.
After two weeks, however, audiences were getting tired of the show. Most of the contestants were too stupid and the penalty games were frequent, so the producers decided to spice up the gimmick and have the winning prize being the ability to put the hostess into the penalty game. Erika was alarmed at such a change as she was not expecting to do anything like that, but she was assured that the quiz would remain as it was.
For the first three days of the change, the producers were right, and the quiz remained the obstacle to putting Erika in the penalty game. However, on the fourth day, a savvy contestant managed to beat the quiz, which meant that Erika had to play the penalty game instead.
"Oh no!" Erika cried out in fear and shock.
She stomped her feet in place nervously as the audience roared in delight. The contestant who won the quiz sat with his friends in the front row of the studio, while Erika was in the penalty game corner, by herself. She was placed in the booth, stammering nervously as she anticipated the slime dumped over her head. She futily tried to hide by covering her ears with her hands. The slime was dumped over her head, and she squealed involuntarily at how cold and sticky it was. The audience cheered loudly as the slime completely covered her. She was a mess.
After the taping for the show finished Erika took a shower and then slumped on the chair in her dressing room, wearing nothing but a bathrobe. She counted her blessings that nobody knew she was doing this show because she could not handle the thought of someone she knew seeing her get slimed on live television like that. 
After five more tapeings, however, Erika was slimed five more times. She realized the quiz show was rigged because the ratings for the show went up when she was slimed. She confronted the producers about it, who admitted to the rigged quiz questions. Erika was so furious that she quit on the spot.
----
Erika's stint on the quiz show lasted only a month. By this time Kanna was seven months pregnant, and Yuki, Shizuka's roommate, returned from her trip, altering Erika's living arrangements. Erika asked Kanna for a place to stay, and was granted one of the guest rooms for her personal use. While she enjoyed living with Shizuka she did not enjoy sleeping on the couch every night.
Shizuka was still in the middle of filming her action scenes as the assassin on "Masquerade of Moonlight", and much of her time was spent practicing her own stunts. It was one of the qualities that landed her the role in the first place because it made her action scenes appear more authentic to audiences. She had to leave earlier on weekday mornings because she had to get to the set early to practice her own stunts before the scene was shot in the evening.
Shizuka woke up one morning to find Yuki making her breakfast.
"Oh, you're up," Yuki said. "Good morning!"
"I don't know, I think Erika was a better cook than you," Shizuka grumbled, shaking off the sleepiness.
"Well, she's not here anymore, so I get to make breakfast now!" Yuki said cheerfully.
"Fine. But hurry up, I have to go to work."
Yuki walked over to Shizuka. "I missed you, too."
After Yuki finished cooking, she gave Shizuka a big grin. "You're the best roommate ever!"
"Yeah, well, I'm also your only roommate."
"Whatever you say, babe," Yuki said, flirtatious.
The two friends sat down to eat, as if they were never apart. Shizuka liked treating it as if Yuki had never left, reluctant to buy into her lovey-dovey routine. It seemed as if her long work trip did little to curb her impulsiveness.
"So, have you seen Megumi since you got back?" Shizuka asked.
"No, but I've been texting her all the time," Yuki said. "I haven't had time to stop by the maid cafe yet. By the way, did you know Erika used to work there? Apparently Megumi and Erika are friends."
"Small world, I guess," Shizuka conceded. "It all adds up. Kanna likes going to that maid cafe, so it makes sense she hired Erika to work for her directly from that place."
"I think I'll go by the cafe today," Yuki said. "I want to see Megumi again."
"Well, I have to work today, so you're on your own. Say 'hi' to Megumi for me."
"Will do," Yuki said.
After Yuki left, Shizuka took a shower and got changed, then headed out to practice her stunts for the evening's shoot.
----
Megumi was at the maid cafe, working as a waitress. She was serving customers when he saw Yuki as she was walking in the door.
"Megumi, it's me, Yuki! I came to say hi!"
"Oh, hi, Yuki," Megumi said, smiling. 
Yuki smiled back at her girlfriend. It had been a month since they last saw each other in person, before Yuki left on her travel photography trip. Back then, she got Megumi in trouble with her boss when it was found out that the couple had sex in one of the private rooms on work time. For the time spent away Yuki hoped Megumi's boss would forgive her.
"I haven't stopped thinking about you all day," Yuki said.
"Yeah, me neither. I really wanted to see you again," Megumi said.
"I know," Yuki said.
Megumi leaned in and whispered into Yuki's ear. "Come see me tonight at my apartment after work, okay?"
"Of course I will," Yuki said.
Megumi smiled at Yuki, then walked away to serve a customer.
Yuki sighed and went to leave the cafe.
That night, Yuki went to Megumi's apartment. The two spent hours talking and catching up. They kissed and cuddled for most of the night. 
"I'm so glad you're back," Megumi said, as she held Yuki tightly. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too, Megumi," Yuki said. "You know, I still can't believe I went sightseeing without you."
"Well, I'm glad you went," Megumi said, as she traced a finger up and down Yuki's side. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
"Exactly. I mean it," Yuki said.
"I love you, Yuki," Megumi said.
"I love you, Megumi."
The two kissed, and cuddled. They started feeling each other up, and lay down on Megumi's bed and made out with each other, slowly undressing each other. They spent the rest of the night making out, getting turned on, and having sex together, as if they were making up for lost time. It was the best sex Yuki had in her life.
Yuki woke up the next morning feeling sore, but invigorated. Megumi was still asleep in her arms. Yuki smiled, and softly kissed Megumi's cheek before she got out of bed. Yuki quietly left the room and headed to the bathroom. After she showered, Yuki got dressed and decided to make Megumi breakfast. 
Yuki cooked eggs and toast for Megumi, and made a fruit salad. She brought it all into Megumi's room, and set it down on the bed. 
"I made you some breakfast."
Megumi woke up and took one look at the food. "You cooked?"
"Yeah," Yuki said.
"Wow. I... don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything. I thought you'd like some company. It was a lonely morning."
Megumi sat up in bed and helped herself to some of the food. She smiled. "Thank you for making me breakfast."
"You're welcome," Yuki said.
The two finished eating in silence. Megumi looked at Yuki, and she leaned in and gave her a swift peck on the cheeks.
"I should go. I have to work."
"Yeah, me too."
They finished breakfast quickly, showered, and got dressed. They parted at the train station, sharing one last kiss before they went their separate ways.
Yuki spent her day working on some photoshoots. When she got home, her apartment was dark. Yuki knew Shizuka was likely out shooting her movie which was scheduled for late night filming. Yuki poured herself a glass of water and settled on the couch to wait for Shizuka. She turned on the television and went through her video recorder to catch up on anime she missed during her work trip.
As she watched the shows Yuki was considering what to do for cosplay for the regular weekend gathering at the park that occurred every month. She frequently made a costume for Shizuka so they could go both in costume together, but Shizuka's schedule was preventing her from making the time to go lately. The last time she went with Megumi, and wondered if she wanted to do a group cosplay with her.
Yuki had fallen asleep on the couch, dreaming of the wonderful costumes she could make, when Shizuka returned home. Shizuka nudged Yuki on the shoulder.
"Wake up, Yuki," Shizuka said softly into her friend's ear. "You can't sleep on the couch."
"Huh?" Yuki murmured, her eyes heavy with sleep.
"Did you sleep at Megumi's apartment last night?"
"Yeah...."
"I was wondering where you went when you never came home last night."
"Huh?" Yuki said, snapping her eyes open and sitting straight up on the couch.
"Did you two go out to have fun?"
"Uh... no." Yuki said, shaking her head. "We went to bed...."
Shizuka smirked as she folded her arms. "It must have been real good, huh."
"Oh come on, stop acting like that," Yuki replied, playfully shoving her friend back. "I'm a grown-up. Not everyone is a prude like you."
"Whatever." Shizuka shrugged, then sat down on the couch next to Yuki. She let out a great, big sigh.
"Filming was rough tonight?" Yuki wondered.
"Yeah," Shizuka replied, staring up at the ceiling. "But it still beats what they had me do earlier this month."
"The naked pole dance?"
"I wasn't naked for that," she corrected her friend. "It's just called that to get attention."
Yuki nodded. Pre-release advertising on the film was already making a buzz about the sequence where Shizuka's character was painted all white and doing a pole dance naked. Shizuka insisted that she was wearing a full body suit and a wig for it, but marketing apparently wanted to play it up. The promotional image put unmistakable censor bars over her privates which only fueled speculation.
Yuki, being Shizuka's best friend and roommate, was already very familiar with Shizuka's body dimensions and it was far from remarkable, especially her small chest. The advertising airbrushed huge knockers on Shizuka which is why Yuki believed her friend when she claimed it was a body suit. Yuki felt sorry for her, knowing she was going to get flack over something she couldn't control.
"At least now you get to relax tonight," Yuki said sympathetically. "You worked hard while filming."
"Yeah," Shizuka said, running a hand through her lilac hair. "You know, Yuki, I should thank you for everything you've done for me."
"Oh, really? Like what?"
Shizuka smiled, though her eyes didn't quite meet Yuki's. "Everything. If we hadn't met I would probably still be a lowly, freelance model working odd jobs. Now I'm a high class fashion model and an actress. It's strange how things turned out in the past four to five years."
"Well, you're welcome. I'm glad you're doing well."
Shizuka tilted her head, her eyes smiling. She reached out her hand and ran her fingers along Yuki's jaw. She leaned in and gave Yuki a small peck on the cheek. "I'll see you in the morning."
Yuki's eyes followed her friend until she shut the door. She turned back to the television and shut down the video recorder, knowing she would have to figure out what she missed when she fell asleep later. She got up and went to her own room, deciding that her friend was right-- it was better to sleep in your own bed.
----
Kanna was woken up that morning by a shrill ringing of her cell phone. She groaned and rolled over, hoping to drown out the noise. She glanced at her side and knew that her husband, Shion, had already gotten up, as he usually did. She was annoyed that he spent so much time awake, but that was the cost of working as an in-demand information broker.
She shuffled around in bed, her seven months of pregnancy making her feel like a beached whale. The pregnancy was starting to irritate her and she knew it was her hormones making her feel that way, but everything was annoying her lately. She reached over to the nightstand and fumbled with her hand trying to pick up her phone. 
By the time she got her hands on her phone Kanna wanted to just throw it at the wall, but she looked at it and recognized the caller, and decided to answer.
"Hello, Kanna speaking," she greeted the caller.
"Lady Kanna, it's me! Did you get my messages?" Erika asked.
Kanna sighed. Erika was one of her favorite maids, but over the past couple of months she had been asking for more and more time off to take care of personal business. Kanna didn't want to pry into her life, but the frequency of the requests and the irritation of being woken up over it was getting to her.
"I got your messages, Erika," Kanna replied, not bothering to keep the irritation out of her voice. "I have to ask, because you keep asking for time off, just what are you doing?"
"Oh, I'm not doing anything important. Just shopping, cleaning, and going to the temple. You know, the usual."
"Erika, I don't want to pry, but I'm getting the feeling that you and I aren't working on the same schedule," Kanna said.
"Well, we do have some personal issues that are a little more... time-sensitive than the average job," Erika replied.
Kanna didn't respond. She knew that Erika was right. She had been ignoring her personal life for a couple of years now, working twelve hour days, six days a week. She deserved some time for herself.
"I think I'm going to give you some time off," Kanna said. "But I'm going to warn you, you need to put your affairs in order. We're already giving you room and board because your parents threw you out of the house, and I still need you, so don't test my patience."
"Yes, ma'am," Erika replied. "Thank you, ma'am."
"I'll talk to you later, Erika."
"Thank you, Lady Kanna."
Kanna hung up the phone and let out a quiet sigh. Erika had gotten exactly what she had wanted, but this time it was going to come with strings attached. She called her husband quickly.
"Hi, dear," Shion answered. 
"I need you to find out what Erika is doing," Kanna instructed. "She keeps asking for time off and it never seems to end, so I suspect she has something going on the side."
"Okay, I'll get on it," he assured her.
Kanna hung up and placed her phone back on the nightstand. She needed to rest, so she could face the challenges of the future with her husband. She drifted back to sleep.
Kanna was woken up at about noon by the sound of a knock on her door. As soon as she raised her head up she saw her husband walk into the room, entering without waiting for a response, as he was wont to do.
"It's about Erika," Shion explained, his glasses reflecting the sunlight from the window. "Is this a good time for you?"
Kanna nodded, stiffing a yawn. "I'm ready," she replied.
"You're not going to believe it, but she went to the talent agency where Shizuka and Yuki work at," her husband explained. "Apparently she's trying to build a portfolio for a modeling career. She's been trying to do shoots here and there and they all coincide with the times she asked for time off."
"What is she doing this for?" Kanna wondered.
"I haven't found out. Maybe it's better that we ask her directly," he suggested thoughtfully.
Kanna didn't respond. She knew that he was right.
"Do you need anything before I go?" Shion asked, adjusting the rim of his glasses thoughtfully.
"I think I'm good," Kanna replied quietly. "Just tell me when Erika gets back so I can talk to her, please."
"Okay," he said, walking over to the side of the bed. Shion leaned down and gave Kanna a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll try to bring her back alive," he joked.
Kanna let out a soft giggle. "Let's hope so," she said.
Shion turned around and left the room.
Kanna lay there for a moment. She was going to have to confront Erika about this, but first she needed to get out of bed.
----
It was late in the afternoon when Erika returned to the mansion, as Kanna expected. Erika now lived in the mansion and there was nowhere else for her to go, so being able to confront her was simply a matter of waiting out time.
Kanna was sitting in her study when a maid announced Erika's arrival. The younger maid entered, wearing a nice blouse and skirt combination, probably wanting to impress whoever she was meeting with.
"Come sit down," Kanna ordered, gesturing to the couch.
Erika nodded wordlessly, her expression betraying her expectation she was about to get scolded. Kanna internally chuckled at this thought, as if it was practice for her own kid a few years down the line.
"Would you like some tea?" Kanna asked.
"Uh, no, thank you. I'm fine," Erika replied.
Kanna nodded in response. "Listen, Erika. I'm sure you know that your recent absence has been rather odd for us," she began.
"I'm sorry. I'll try to be more careful in the future," Erika said.
"It's not about that. It's just that my husband and I have been worried about you. Are you working two jobs?" Kanna asked.
"No, I mean, not full time, but I'm working on it," Erika said. 
"Are you working on a modeling career?" Kanna asked.
"Well, I'm trying to build up a portfolio," Erika said.
"I see. Do you like it?"
"I think so," Erika said. "I'm not sure."
"What do you mean?" Kanna asked. "Are you not enjoying it?"
"Well, it's hard to enjoy it when I'm not doing it full time. It's just that I don't know if it's for me," Erika said. "It's not as glamorous as I imagined."
"Do you want to try something else? I'm sure my husband can get you a job that will make you happy," Kanna said.
"No, no. I'm glad I've been able to find a job that I enjoy. I'm just having doubts now and then," Erika said. "I mean, no offense, Lady Kanna, but I don't want to work as a maid for the rest of my life. I'm trying to explore my options, see if there's something else I'm meant to do. I'm not even sure what I want to do."
"I can't say that I blame you. I'm not saying you have to do what I say, but I think you should do what you want. I'm just trying to give you a heads up. I think you'll enjoy whatever you choose," Kanna said. 
"Thank you. I appreciate that," Erika said. 
"I hope you find what you're looking for. I want you to be happy."
"Thank you, Lady Kanna. I appreciate your support."
"In the meantime, you're still one of my maids, and you have responsibilities," Kanna added, shifting gears. "Go get changed and help prepare dinner."
"Yes, Lady Kanna."
Erika left the room. Kanna sighed and leaned back in her chair. She thought of her maids like a small little family and the thought of Erika leaving made her sad. Many of the maids working in the mansion worked for their whole lives, with some even retiring in service of her family. Kanna was not surprised someone as young as Erika wanted to do more with her life.
She shook her head in resignation. Family would be the least of her concerns if Erika left, she thought. She could only hope that Erika would be satisfied in her work.
----
Erika changed into her maid outfit and set off to the kitchen in order to prepare dinner. She saw the cooks and maids assigned there hard at work. They all greeted her and chatted about the day's events. 
Erika did not mean to worry Kanna about her activities, but she had to admit it was her fault for keeping her in the dark about it. The photoshoots for her portfolio were not terribly exciting and were relatively mundane activities that Erika wondered if she was ever going to get a real modeling gig. The modeling work she had been doing was not glamorous or prestigious. It was just work, and most of it was menial. 
Erika had been working for Kanna for two years. Kanna had made her feel like a true member of the family even though she was working as a mere servant. Sometimes she wondered if Kanna was a better parent than her own biological parents, who worked all day and paid little attention to her growing up. The thought made her heart ache with a sense of loss, but the feeling was blunted when she remembered they threw her out of the house when they found out she was a maid. 
Dinner preparation went in the routine the staff was used to. Erika learned how to prepare meals and cook a few dishes from the chef employed at the mansion which she knew was a vast improvement over her parents' nonexistent cooking. Most of the time the meal preparation was simply for Shion and Kanna, with the occasional guest, so the number of portions were never large. Frequently Shion's work kept him from attending meals at regular intervals which the kitchen staff was always prepared for, but Kanna always showed up.
Kanna was very particular about the food she was served. Erika learned that Kanna's tastes were extremely refined, but she was not as concerned with the presentation as much as she was the flavor. Erika wondered if Kanna was like that because of her background in the upper class or if that was just her personality. 
After a few minutes, the sounds of dinner preparations grew quiet as the staff returned to their duties. Erika went to the kitchen and removed the leftovers. She would take the leftovers to Shion later so he wouldn't get hungry. More than once he was so engrossed in his work that he would often forget to eat entirely so the maids made sure to bring him food to his office when he didn't show up. The mansion was built to accommodate a workaholic employer, and everyone knew it. 
Tonight it was Erika's turn to deliver the leftovers to Shion. She placed them all in a bag and left the kitchen, making her way down the halls of the mansion to Shion's office.
"I've brought you your dinner, sir," Erika said when she entered the office.
Shion nodded. "Thank you, Erika." 
Shion was sitting at his desk, his eyes glued to one of his numerous computer monitors. He didn't look up as Erika placed the bag on his dining table, set away from the desk to make sure he didn't try to eat while working. Erika had no idea what Shion was doing when he had so many monitors to look at and wondered what kind of information he was sifting through all the time. 
"Please remember to eat before it gets cold!" Erika said while bowing politely.
"Sure thing," he replied without looking up.
Erika stood there for a few moments, but Shion showed no signs of leaving his desk. Taking in a deep sigh, she turned and left the office. She checked the time and mentally reminded herself to return in an hour to clean up his dinner, hoping that Shion will actually eat it this time.
To kill time Erika went back to the kitchen and fixed herself her own dinner. The mansion staff was allowed to prepare their own meals and were not required to eat together, and frequently they did not as they were working on their own schedules and ate at times convenient to them. Erika had no other duties that night beside clean up Shion's dinner so she was free to eat.
Erika checked the time. An hour had passed. She was a little late, but she was hoping it wouldn't cause any trouble. She entered Shion's office quietly. He was still engrossed in whatever he was looking at on his computer, but he did not look up at her. Much to her frustration, the dinner she brought him remained on the dinner table, undisturbed.
"The dinner is cold," Erika said.
"Oh, really? Give me a minute."
"You can't keep doing this," Erika scolded him. "The chef put in a lot of work every day so you can eat well and you don't even eat it."
"Sorry," Shion said, looking away from his computers for the first time Erika noticed. "I usually don't eat like this."
Erika sighed. Shion married into Kanna's wealthy family and came from a more ordinary background, so his sense of refinement when it came to food was more mundane than his wife's. He would frequently prefer more common meals than the more expensive dishes Kanna wanted, which annoyed the kitchen staff to no end. Tonight, he asked for a simple bowl of soba, something average workers ate for lunch.
"I'll eat it, don't worry." Shion got up from his desk and made his way to the table. 
Erika sighed, not knowing what to do if he was planning to eat it now while it was cold.
"Have a seat," he offered, gesturing to another chair at the table.
Erika sat down across from Shion as he unpacked his meal from the bag. As she suspected, dinner had gotten cold, but for whatever reason Shion did not seem to mind and ate his cold soba straight up. 
"Why are you always so busy?" Erika asked.
"I don't know. I can't seem to find the time to stop."
"Find the time to stop what?"
"Stop working, for one."
"Oh, I didn't mean to sound like I'm pressuring you, I just—"
"I know, I know. It's just it takes time to collect and process information, and finding what people want."
Erika knew Shion was an information broker so he was often hired to find obscure factoids. He likely also dealt with a lot of under-the-table things she wasn't privy to, and he was unlikely to elaborate on. Nobody in the mansion knew what exactly he did at any given moment, only that it was apparently very lucrative.
"I'm sorry I brought it up. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I just thought you might be able to cut down on some of your other commitments if you had a little free time."
"It's okay," he said as he finished up the last of the dinner. "I'll make time for this."
Shion put down his noodle bowl, stood up from the table and went over to his desk. He promptly went back to whatever he was doing, leaving Erika to pack up the finished meal.
Erika walked back to the kitchen and left the bowl and utensils for another maid to clean. She made her way back to her room and shut the door, then sat down on her bed and sighed deeply. Erika wondered what her life would have been like if she had not taken Kanna's offer to work as a maid. She certainly would not be sitting in that room, but she wouldn't be wearing a maid uniform with a short skirt, either. She was thankful for her position, even if it was more mundane than she imagined it would be when she first applied. She had a wonderful boss and more disposable income than the average girl her age. It was a nice life.
Erika took off her uniform and went to take a shower. As she stood under the hot water, she thought about Shion and his work. She wondered what it would be like to be an information broker. It sounded exciting, but also very demanding. She didn't know if she would have the patience for it. But then again, she didn't know what else she wanted to do with her life. 
She got out of the shower, dried off and put on her pajamas. She brushed her hair, put on lip gloss and lay down on her bed. She wondered if it was for the best that her parents threw her out of the house. She didn't have to worry about bills or an apartment, or anything like that. She was free to make her own decisions. That thought made her feel a little sad, but also incredibly happy.
Erika closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
----
A few days later, Erika received a call from Arisa. She was assigning her to a photoshoot with Yuki as her photographer. Erika was excited to hear the news. Yuki was unavailable for most of the time she was called to do shoots for her portfolio, and Erika knew Yuki was the photographer that made Shizuka famous. She hoped Yuki could work her magic for her budding career as well.
The next day Erika received permission from Kanna to attend the photoshoot, which took place at the talent agency. Yuki met her in the lobby.
"Ah, Erika, I'm glad you could make it!" Yuki greeted with a warm smile. 
"Yeah, of course, I wouldn't miss this for the world!" Erika answered.
Yuki led her down the hallways to the set where the shoot would take place. It was no different from any other set Erika went to, with the usual lighting and the drape background. The two went into the dressing room, where Yuki stopped in front of a rack of clothes.
"So, do you have any preferences for outfits?" she asked.
Erika looked at the rack of clothes, feeling a sense of anticipation and excitement. She knew this photoshoot was important for her future career as a model, and she wanted to look her best. "Um, not really," she said. "I... uh... just don't want to look like a fool."
"Well, unlike the previous photographers you worked with, I'm going to challenge you," Yuki declared with a smile. She reached on the rack and pulled out a costume, holding it out for Erika to see. "Let's start with this."
Erika gasped as she took the costume in her hands. It was a black corset with a low cut lingerie panties, a garter belt, and black stockings. The panties were almost see-through with a stitched flower pattern. Her eyes widened as she looked at the outfit, and she felt herself blush. 
"This... this is kind of racy," Erika stammered nervously.
"Yeah, I know!" Yuki replied, a cheerful smile on her face. "That's the point! This is what it takes to be a supermodel these days. You need to be comfortable with who you are and what you're doing. So, do you like it?"
"I... um, yes, I do," Erika answered as she started to feel self-conscious.
"Perfect!" Yuki exclaimed. She handed Erika a pair of black stilettos. "Put these on, and we'll get started."
"Okay," Erika said.
Erika put on the corset and panties, then hooked the stockings to her garter belt, then slipped her feet in the stilettos. She then applied black eye shadow and black lipstick, then added a little pink to her cheeks and did her eyelashes. Erika stared at herself in the mirror with Yuki behind her, who looked pleased with her work.
"You look fabulous!" Yuki declared.
Erika looked at herself, unsure. She thought she looked like a prostitute, and was certain her parents would disown her completely if they saw her like this. At the same time, she realized she felt like a sex symbol, and the realization that an ordinary girl like her can be made to look like an attractive bombshell made something in her warm up.
"Alright, let's go!" Yuki said with a smile.
Erika followed Yuki out of the dressing room and back to the set. She stood nervously against the backdrop, unsure if she was supposed to be ashamed or emboldened.
"We're going to do a quick pose," Yuki said. "I want you to remember you are a sultry, attractive girl. Try to seduce me with your looks and body language."
Erika nodded nervously, unsure what exactly this meant.
"Stand with your legs apart, and look at me seductively," Yuki commanded.
Erika blushed. She took a deep breath, and stared seductively at Yuki.
"Good," Yuki said, "but you have to believe you're seducing me. Everyone can see you don't really mean it."
"Okay," Erika replied.
"Now, give me a good look," Yuki said. "Let's see what you've got."
Erika blushed and stared at Yuki, trying to look alluring.
"You need to stop blushing," the photgrapher demanded. "I'm not here to flirt with you. I'm here to make you famous."
"Okay," Erika said nervously.
Yuki walked in front of Erika, looking at her critically. "You've got great potential, Erika. It's just a matter of making you the superstar that you're meant to be. That's why I'm here. That's why you're here. The fact is, you're not comfortable in your own body, and that's critical to being a successful model. You need to feel comfortable in who you are, and what you're doing. That's the only way you'll ever be able to make it far in this business. Let's work on that."
"Okay, um... thanks," Erika said, unsure what this all meant for her future. "But, why did we have to start with... this outfit? It makes me feel uncomfortable."
"It's a start," Yuki replied with a shrug. "But that's just it. You're going to have to push yourself out of your comfort zone if you want to achieve anything in this industry. This photoshoot is just the beginning. We're going to keep pushing you until you learn to love yourself."
Erika nodded, still feeling unsure of herself.
"You followed Shizuka's career, didn't you?" Yuki asked. "She's had a lot of success so far. She's got a great body and looks, and she's comfortable in her own skin. But she wasn't always like this. I made her do things she was uncomfortable with and she always did them to the best of her ability. She's never let anyone or anything get the best of her, and she knows that's what sells in this industry. You're going to have to do the same thing. You're going to have to push yourself out of your comfort zone so that you can achieve what you want. Understand?"
Erika nodded, this time a little more vigorously.
"Good," Yuki said, her expression softening. "Now, follow my lead. I'm in charge of this photoshoot, but you're going to be doing most of the work. The only thing I ask is that you do what I say. Got it?"
"Got it," the young maid confirmed.
"That's better," Yuki said. She walked up to Erika and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her along. Erika immediately became nervous, but she followed her anyway. "Now, let's start with a few basic poses. I want you to strike a seductive pose and show me what you've got."
Erika stood in front of the camera, feeling nervous and self-conscious. She tried to strike a seductive pose, but wasn't sure if it looked right. Her body felt awkward, and she wasn't sure what to do.
"That's it! You're doing great, Erika! Now, a seductive pose with your hand on your chest!" Yuki exclaimed. "Yes! Excellent. Now, a few more. Try them all, don't worry about being perfect. I want to see what you're capable of!"
Yuki seemed pleased with Erika's performance, and soon there were dozens of photos of Erika seductively posing. In some photos, she managed to look truly alluring. In others, she looked awkward and unsure. Yuki praised Erika on her improvement, but when the shoot ended, Erika was met with more criticism.
"You'll get better with more experience," Yuki said. "When you make a mistake, correct it. When you make a good pose, do it again. Learn from your mistakes and keep working. You'll get there."
Erika didn't really know if that was true, but she was determined to prove herself. She went back to the dressing room and changed into the next outfit for her shoot, which turned out to be a skimpy bikini. Erika put on a smile and went back to the studio.
The photos came out great. She had fun doing the shoot and felt good about herself when it was over. She had more confidence in herself and her abilities.
Erika went back to the dressing room to put on the third outfit, which was a floral sundress. The rest of the shoot went smoothly. Erika posed for the camera with confidence and ease. She realized that Yuki was right-- stepping out of her comfort zone was necessary for success in this industry.
After the shoot was over, Yuki walked up to Erika with a big smile on her face.
"I'm proud of you," Yuki said. "You worked really hard on this, and you did a great job."
"Thanks," Erika said. "I had a really good photographer make me look good."
"That's the spirit! Keep it up. You're a great model, and you just keep on learning."
Erika went back to the dressing room and changed back into her street clothes, then joined Yuki in her office to settle down.
Yuki held out a photo book for Erika to see. "I want you to look at these pictures, and tell me what you see."
Erika opened the book and studied the pictures. She turned each page, reading each caption. Her eyes widened as she went through the pictures. She looked up at Yuki, her mouth slightly agape. She looked back down at the photos, her eyes wide with shock. "These pictures... they're obviously pictures you've taken. They're all of the same girl in weird costumes in various poses."
"Yes," Yuki said, with an amused smile. "All of those are Shizuka."
Erika was speechless. She felt her cheeks heat up and realized she was blushing, embarrassed for Shizuka for having to wear such strange costumes. 
"Shizuka was very reluctant to wear each and every one of those costumes," Yuki continued. "That is how she started. You know where she is now. She paid her dues and is very successful."
"She's better than me," Erika said, a hint of sadness in her voice.
The photgrapher chuckled. "That's not true, Erika. You're a great model, and you have a great future ahead of you. You just have to believe in yourself."
Erika looked down at the photo book again. She felt she would never want to be caught dead wearing any of the costumes, yet Shizuka, who she looked up to as her inspiration to become a model, was in the pictures, wearing them as if it were second nature.
"Do you know why she wears those outfits?" Erika asked, her voice wavering.
"I don't know," Yuki said. "Shizuka is a... unique person. She lives her life as if her last day was tomorrow. I've seen her take more jobs than anyone and she takes very little downtime. Most people think she's a workaholic, but maybe she enjoys the process more than most models."
"Do you think she... that is, do you think she... finds fulfillment in what she does?" Erika asked, feeling awkward and unsure of herself.
"Yes, I do," Yuki said. "Shizuka loves modeling. She's really into it. She wants to be the best at it."
"She's great," Erika said. "I want to be just like her."
Yuki smiled. "Be careful what you wish for."
Erika flipped through a few more pages of the photo book and immediately saw what Yuki meant. If Erika was embarrassed by the earlier photos in the book, she found the later ones more disturbing. The costumes and outfits, while all tastefully done, were a little more than Erika felt she could handle.
"You okay, Erika?" Yuki asked, seeing her face become flushed.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Erika said. "I was just imagining what it would be like if I were in these pictures and it's a little overwhelming."
"I see," Yuki said.
Erika put the book down and looked up at Yuki. "I understand you want to take me out of my comfort zone. You showed me this photo book because that's what it took for Shizuka to become the model she is. I'm not sure if that's the path I want to take."
"So what do you want to do?" Yuki asked.
Erika thought for a moment. "I want to do what Shizuka does. I want to be the best in my field. At the same time, I don't want to lose sight of who I am. There are things I won't do because I would not be able to look at myself."
"That's a good start," Yuki said. She opened the photo book in front of Erika. "Now, take a good look at these pictures again, and tell me what you don't see."
Erika thought for a moment. Shizuka's photos were quite varied and extravagant, but Yuki was right-- there were things Erika would have expected to see that were not there. That was when she understood what Yuki was getting at.
"There's no swimsuits or lingerie," Erika concluded. "Shizuka, no matter how strange the outfit she's wearing, is always dressed relatively modestly."
Yuki smiled. "That's right. You see, Shizuka did not give up herself in her modeling. She has lines she won't cross. That's why it's important that you know what lines you yourself won't cross."
"I understand," Erika said, though she didn't entirely. She found it rather strange that a high profile fashion model like Shizuka did not do swimsuits, but it made sense when she thought about it as she was a fashion model, not a gravure idol.
Yuki stood up. "We should go out to eat. I'm hungry. You should be too, after all that thinking."
"Okay," Erika said.
The two women left the building and went down to the street corner where the noodle cart usually stood at lunchtime. Yuki ordered her usual bowl and Erika followed suit. They sat on a nearby bench and ate their noodles in silence.
"I feel like I should say something to make this moment more special, but I don't know what," Erika said, staring at the passing street scene.
"You don't have to say anything," Yuki assured her. "This is only the start of your journey."
"I know, but I want to say something," Erika insisted.
"Go ahead."
"Thank you for giving me the courage to be myself, even though it's a little scary sometimes. I'm not Shizuka, but I'm not afraid to be who I am. I'm glad that I've found a friend like you. Thank you."
Yuki smiled. "I am glad too. And thank you for the compliment about my photos. That means a lot to me."
Erika blushed and looked down at her noodles. "You're welcome," she said.
----
While the shooting for her film finished, Shizuka still had to work to fulfill promotional requirements for the film. There was a lot of media buzz about her 'naked pole dance' scene that raised a lot of eyebrows and speculation, which in turn caused the promotion campaign to highlight it more than she wanted. She knew that the scene in question she wasn't actually naked as she was wearing a full body suit and a wig, but it still fueled the imaginations of her fans and lustful admirers.
She hated the attention it drew. She knew it made her a lot of money, but it made her feel like a plaything and a celebrity object, not a person. Shizuka enjoyed her private and quiet lifestyle, but her rising popularity as a model and an actress put more attention onto her to the point where her fans were wondering why she had no social media presence. She was not a fan of social media herself, so she didn't want to be a part of that world, but she was also not able to control the situation.
When she got to the set she undressed and put on the white bodysuit once again. As before, it was tight against her body and felt like a second skin, but she felt truly naked. She felt she was doing a modeling shoot she never wanted to do. To her relief the shoot was being done on a closed set with minimal crew around to see her. All phones and cameras were confiscated before anyone was allowed entry to the set so stray shots would not leak out and protect her privacy. The producer allowed Shizuka to have a few seconds to adjust the pole position and get into the mindset before she started the shoot.
Shizuka took a deep breath and started her dance, moving around the pole with practiced ease. As she spun around the pole, the lights glinting off of the metallic surface, she could feel the sweat starting to bead on her forehead. Her muscles were beginning to ache from the strain of holding herself in position, but she pushed through it, determined to give the best performance she could.
The camera flashed as it snapped shots of her, capturing her poses hanging off the pole. Shizuka tried to ignore the camera and focus on her performance. She wondered what people would think of her when they saw the promotional shots. Would they be impressed by her skill and artistry, or would they only see her as an object of desire?
Shizuka became more and more lost in the dance, her body moving with a fluidity and grace that made it seem as though she was weightless. The white bodysuit clung to her like a second skin, accentuating every curve and muscle of her body, while the pole itself seemed to be an extension of her limbs. She lost herself in the moment, feeling as though she was the only person in the world. When the shoot came to an end, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. She had done it. She had fulfilled her obligation to the promotional campaign and given the audience what they wanted. But as she stepped off the set, she couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness. She had always loved her job, but now it felt like it was taking a toll on her. She didn't want to be seen as an object of desire or a plaything for the media and her fans. She wanted to be respected for her talent and hard work, not just her looks. 
Shizuka knew that this was just the beginning. She would have to continue doing more shoots like this if she wanted to keep her popularity and career, but at what cost? She wondered if it was worth it. She longed for the quiet life she used to have, where she could walk down the street without being recognized and enjoy the simple things. She wondered how long it would be until her life was no longer her own.
Shizuka entered her dressing room and stared at herself in the mirror. The woman she saw staring back at her wasn't the woman she knew she was, but a doll, her body entirely in white, with only her bob wig, red lipstick, and rosy powdered cheeks bearing the only color on her. She couldn't help but feel like she was losing herself in the process of gaining fame. The white bodysuit seemed to symbolize everything she hated about her job, and yet it was necessary for her to wear it if she wanted to stay relevant.
Shizuka raised her hand to the mirror, as if reaching out to touch the reflection she was staring at, wondering if it was her reality. She had traded her privacy and dignity for success, and now she was a soulless doll. She had thrown away the only thing that truly mattered to her for the fame and wealth that came with being a model. She wondered if she would ever be herself again.
Shizuka took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then called for her assistant to get her out of the bodysuit. She wanted to get back into her regular, modest clothes again.
Later that night she made her way to Arisa's office. She needed to air her concerns with her agent and friend, the person who helped get her career to this point. Arisa was much younger than Shizuka, but she was unusually business savvy and bright for her age, and she was always good to bounce ideas off of. 
Arisa was waiting for her when she arrived. "Hey, how was it? Did you have a good time?"
"Yeah, it was fine. Why do you ask?"
"Well, you look exhausted. You haven't been sleeping well, have you?"
Shizuka sighed deeply. "I think I'm losing myself in my own success," she admitted.
"What do you mean? In what way?"
"I keep doing these jobs where I'm wearing these skimpy outfits and I feel like I'm no longer myself," she confessed. "I just did a promotional shoot where I was wearing a skin-tight bodysuit that I may as well have done a nude shoot. You know I never wanted to do a shoot like that."
"I know," Arisa said, nodding. "But I think it's a necessary evil. Look, I'm sure it'll pass. You've been doing a lot of them lately, it's getting to be a routine for you. It's okay to take a break once in a while."
"I suppose," Shizuka said, frowning. "I just...I don't know. All I've done is work. What would I even do with myself?"
"Shizuka, you're one of the hardest workers I know," Arisa said. "You've never really taken a vacation unless I framed it as a work trip, but I think this time you might really need it. You seem to be on the verge of a breakdown, and that isn't good for your health or your career."
Shizuka didn't say anything. She knew Arisa was right, but she didn't want to agree with her. 
"You should go to a hot spring. For real, I mean," Arisa suggested. "I remember I sent you and Yuki to do a shoot at one a long time ago, but you two never really enjoyed yourself."
"I don't want to go to a hot spring," Shizuka replied, shaking her head.
"Okay, maybe not a hot spring, but you need a break. I think you've been holding on too tight to your career, and that's not good for anyone, especially you. It's getting to the point where you don't even enjoy your work anymore, you just do it because you have to. You need to take a break, recharge your batteries, do something you enjoy. Remember, you're not the only one this happens to. Everyone takes breaks between big projects, and this film was one of your biggest. It's not fair for you to hold yourself up as the ultimate example of a super-dedicated career woman."
Shizuka sighed and nodded, knowing she was right. "I'll think about it," she said.
"Good," Arisa said. "I think you should take it."
----
A week later, the promotional posters for the film Shizuka worked on was released, and, as expected, they were of her doing the now-infamous pole dance scene. The promotional posters caused a huge uproar, and it didn't take long for the rumors to start flying.
As Shizuka did not maintain a social media presence, Arisa, as her agent, took it upon herself to monitor it on her behalf. Besides, as she had advised Shizuka to take a vacation, reading social media was likely to increase her growing anxiety and cause untold amount of harm to her psyche.
In private, Arisa thought it best that Shizuka go to the countryside for a change, where she could relax and think. She strongly considered giving Yuki time off as well so the two women could go somewhere fun together. 
As Arisa toyed with the idea, she checked on Shizuka's fansite that she monitored for any trends in her fanbase.
The fansite was buzzing with activity, but not all of it was positive. Some fans were outraged by the promotional posters and what they saw as a betrayal of Shizuka's values. Others defended her, saying that she was just doing her job and that the film was art.
Arisa couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt as she read through the comments. She knew that she had pushed Shizuka to do the promotional shoot, and now she was seeing the negative repercussions of that decision. She scrolled through the comments, trying to get a sense of what Shizuka's fans were feeling. 
One comment caught her eye. It read, "Shizuka is more than just a pretty face. She's an artist in her own right, and this film is just another step in her evolution as a performer. We should be supporting her, not tearing her down. I hope she knows that her true fans are here for her no matter what."
Arisa smiled as she read the comment, grateful for the kind words. She knew that Shizuka had a loyal fanbase, but it was always nice to see it in writing. She made a mental note to share the comment with Shizuka when she got back from her much-needed break. 
As she continued scrolling through the comments, she noticed a pattern. There were a few fans who were expressing concern for Shizuka's well-being and mental health. Some were worried that the constant pressure of being a successful model and actress was taking its toll on her. Arisa couldn't deny that she shared those worries, but she also knew that it wasn't her place to make decisions for Shizuka.
As she closed the fansite and looked at the clock, Arisa realized it was getting late. She decided to call it a night and headed home, feeling a mix of emotions. On one hand, she was happy to see that Shizuka had so many fans who cared about her well-being. On the other hand, she couldn't help but feel guilty for the negative attention that the promotional posters had brought to Shizuka. She knew that she needed to do better as an agent and support Shizuka's wishes, even if they didn't align with her own goals.
----
Shizuka stared at her reflection in the mirror.
Her reflection stared back at her. She couldn't help but feel conflicted about the pole dance scene and the promotional posters. On one hand, she was proud of her performance in the film and knew that it was an important step in her career. On the other hand, she felt like she had compromised her values and allowed herself to be objectified for the sake of promoting the film.
Shizuka's character in the film was a duality and required her to play two distinct roles: a submissive maid, and a ruthless assassin. Playing the assassin, while more physically demanding, came naturally to Shizuka, who as a model kept herself in good physical shape. However, being the submissive maid, of which part of it was doing the pole dance scene, was very taxing on her mentally. 
The role of playing the submissive maid was humiliating for Shizuka and stretched her abilities as an actress to their limits. She stared at the mirror, and wondered which of the two roles were her true self. She wanted to feel like the action girl that was the assassin, but her mind knew she was feeling like the maid.
As Shizuka continued to stare at her reflection, she noticed her hands trembling slightly. She took a deep breath and reminded herself that she had made the decision to take a break from work for a reason. She needed to clear her head and find a way to reconcile her conflicting feelings. 
She reached up and adjusted her ponytail, feeling a sense of comfort in the familiar gesture. As she turned away from the mirror, she noticed a bouquet of flowers on her dressing table. The vibrant colors caught her eye, and she walked over to examine them. They were a mix of pink and white flowers, and reminded her of cherry blossoms. She smiled as she read the note attached to them, which read:
"Dear Shizuka, I hope these flowers bring a little bit of joy to your day. Remember that you are loved and appreciated by so many, and we will always support you. Love, Yuki." 
Shizuka felt a surge of gratitude and warmth wash over her. Yuki had always been a source of comfort and support, and this gesture was no exception.
She picked up the bouquet and inhaled the sweet scent of the flowers. As she held them close, she felt a sense of calm and serenity wash over her. She knew that Yuki was right-- she was loved and appreciated by so many people. 
Shizuka walked over to her bed and sat down, placing the flowers beside her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, allowing herself to fully appreciate the moment of peace. She knew that she needed to make some tough decisions about her career, but for now, she just wanted to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. She decided to take Yuki's advice and spend the day doing something that brought her joy.
Shizuka walked to her closet and picked out a Sweet Lolita dress. She had not had the time to wear her Lolita dresses in quite some time as she was busy in the past several months working on the film. Holding it to herself, her fingers rubbing the familiar and comforting fabric brought a sense of relief to her. She knew that the dress was what she needed to feel beautiful and special.
Slipping on the dress, she was instantly transported into another world. The tiny pearls in the bodice glistened in the morning sunlight. She gave an experimental twirl, the frilly pink and white tulle billowing and swirling around her legs.
Shizuka returned to her dressing table and applied a touch of rose-scented perfume and a whisper of cherry lipstain. She gazed upon the mirror once more, and this time she did not see an overworked actress, but simply Shizuka, a serene expression across her face.
Shizuka then walked out of her room to the apartment's living room. She found Yuki sitting on the couch catching up on her anime backlog. She was so engrossed in what she was watching she did not notice Shizuka had stepped out of her room. She sat down next to Yuki, causing her to jump in surprise.
"Thanks for the flowers," Shizuka said.
"Oh, you surprised me!" Yuki exclaimed, jumping from her seated position. "I haven't seen you wear that dress in a long time."
"Yeah, I figured I should wear it since I have some free time today. I love this dress."
"It's really pretty, isn't it?" Yuki agreed. "You look like a princess."
"Thanks. I want to always remember who I am and I'm glad you accept me for who I am," Shizuka replied, happy.
"I'm glad to see you happy," Yuki said. "I want you to know that no matter what happens, you can always come to me and I will support you."
"Thanks. I will."
Shizuka leaned her head against Yuki's shoulder, then closed her eyes. Yuki's friendship was one of the anchors of her life and both her personal and professional relationship with her contributed immensely to her current success. She thought back to the days when Yuki would challenge her modeling ability by asking her to wear crazy and absurd costumes to take her out of her comfort zone, but dryly admitted to herself that it did not prepare her for the pole dance scene. 
She had no doubt in her mind that her successes eclipsed Yuki's own, but that was the nature of the entertainment industry. As a photographer Yuki was naturally not going to be the center of attention. Shizuka always felt she wanted to live a quiet and reclusive life despite being a fashion model, but her transition into acting made that idea impossible. She envied that Yuki could retain that part of her life if she so chose. 
"Arisa suggested I need to go on a real vacation," Shizuka said finally.
"Oh really? Why?" Yuki asked, concerned.
"She said the stress of everything is getting to me and that I need to get out of here for a bit."
"I see," Yuki replied, nodding thoughtfully. "Do you have any idea what you want to do, or where to go?"
"No, not yet. I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment."
"I think I have a few ideas," Yuki said, smiling. "I'm sure we can think of something."
Shizuka leaned back into the couch, feeling grateful for Yuki's support. She loved having someone by her side who understood and accepted her for who she was.
----
Later in the day Shizuka made her way to Kanna's mansion, still dressed in her Sweet Lolita dress. She knew she was drawing a lot of stares from passerbys for wearing such elaborate clothing on a weekday, but she didn't care.
When she got to the mansion Erika let her in, her usual cheery demeanor bringing a smile to Shizuka's face. "Hey there, Shizuka! How was your day?" Erika asked cheerfully.
"It was good, thank you," Shizuka replied, letting Erika led the way. She followed Erika through the mansion, admiring the opulent decor and the intricate architecture of the building.
"I saw you on the poster for the movie you're in," Erika said as they walked. "I wish I was as bold and daring as you. I don't think I could hang on a pole like you did in the poster."
Shizuka smiled politely at Erika's enthusiasm, but inwardly groaned as she did not want to talk about the film or the pole dance. She knew that Erika was a fan of her and she didn't want to disappoint her. "Thank you, Erika. It's really kind of you to say that," she said, trying to sound sincere.
Erika beamed at Shizuka, clearly pleased with her compliment. "Of course! I'm a big fan of yours. You're such a talented fashion model and actress. I just wish I could be like you."
Shizuka chuckled, shaking her head. She listened quietly as Erika rambled on, knowing that the maid's nervousness at being next to her idol was causing her to motormouth everything on her mind.
When the two reached Kanna's den, Erika bowed politely and opened the door. She announced to the room, "Lady Kanna, I brought you your guest!" 
Shizuka entered the room to see Kanna sitting in a chair, eight months pregnant, holding a glass of water. Erika kept her head lowered and closed the door quietly, leaving the two women in the room alone.
"Please, have a seat," Kanna said, gesturing to a chair across from her.
Shizuka nodded, lifting up her skirt before sitting down. She fluffed her skirt with a few hand strokes before settling down.
"You look dressed-up today," Kanna noted.
"I felt like I needed to unwind," Shizuka replied. "Arisa told me I need to take a vacation."
"That's a good idea," Kanna said, taking a sip of her water. "I know how much work can get to you."
Shizuka nodded, feeling a small smile form on her face. "Yeah, I feel the same way. It's just so hectic with modeling and acting and all."
Kanna nodded understandingly. "I can imagine. But you should take some time for yourself, you deserve it. You're doing a great job with everything you're doing."
Shizuka nodded slowly. "It's just... I don't ever take vacations. I don't know what to do."
Kanna leaned forward, her eyes kind. "Well, there's no reason for you to go anywhere by yourself. Bring a friend. I'm sure Yuki would gladly do it with you. I would offer myself if I wasn't expecting." She rubbed her belly for emphasis. "As I'm due at any time over the next month so I can't go anywhere."
Shizuka nodded. "A friend sounds nice. Maybe I will do that."
"Good, that's settled, then." Kanna smiled. "Now, tell me about this movie you're in. I heard you did a pole dance naked."
"I wasn't naked," Shizuka insisted, grimacing. "I was wearing a full body suit. Although yes, I did do the pole dance myself."
Kanna laughed. "I bet you were hot. Tell me, how long did it take you to learn how to pole dance?"
"I don't know. It took about a month. Once I got used to being off the ground so much it wasn't so bad."
"Hearing you do it makes me want to do it, too," Kanna admitted, "if it wasn't for the fact that I can't do it while pregnant."
Shizuka laughed. "I'm sure you'd give it a shot as soon as you could!"
"Maybe," Kanna said, smiling. "If I get bored enough."
The two women talked for a while longer about various topics before Kanna made her goodbyes and left. Shizuka remained seated, thinking about Kanna and her pregnancy. A few minutes later she got up and made her way to the door, where Erika was waiting for her to lead her out of the mansion.
"I hope you enjoyed your visit," Erika said, bowing politely.
"I did," Shizuka replied.
As Erika led Shizuka out of the mansion the maid's nervous chatter began anew. Shizuka paid her no attention until they reached the entrance of the mansion.
At the door, Erika's expression became serious, and leaned over and whispered in a low tone, "Shizuka, I greatly admire your work, but I don't think I would ever want to do nude modeling."
Shizuka shook her head. "I wasn't naked doing it. Don't pay the gossip any mind."
Erika smiled, but still looked concerned. "I mean, you look so open and exposed in the poster. It's not like anything you've done before."
"I understand," Shizuka said. "You have a good day at work today, Erika."
Erika smiled. "Thank you, Lady Shizuka. I will."
Shizuka smiled and waved goodbye as she left the mansion.
----
After Shizuka left the mansion Erika went about her day fulfilling her duties as a maid in Kanna's employ. At the end of the day she went to her room, where she kept a copy of the promotional poster of Shizuka's next movie, "Masquerade of Moonlight". She did not want to admit in Shizuka's presence that she was mesmerized by her appearance in the promotional poster, admiring the curves of her delicate and perfect body. Erika had been a longtime fan of Shizuka, but this was the first and grandest depiction of her naked body, even if she knew in her mind that she wasn't truly naked. Shizuka was nearly completely white on her entire body, save her red lipstick, her lightly dusted pink cheeks, and her eye shadow, and wore a short, bob wig. 
Erika reached out and touched the poster, her finger tracing the outline of Shizuka's body. She closed her eyes, imagining herself in Shizuka's body. She could feel the silky smoothness of her skin, the weight of her body, the way her body moved against her will. She imagined stroking her body, cupping her perfect curves, pressing her body against her own. Erika opened her eyes and sat down on her bed.
Despite what she said to Shizuka earlier, Erika deeply wished to emulate Shizuka and be the one on the poster, doing a naked pole dance. She wondered what it would be like to be as beautiful as Shizuka. Erika would be able to show off her body, and maybe one day she would have a poster of herself like Shizuka's.
Erika sighed, and placed the poster back over her bed where she could admire it whenever she wanted to.
The next day, Erika went to a shop that sold cosplay outfits and props. She bought a black PVC catsuit with a skirt that went three quarters of the way down her thigh. Erika tried to ignore the shop keeper's questioning on what she needed the catsuit for while trying to contain her excitement at putting it on. She quickly paid for the catsuit and rushed back to her room for privacy. She decided to leave off the skirt and try on the catsuit.
Putting on the catsuit was like putting on a second skin. It fit her like a glove, and she knew it would be perfect to pole dance in. She stood in front of the mirror and, while it was still thicker than the white bodysuit Shizuka wore in the poster, it was enough to show off Erika's own body. She admired herself in the mirror. She ran her hands over her small waist and her small hips. She felt so light, so insubstantial, she could almost float away. 
It felt so liberating to finally be able to show off her body. Erika was so happy she could have cried. She would finally be able to feel beautiful and good.
Then she remembered that she still had to go to work. She reached behind herself to pull down the zipper when she realized it was stuck.
"Oh no," she whispered to herself, panic setting in.
She tried to pull it down, but it would not budge. 
"Please don't be stuck," she said to her reflection, then she tried pushing her fingers down it. "Please, don't be stuck."
The zipper still wouldn't budge. Erika panicked.
Nobody else in the mansion knew what she was doing. Erika felt her cheeks run hot, embarrassed at the thought that everyone in the mansion would see her running to get help while wearing a slinky catsuit, wondering what she was up to wearing it.
"Please, don't be stuck," she repeated. 
The zipper still wouldn't budge.
Erika felt her whole body go cold. Her face was burning with embarrassment. She had to do something. She couldn't just stay in her room and not be able to leave. Her whole body was shaking. Her mind raced. She had to think of something, anything.
Erika looked down on her maid uniform she tossed on the bed, and decided the best thing to do was put it on over the catsuit and hope nobody noticed. She needed to find someone in the mansion who could get her zipper unstuck, perhaps Lady Kanna or her husband would do. She wouldn't be caught dead wearing that catsuit to work.
She took her maid uniform off the bed and pulled it on over the catsuit. It was a little more difficult than usual because of the extra layer of cloth over her skin, but she managed. Erika walked over to the mirror and tried to make herself look as presentable as possible, to make it look like nothing was wrong.
Erika opened the door of her room and looked both ways out in the hallway. Satisfied that nobody was around, she strode out, wanting to make it to Kanna's den before any of the other maids saw her. She carefully pulled the door closed behind her and hurried down the hallway. 
Erika was quite familiar with the layout of the mansion, and it didn't take long for her to reach Kanna's room. Her heart was pounding. She tapped on the door and waited for a response. 
"Come in," Kanna said in a hushed tone. 
Erika pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Kanna was sitting at her desk, writing in a book. "Oh, Erika," she said, without looking up, "What is it?"
"I'm so sorry to bother you," Erika began, "But I can't get my zipper open."
"What?" Kanna asked, looking up from her book. "I don't understand...?"
Erika sheepishly reached her hand behind her back and unzipped her maid uniform, to Kanna's shock.  Kanna was speechless. Erika began to breathe again. 
"There," Erika said, pointing to her zipper. "It's stuck."
"Why are you wearing a catsuit?" Kanna asked. 
"I... um... I wanted to see what it was like," Erika said, feeling hot blush creep up her cheeks. "Because Shizuka wore a bodysuit on the poster."
Kanna chuckled softly. "Oh my, that's cute. But let's get that off you now." She got up from her desk and walked over to Erika. 
"You'll have to help me," Erika said. "I've never taken off a catsuit before."
Erika turned around as Kanna put one hand firmly on her shoulder and the other on the zipper. With a firm grasp Kanna pulled down the zipper, and Erika breathed out a sigh of relief, realizing she was holding her breath.
"There, all done," Kanna said. Her eyes scanned up and down Erika's bare back. "You're not wearing any underwear, are you?"
Erika blushed and shook her head.
"Oh, well. I guess you can borrow mine," Kanna decided.
"Oh, no, I can't do that!" Erika protested. "I can't wear your underwear."
"Well, unless you want to wear nothing or the catsuit, you have to," Kanna pointed out. "And you aren't going commando in my mansion."
"Oh," Erika said, blushing, "I guess you're right."
Erika's heart was pounding. She needed to calm down. She needed to stop her mind from racing. Kanna left the room and came back quickly with a small armful of bras and panties.
"Pick whichever you like," Kanna suggested, laying the undergarments down on the couch. 
Erika looked down at Kanna's undergarments, embarrassed. It was not the first time she saw them since she had turns doing the laundry, but her lady was standing there, watching, seemingly judging her for her choice of undergarments. Erika swallowed, trying to keep calm as she wanted to pick out something conservative, but all the selections looked so expensive and lacy. She realized with dread that all of it was lingerie, and her lady had her cornered.
With her heart thumping against her chest, she picked a black bra and matching panties and blushed furiously as Kanna watched her. 
"Thanks," Erika said, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.
"You're very welcome," Kanna said, smiling. "You can change in the next room." 
Erika nodded quickly and ran to the next room, convinced that Kanna was messing with her. She closed the door and stripped off her catsuit, leaving it at her feet. She grabbed Kanna's lacy, flower-printed black thong panties, and studied it carefully before sliding it on. It felt like the most fragile undergarment she ever handled.
She looked at herself in the mirror. The fabric felt smooth and comfortable against her skin, almost like it wasn't there. It was unlike any panties she had of her own. She felt incredibly turned on. She slid her hands all over her body, enjoying the feeling of her own skin. She then put on the matching bra and studied herself in the mirror. She felt like a high class lingerie model.
Erika posed in front of the mirror for a few more minutes until she remembered she left her maid uniform in the den with Kanna, realizing that Kanna was going to see her wearing the black lingerie. She quickly picked up the catsuit and opened the door, terrified.
"How does it look?" Kanna asked.
"It looks great," Erika replied, blushing.
Kanna held up Erika's uniform for her. "I hope you enjoyed yourself," she added with a sly wink.
Erika knew her face was very red and Kanna had done this on purpose.
"I sure did," Erika replied, smiling.
Erika quickly put on her maid uniform and then turned to go, but Kanna stopped her at the door. "Oh, I almost forgot," she said. "Consider the underwear a gift. It's yours to do with as you please."
"But..." Erika began to say, but Kanna shut the door before Erika could finish her sentence. 
Erika heard the door click shut. She sighed, holding the catsuit tightly in her arms, and quickly made her way back to her room before any of the maids noticed her.
As soon as she made it back to her room Erika shut the door behind her and tossed the catsuit on her bed. She sat down on the mattress next to it, wondering if she should change out of Kanna's underwear or keep wearing it for the rest of the day.
She picked up her brush and started to go over her hair, thinking about Kanna's words. 
A gift.
It was a lovely thought, but it was also embarrassing. It was bad enough that she was wearing her boss's underwear, but if anyone else saw her in them, it would be even more embarrassing. The thought of getting caught, however, made her excited. She decided to wear the panties for the rest of the day. She had never worn a thong before, and the sensation felt strange, yet arousing. She felt scandalous and sexy without the support of her usual cotton panties.
Erika's thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock at the door. 
"Erika, what are you doing?" she heard a voice call from the other end. It was one of the other maids. "You're supposed to clean the pool today." 
"I know, but I have a personal matter to attend to first," Erika called back, not wanting to give herself away. "I'll be done by lunchtime."
"But it's already lunchtime," the maid replied.
"I know, I'll be done before then."
The maid sighed and clicked on her way down the hall. 
Erika smiled; she felt powerful wearing a pair of panties worth more than her entire wardrobe. She was the queen of her little world. She decided that she would have her fun later in the evening.
After she finished her lunch Erika brushed off her uniform and headed for her daily task. Today it was her turn to clean the pool, which was not a job she particularly liked, but if nobody did it the pool would be icky, and nobody would like that.
Erika walked down the wide stone stairs that led to the pool and set down her bag. She went to the storage shed and pulled out the tools she would need to scoop up any stray algae forming in the pool, and then the cleaning agents to scrub the bottom.  
It took Erika a while to get the water clean, but she was efficient and finished in a reasonable time. It would have been even quicker, but she was distracted by her thoughts, having daydreams imagining Haruka's face when she showed her the lingerie. 
Her thoughts were elsewhere when she felt her foot give out and slip on the floor. She caught herself on her bag, but the momentum of her slip caused her to fall face first into the pool. The shock of hitting the water broke her out of her reverie, and she returned to the surface, shaking her head.
"Oh, dear," Erika was all she could utter, shocked that she was now soaking wet.
As Erika climbed out of the pool the commotion attracted the attention of the other maids. She heard their snickers and laughter at her misfortune, making fun of the clumsy maid who fell in the pool. Erika felt embarrassment and anger rise up within her, but she didn't respond. She pulled herself out of the pool, collected her cleaning tools, and left the pool room.
As Erika walked down the hall she felt everyone's eyes watching her. She didn't look back at them, but she could feel their mocking eyes on her back. She was furious, and hurt, and just wanted to disappear. Erika was desperate to be alone, to cry, to scream. She just wanted to escape the eyes, but she knew there was no place to hide. 
Once she made it to her room Erika pulled off her wet uniform and underwear, then got in the shower to clean off. She reflected upon the series of embarrassing events of the day. Not only was she caught by Lady Kanna wearing a catsuit, she gave her lingerie underwear to wear, and now she fell in the pool. She didn't know why Lady Kanna had given her the underwear, but she was glad she got to wear it. She remembered feeling like a goddess wearing it, and smiled.
Erika got out of the shower and dried her hair with a towel. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, and for the first time since she started working in the mansion, she felt beautiful. 
"Thank you, Lady Kanna," she whispered reverently. "I will treasure this gift."
----
The bell above the maid cafe door chimed with a sugary jingle as Yuki settled into her usual booth. Today, though, there was a knot of worry in her stomach. Megumi, in her starched maid outfit and sunshine smile, approached with Yuki's usual strawberry soda float.
"Lost in thought?" Megumi inquired, tilting her head.
Yuki forced a smile. "Just planning my next... adventure, actually."
"And where might that take you this time?" Megumi's smile was a touch strained, betraying the worry in her eyes.
"Somewhere unexpected," Yuki admitted. "Arisa's worried about Shizuka. She says she's on the verge of a meltdown, so I'm taking her on a little travel photography trip."
The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken anxieties. Megumi sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "That means another departure, doesn't it?"
Yuki felt a pang of guilt. "I know," she said, reaching across the table to squeeze Megumi's hand. "These gigs come up suddenly, but you know how it is. It's my job."
Megumi squeezed back, but the warmth in her touch felt muted. "Yeah, I know. It's just... lately, it feels like we're spending less time together."
Yuki's heart clenched. "Megumi, you're important to me," she pleaded. "We can spend time together after I get back. I just..."
"You just what?" Megumi's voice was quiet, but held an edge of frustration.
Yuki hesitated, searching for the right words. She wondered if Megumi was feeling jealous of Shizuka.
The bell above the door chimed again, shattering the moment. Megumi stood, forcing a professional smile. "Sorry, I've got to get back to work. But can we talk tonight?"
Yuki nodded, her own smile shaky. "Of course."
As Megumi flitted off to serve another customer, Yuki stared at the abandoned float, the syrupy red a stark contrast to the bittersweet emotions churning within her. She loved her job, loved the thrill of capturing the world with her lens. But Megumi's words hung heavy in the air, and she reminded herself she needed to make time for her girlfriend.



========================

~ Razorclaw X