Chapter 37: The Golden Tag

Diane had a light lunch, only a few bites in reality. She didn't want to eat. She was actually nervous. The tests were getting harder. Arousal was hard, rippling the probe with everyone watching was really hard, and she'd had to concentrate to get it right. Then, telling everyone that she dreamed of Master Thomas, well that was hugely humiliating. However, it was all done now, and she'd even gotten to fuck Master Carlos, which wasn't bad really. He was getting better, especially with Mistress Rebecca and Ann helping him.

Diane had mentioned it in the Kitchen and Geneva chuckled. "Guys don't know us. Not what we like anyway. So we have to tell them, and show them what makes us tick."

"Why is it that we know what they want, but they don't know what we want?" Crystal asked in a rare moment of seriousness.

Jeannette shrugged. "Male Ego, I think anyway."

"Yeah." Geneva said between bites of her lunch. "They hate to admit they don't know something, so they'll pretend, and we just play along like they're glorious instead of telling them they have potential, but need a little training."

Crystal thought about it for a moment and said. "Master knows how to make us all crazy though, why?"

"Master's have been taught, which is what we're doing for Master Carlos." Jeannette said.

"In a way, it's kind of sad." Geneva said. "Guys could be awesome with a little advice and training, but most don't want to hear that they can do better. They want to think they're just born great in bed."

"So you don't mind the anatomy training with Master Carlos?" Diane asked with a small knowing smile.

Geneva giggled. "As a loyal slave I'm perfectly willing to do anything to help."

"Slut." Was almost musically sung out by the others playfully. The girls giggled together as Diane picked at her meal.

"You OK Diane?" Jeannette finally asked.

"Yeah, I'm hungry, but I don't want a full stomach when I go downstairs." Diane admitted.

"Nothing to worry about." Geneva offered.

"I'm not worried." Diane said. Then she realized the lie was painfully obvious to her friends, who knew her so well. "OK, maybe a little worried."

"Just breath, and you'll be fine." Jeannette offered. "You've done this before."

"I know, but that wasn't a test. The test makes it harder is all." Diane admitted.

"Tests are scary." Geneva agreed. "When I was testing out as a Medic, I kept trying to pretend it was just another class practice, but it was somehow more than that. It was scary."

"It's because people are judging you, passing judgment on you." Jeannette said. "It's a mental thing, just focus on your breathing, make it slow, deep, and regular Diane."

In the Master's dining room Devon was munching on a roll as the same topic was the focus of the discussion. "This is the last real test." Devon explained to Carlos, and Ann.

"What about Marathon?" Ann asked.

Devon chuckled. "That's just fun, a welcome to our world kind of thing."

"More of an initiation." Andre said as he ate. "This afternoon, is the big final. Is she a trained slave deep down inside?"

Ann sipped at her water and thought about it. "Why is this afternoon the big final?"

"Subspace Ann." Thomas explained. "It's not easy to get to. You have to relax into the pain, relax into it and breath deep and slowly, despite wanting to jerk and shout from the lash of the whip. It takes discipline, concentration, and it takes practice."

Ann shrugged and said. "I still don't get it."

"Ann, it's not easy to reach subspace under normal circumstances. With a bunch of people watching, it's harder still. Then you have the added mental stress of the test, and it's going to be very hard for her to breath into it and release the endorphins." Devon explained.

Ann considered and then asked. "So if she can, then she has truly embraced the slave mentality?"

Devon cocked his head and waved a hand in a so-so signal. "In a manner of speaking, yes."

Carlos cleared his throat. "So after the test, what happens?"

"We spend some time with her, to help bring her down from the high of subspace and then make sure she's all right." Devon said.

"I meant, do you tell her she's passed all her tests?"

Devon shook his head. "No, not until after Marathon."

"Marathon is the graduation ceremony if you will." Rebecca explained. "Afterwards, unless Devon has changed it, we're hanging her tag on her collar."

"Tag?" Carlos asked.

"Sure, you put tags on your pets don't you?" Andre said grinning. "They're our pets, loyal, loving, and dedicated."

"Trained too." Devon said chuckling. "The tag symbolizes that they've completed the training, and are now fully trained slaves in the Academy."

"So they have nothing more to learn." Carlos summarized.

Rebecca snorted. "We all have more to learn, new lessons every single day."

Devon agreed. "Certainly we all have more to learn." Devon set his fork down and focused on Carlos. "We're all still reading, and considering. Yet we're the Master's. We pursue our personal interests, yet we all strive to continue learning, and applying what we've learned to our art."

Carlos looked embarrassed as he said. "I didn't mean to insinuate anything."

Devon waved it away. "You didn't. You simply spoke your mind, and that is what we want you to do."

"How else do you learn except by asking questions, and then weighing the answers?" Thomas offered.

Carlos laughed softly as Andre picked up the thread. "Well, there's experimentation and then observation of the results."

"Sure, but the experiments don't always show the truth, but are sometimes just a symptom of the larger truth." Thomas fired back. "In the end, we're asking questions, what did we learn in the experiment, and sometimes, the results are flawed."

Devon shook his head. "Table that for now." He turned to Carlos. "They've been arguing that for months now. Thomas believes that questions and answers is the best way to learn the truth. Andre believes experimentation delivers greater truth." He cast a quick glance at the two of them. "I personally think they get to arguing this because they like to annoy the rest of us with the discussions they have."

Thomas shrugged. "In the end, we find the truth." Then with a glint in his eye, and a smile on his lips. "We find the answer to the question."

"We test that answer through experimentation of course." Andre agreed. "To find the results and confirm our belief."

Devon groaned and shook his head. His smile showed he enjoyed the clowning at the table.

Ann sighed and said. "Children, stop bickering."

Andre laughed out loud and nodded. "OK, seriously for a moment." He cleared his throat. "Ask any questions you have, and we'll try and answer it the best we can."

Thomas nodded his head in agreement. "We might even set up an experiment to make sure you've learned the truth we're trying to teach."

Ann rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly. "Kids."

"Andre, are you ready for this afternoon's test?" Devon asked and Carlos noticed that the jovial atmosphere was instantly dampened.

"Sure Devon." Andre answered with an air of seriousness that had been absent a moment before.

"Carlos, this is the first time I've said this. I hope you understand. If you have any questions during the test, please hold them until after the test. Subspace is a fleeting experience, difficult to achieve, and easily lost. A distraction could break her concentration, and place it out of reach." Devon said seriously.

"I understand." Carlos said. "Honestly, I'm not sure I've seen it, and I know I've never felt it."

"Nor have I." Ann admitted. "You have to embrace your inner submissive, and I haven't."

"And she won't anytime soon." Rebecca said grinning. "Of course, that's why we love her."

Ann glanced at Rebecca and saw the signs. She was playful, energetic, and she was almost daring someone to take issue with her. Ann suspected that tonight, Andre would be punishing Rebecca, and helping her work off that edge of tension that seemed to be around the edge of her eye.

Rebecca noticed Ann watching her, and asked the question. What? Just by twitching one eyebrow. Ann gave a subtle shake of her head. Nothing. Ann knew that Rebecca needed it. She knew Rebecca looked forward to it, and she was happy that Rebecca was going to get what she wanted, what she needed.

As Ann walked towards the basement stairs, she realized that was the trick of life. Getting what you want, and what you need, when you want, or need it is the thing that escapes us all too often.

"Ann, if I may?" Carlos asked.

"Yes?" Ann asked interrupting her thoughts again on the life perfection of this house, as impossible as it seemed.

"I was wondering, what is it about subspace that is such a draw for the slaves?"

"Excuse me Ann, but if I may?" Thomas interrupted.

"Sure." Ann allowed him to take it. His first hand experience would be better.

"Imagine that you're literally floating on clouds, detached from the world, gravity has no hold upon you. You are floating on clouds of exceptionally good feelings." Thomas explained.

"How?" Carlos asked.

"Endorphin's." Thomas said as they made the turn into the training hall. "That's the bodies natural morphine. Your body releases it to help you deal with pain. If you succumb to the pain, dive into it, your body releases more of the endorphins, and you are high on what your body produces all by itself.'

"Watch Diane this afternoon, and watch her reactions." Devon said from behind them. "We can discuss the what, and why later. For now, just watch, and notice as many details as possible. You'll be handling the whip soon enough."

Carlos stutter stepped as he listened. "Me?"

"Yes, not today, today is for Diane, but soon Carlos, and it is the technique you use, along with the technique they use, that will get the result you both desire." Devon said as they reached the stairs.

Carlos looked uncomfortable as they reached the bottom of the stairs and Devon began speaking again. "Diane, this afternoon you're going to be tested in bondage, and subspace. Your goal is simple, relax into the flogging, and go into subspace."

"Yes Master." Diane replied.

Devon said. "Master Andre, would you do the honors?"

"Certainly Master Devon. My pleasure."

Diane rose to meet Master Andre as he approached, and was led to the large frame that she actually liked best. It allowed Master Andre to work every inch of her body, and he could do things with a whip that would curl your toes. Andre strapped her wrists, and then her ankles into the bindings. Then he adjusted the tension, drawing slack from her, stretching her to just before it would be painful. Diane opened her mouth as he inserted the gag. Instead of her usual ball, this one was a penis shaped gag, and had a hole to help her breath.

"We don't normally blindfold you Diane, but I thought this time, it would be helpful." Andre said as he slid the black leather blindfold over her eyes.

Diane twisted her wrists, settling the hard leather bindings into the most comfortable place. She twisted her ankles, stretching the leather, settling it into place. She rolled her neck and then listened as Andre picked up the chant that would be her focus.

"Breath Diane, just breath and become one with yourself." Andre started to say as he picked up the multi-tailed flogger that Diane responded to best. "Breath into the whipping, breath your way into subspace."

Diane was already breathing. Just as she'd been taught, deep in, and expel all the air from your lungs. Force yourself to take slow, deep breaths. Andre began to flog her lightly, drawing the blood up, warming her skin up for the beating to follow.

"Breath in, Breath out." Andre said as he picked up the pace. Diane jerked at the first few blows, and then started to settle again. Andre continued to chant the rhythm she needed to maintain. "In, and out."

Devon watched and the others moved around, more or less silently, but with just enough sound to let Diane know there was a crowd watching. Could she relax into subspace with a crowd?

Diane heard the sounds, and tried to focus on the breathing. She tuned things out, but the blindfold meant that she could only hear, and feel. So those were working overtime. The blows were starting to really hurt, and she started to feel the prick of frustration well inside her.

Devon saw her jerking again and spoke for the first time. "Diane, go to the place inside. Go to the place among the clouds. Relax into it Diane, relax into the place inside."

Diane listened to Master Devon's voice. It had a quality she was unaccustomed to. A mesmerizing quality seemed to exude from him. Andre was behind her now, flogging her ass, her back, the ends of the whip wrapping around to sting her tits. She was already supposed to be in the place within, and she was late. It was starting to really hurt. More than she usually needed to go into subspace.

When the whip slashed across her ass, a few of the tails stung her pussy. She gasped in pain, and jerked obviously. Devon's voice was now the only thing she heard, all movement had stopped. Devon's voice had a quality to it that she was not used to hearing. A sort of authority, a command presence, and somehow, it was comforting, and supportive at the same time.

"Breath Diane, breath into the pain, release the endorphins. Let your body do what it wants to, close your mind to everything except that simple task, breath Diane. Just breath." Devon said softy from before her.

She closed her eyes under the mask, and forced herself to calm down, and then to breath deeply again. The flogging continued to sting, and she accepted it. It hurt, and she submitted to it. She started to breath deeply without concentrating, and her mind started to wander. She stopped jerking from the whip's stinging blows, and she started to enter her place.

She floated on the clouds. She breathed in, and out. She could feel the sting of the whip, but it was from so far away. It was from miles away. It was the brush of a feather, a gust of breeze on her skin.

Andre continued to work the whip and nodded at Devon. Devon nodded back, she was in subspace. He turned to Carlos and said in a low tone, a hair above a whisper. "That is subspace, do you sense the peace that exists within her now?"

"How?" Carlos asked in the same muted tone.

"She's floating on endorphins, finally free of her body." Devon said. He watched Diane for any sign that this small conversation had distracted her. She gave no sign of even noticing it. She swayed to the blows of the whip, but otherwise gave no sign. Her head lolled on her body, resting on her arm, and if you didn't know better, you would swear she was asleep.

Diane floated among the clouds, and looked at her life. She saw her childhood, and felt it was missing something. She didn't fit in, and she wasn't happy with herself. She saw herself at fifteen, holding the razor between her fingers, imagining herself slicing into her tender wrists, and ending the sadness with a single stroke of the blade. She put the blade down, deciding that she could always die tomorrow as well as today.

Diane wasn't sure when she stopped thinking that, but it was not long after that day. She saw herself with Melissa, her lesbian lover. Melissa was bossy, and now Diane knew why she had been attracted to Melissa, the bossy attitude was her substitute for a real Master.

She saw that fateful night, when she found out what, and who she was. When she first met Master Devon and Jeannette. She saw herself at home now, and was happy. She smiled as she floated along on the clouds in her mind, able to view her life from a point where no one could hurt her, and where no one would judge her. She was bound and free, bound and floating in the lovely world of subspace.

Diane opened her eyes, and saw she was lying on her back, on the padded table that rested over a smallish cage. She was lying on leather, and could feel it's lovely texture. Everything, every fiber of her body felt so wonderfully alive. She tingled and still felt like she was floating, even though this wasn't subspace, it was reality, and it still felt great. She smiled at the Master's gathered around and she allowed them to caress and massage her.

"Diane, obviously, you've passed, and congratulations slave." Devon said softly.

Diane smiled and nodded her head in appreciation. She never tried to talk in this state, preferring to slowly slide down to normality.

Devon slowly ushered most of the trainers out, allowing Andre to comfort Diane and continue bringing her down slowly. Andre stayed with her and held her hand as she continued to become more aware of her surroundings.

Finally, Diane sat up, and Andre helped her swing her legs over the side of the table. "How are you slave?"

"Fine Master, thank you." Diane said. "Wow, that's such a rush."

Andre smiled and nodded. "I know."

Diane felt it was wrong somehow, but she couldn't resist. She placed and arm around Master Andre, and hugged him as he stood beside her. He returned the embrace gently and supportively. Diane finally felt good enough to stand, and she did so and was reluctant to let go of Andre.

She finally allowed him to help her up the stairs, escorting her really. He was close, and she really desired close physical contact. Andre walked with his arm around her, whispering about how well she had done, and how pleased and proud he was of her.

Diane gained her composure with every step, and by the time they reached the central area, was more or less herself again. Turning she headed for the dining hall, and the juice that would help replenish her fluids. She breezed into the dining hall and found Geneva and Crystal waiting for her.

"We snuck down, and saw you. You were flying along great Diane." Geneva said supportively.

"I'll never graduate." Moaned Crystal. "I can't do that."

"That's because you're too busy coming all over the place from the pain, slut." Geneva chastised her.

"Well, it feels so fucking good, how do you relax and not come?" Crystal pouted.

Diane laughed and hugged Crystal. "We'll think of something for you." Then she got a glass of juice and sipped at it. Then she realized it was empty and filled it again.

Diane sat and yawned as she slumped on the bench leaning on the table. "When's dinner? I'm wiped."

It was a tradition at the Academy that anyone who had been in subspace, would not do chores, and would be sent to bed as soon as possible. Exhaustion was an almost guaranteed result, and the most you could hope for was enough energy to eat something, and then to collapse into bed.

"Not too long now Diane, just rest." Geneva said. She and Crystal went to see about Dinner.

Carlos was swirling a glass with a small amount of Scotch in the glass. He watched the ice melt, and the water mix with the remaining whiskey. "It's almost unfathomable. That they can get such pleasure out of so much pain."

Devon nodded and inhaled deeply before responding. "It's difficult to explain, and almost impossible to imagine. Diane reached it on her second attempt, Geneva on her third attempt, after she got over the humiliation factors, which as you'll remember is her particular kink."

"And Crystal?" Carlos asked.

"Hasn't reached it yet." Devon admitted.

"We're starting to think she can't." Ann explained.

Andre entered the office and poured himself a drink as well. "She's in the kitchen, and with the others."

Devon nodded. Carlos turned to Ann. "Why can't Crystal reach subspace?"

"She's a pain converter." Ann said. "She converts pain to arousal, she'll orgasm before she reaches subspace, and then it's one big long afternoon for her."

Andre snorted. "Last time, I had to bind her and lock her in the ball cage to get her to slow down afterwards."

Devon sighed and nodded. "That's the story, she can't get to subspace, because she can't relax into the pain, she just starts to perpetually orgasm instead."

Rebecca entered the office and grunted. "Damn it, you always forget to tell me you're breaking out the booze."

Devon chuckled and pointed. Rebecca stepped to the cabinet and reached under the counter to a concealed fridge that was there. She took several ice cubes out of a tray and placed them in a shaker. She added Gin and said. "I'm going to show you how to make a proper Martini Carlos. First, add the Gin, and the ice. Then add the proper amount of Vermouth." She took the cap off the bottle of Vermouth and waved it once over the shaker. "Not too much now, it will ruin the drink otherwise."

Carlos laughed along with the others and said. "It looks like a chilled glass of Gin."

Rebecca turned and gave him a superior look. "That is what you think, the Vermouth makes it a Martini."

Rebecca strained it into a glass and added an Olive from a jar in the fridge. She sipped it and announced. "Perfect."

Devon chuckled and shook his head. "My staff demands perfection in everything they do."

Carlos smiled and returned to the subject. "So Crystal, if you can't graduate without subspace, what are you going to do with her?"

Devon shrugged. "I don't know yet."

"We'll pass her." Ann said while shifting to make room for Rebecca on the couch.

"We will?" Devon asked.

"The American With Disabilities Act says we will." Ann said with a small smile. "We're not allowed to punish someone because of a disability, or deny them opportunity."

Devon let out a bark of laughter and said. "Disability?"

Ann cocked her head. "Pain arousal conversion is a psychiatric condition isn't it?"

Devon waved his hand in a so-so manner, and then gestured for Ann to continue. "It's not possible for her to set that aside. She can't enter subspace, because she can't sink into and relax into the pain. It's simply not possible."

"Ok, so you're saying we should pass her anyway?" Devon asked.

"Devon, if that is the only thing holding her back, then yes, pass her anyway." Ann turned to Rebecca. "Right?"

Rebecca was sipping her drink. She paused and then shrugged. "Unless we think that she'll eventually stop being who she is, we have to pass her."

Devon pursed his lips in consideration. "Let's set that aside for the moment. It's not something that we need to decide now."

Ann held her glass out to Rebecca who touched the rim with her own. "We got him, he'll pass her anyway."

Rebecca laughed and said. "I've always said he was a big softie."

Devon sighed and said. "So subspace is the demonstrated achievement of the discipline that goes into the lifestyle Carlos."

Carlos nodded seriously. "I can see that."

Geneva stuck her head around the corner and found Diane sitting at the table, resting her head on her arm, and for all intents and purposes, asleep. She ducked back in the kitchen and said. "Josh, when can we have a bowl up for Diane?"

"Anytime really. Is she all right?"

"Yeah." Geneva said. "It just takes a lot out of you is all."

Josh nodded knowingly and quickly put a bowl together. Chef put a bowl of fruit on her tray and an extra slice of bread.

Geneva took it to Diane and woke her gently. "You have to eat something Diane, you still have a test in the morning, and you'll need your energy."

Diane rubbed her eyes for a second and nodded. She started to eat, and then picked up speed. She was hungry.

Geneva sat with her and helped keep her awake by talking to her and chatting about all sorts of things. Diane finished and blinked her eyes tiredly. "Go on to bed Diane, we'll take care of everything."

Diane thanked Geneva and then headed for the stairs. She found it was tough to climb them, but that was about normal after a session in the Dungeon. She collapsed into bed, and only half heartedly covered herself with the blanket. She was asleep ten seconds after closing her eyes.

Devon was just starting his own dinner with the Master's as Diane collapsed into bed. "OK, Diane's final day of tests is tomorrow, and ladies, make sure you pick good ones to use on her."

"I'll bring Clifford." Rebecca said as she bit into her first bite of food.

"No you won't." Ann said. "That damn thing would kill her."

"Clifford is Rebecca's pet Dildo." Andre explained. "It's huge, and to the best of my knowledge, never been used on anyone."

"It scares the hell out of the girls though." Rebecca said grinning.

Carlos nodded his understanding. "I see, a psychological fuck, instead of a physical."

Rebecca grinned and nodded. "I see you've learned. The mind Carlos, is where we try to possess them."

"I think Clifford would be counter productive." Devon said. "Perhaps some other time."

Rebecca grinned and nodded. "Right Devon, she'll be intimidated enough as it is."

Devon nodded. "Let's not forget, Diane is a wallflower, no matter how much progress we've made, she's still got low self esteem issues. So don't get too carried away if you're talking to her. Don't make the mistake of calling her worthless, or anything like that."

Ann looked at Carlos, and then at Devon. "Worried Devon?"

Devon nodded. "A Gangbang is not something to take lightly." He sighed. "Diane has had four major fears here. First that she wasn't good enough, then her self esteem, then the anal. This is her last fear."

"How do you know that?" Carlos asked.

Devon gestured towards Andre who took the question. "Part of their arousal training. We explore their minds, and examine their fantasies. This way, we can find out what turns them on, and what doesn't. We give them different ideas, and see how they react."

Thomas picked it up. "She's always had a fear reaction to the image of the Gangbang. It scares her. She's afraid of it."

"Exactly." Andre said nodding his head. "She's afraid of it, and if we don't do it right tomorrow, we'll reinforce that fear, instead of diminishing it."

"Which means we have to pay close attention to her zones." Devon said.

"Her neck, near the shoulder." Carlos said with a lit up expression on his face.

"How the hell did you learn that?" Ann asked obviously surprised.

"When I was with her, and Geneva, she told me Geneva's spot, and Geneva told me hers. She called it the secret spot." Carlos explained on for a moment.

Devon smiled. "I'm glad you remembered. When you have the chance, work it with your hands, your mouth, anything really."

Ann didn't allow her inner discomfort to show. She'd been seen nude by everyone at this table, besides Carlos, on more than one occasion. Some of them, it had been several times over the last few months. However, it had always been one on one. Her limited experience with multiple partners was one disaster, with Andre and Suzanne which resulted in Andre getting his ass kicked. One good experience, with Devon and Crystal.

Otherwise, she had been a viewer, but not a participant. She stopped her revery long enough to notice Devon watching her. He said. "Ann, if you have a few minutes after dinner, I'd like to go over some long term plans with you."

Ann blinked for a moment and then nodded. "Sure Devon."

In his office, after dinner, she accepted a dollop of Brandy in a large snifter. She sipped at the whiskey and crossed her legs. "So what is it Devon?"

"Are you all right?"

"Sure, why?"

"Ann." Devon began and then he sipped his own drink. "Forgive me, but you've seemed instantly uncomfortable whenever the discussions have settled on Diane, and I wanted to make sure you were OK with this before tomorrow."

Ann set her glass down. "Am I that transparent?"

Devon smiled sportively. "Not at all. It's just that I know you fairly well, and have made a practice of reading tiny signs that others might well miss."

Ann sat for a moment and said. "I'm scared."

Devon nodded and waited. Ann took another sip of the drink and then said. "Devon, I've been with all of you, and I'm comfortable with that."

"Is it Carlos?"

Ann shook her head. "Not really." She waved a hand. "I'm comfortable with myself, but there is something about this that makes me nervous."

Devon nodded. "Understandable. Believe me when I say, there is nothing to it."

Ann snorted. "Sure, I'm going to be in a gang bang tomorrow, no problem."

Devon chuckled at Ann's sarcasm and then got a bit more serious. "Would you prefer to go to town? I could send you now, and you could spend the night there with Dominique."

Ann sighed. "Diane is expecting all of us isn't she?"

Devon shrugged. "A few short minutes into the test and she'll be too busy to notice who is where, or if someone is missing."

Ann sat for a moment. "It's expected so I have to do it."

Devon sipped at his drink and took a moment to savor the flavors of the Brandy. Then he swallowed and spoke. "Our sense of duty, your sense of duty, is very strong Ann."