Once again, one must remember that the harem did not belong to Ataru. If anything, it was more like the other way around. How best to put this - it has been noted that the ultimate male fantasy is to be so potent and virile in bed, that you can do pretty much anything, ask pretty much anything, and your partner will go along with it.
That's kind of what Ataru had imagined for a harem. He wants a kiss? He'll ask for a kiss, and he'll get it. If a girl wants to kiss him, then he might hem and haw and have them demonstrate for him how much they want it - and then he'd give it to them for even trying. He's not a cruel boy, nor is he malicious - it would be a simple kind of... fun play.
However, he had misunderstood one important factor that, when considering a harem situation, really ought to be front and centre in any such harem situation. In a word, democracy. In two, mob rule.
Another metaphor to explain, if we may? Ask a seasoned fighter how hard it is to fight two opponents at once, and they'll point out that in a work of fiction you'll usually see enemies in a group line up, one at a time, to jump the 'one', and for good reason. It becomes dramatically harder to fight multiple opponents the more you add. Why? Coordination. One can divide your attention from another, and that little bit of distraction is more than sufficient to get clobbered. It's the same in a social situation. The one loses to the many more often than not.
Thus-
"Sit still Darling," Lum insisted, while Shinobu kept a firm grasp on his shoulders. "You always go out with such messy hair. My Darling can't be seen to be slovenly!"
"Our Darling~" Shinobu corrected, and the two girls giggled to each other.
"Yeah, yeah..." Ataru grumbled, about as uncomfortable as he could get when there were two cute girls on either side of him. "I aced your exam, so I should be getting two new chicks in the harem, right?"
"Yes, we were talking about that actually," Lum said. "So far, you have me, Shinobu and Sakura."
"That's quite good already," Shinobu whispered right into his ear, sending a shudder down his spine. "But how best to spice it up, hrm?"
"There's a few candidates," Lum continued. "Some very fine candidates. There's Benten, Oyuki, Ran..."
"As well as Ryuunosuke, Ryoko, Asuka and for the hell of it, Kurama!" Shinobu finished. "That's a whole lot of hot ass you could dream your way into adding to the harem."
Ataru twitched. Yes, yes it was. But how was he meant to decide? They were all fine choices! Ah! Such a series of delicacies, and knowing he could -
"So we decided it would have to by Ryuunosuke and Ran," Lum said, interrupting his thoughts. "The others aren't around us nearly often enough, so we're going to start with them!"
He couldn't even object. How could he, when he'd just been thinking that any of them being fine additions? And yet, the power had been taken out of his hands. Man, that kind of removed some of the fun, didn't it? Being able to make the decisions on what to do, and how to do it, that really sapped the fun from the whole thing.
Oh well, at least he'd get to mess around in their dreams a bit, make them more amenable to the idea of joining his harem, that would be quite -
"So,I took a dip into Ryuunosuke's dream last night to get an idea of what would work the best," Shinobu said. "We definitely need to play on her desire to be seen as feminine."
"Hrm, I took a look at Ran's headspace, and - I think she needs a psychiatrist actually," Lum said. "Strangely enough, I also think that if we mess with her dreams to fix her problems, she'll wind up joining the harem of her own volition."
Ataru shifted his weight, feeling the soft, oppressive warmth of the girls crowding him. Lum's static electricity prickled against his skin, a constant, humming reminder of her presence. Shinobu's breath hitched near his neck, smelling of peppermint and something sharper, more predatory. He felt like a prized piece of meat being appraised by three very hungry wolves.
"You're not even gonna let me enter their dreams?"
The question hung in the air, waiting for a response. Lum tilted her head, her green hair cascading over her shoulder like a silken waterfall. She floated an inch higher, her eyes wide and shimmering with a mixture of affection and amusement.
"Now, now, Darling. You know how you get," Lum purred. "You'd go in there, see a pretty girl in a nightgown, and you'd forget the whole plan within ten seconds. You'd probably try to grope them before the suggestion even took root."
"I can be subtle!" Ataru barked, though his voice cracked slightly. "I'm a master of the subtle approach!"
Shinobu let out a low, melodic laugh that vibrated against his shoulder. She tightened her grip on his arm, her nails digging just enough into his flesh to make him shiver.
"Subtle? Ataru, your 'subtle approach' is basically a frontal assault with no armor and a lot of screaming," Shinobu whispered. "You don't do 'nuance.' You do 'lunging.' If we want Ryuunosuke and Ran to join us without a fight, we need a scalpel, not a sledgehammer."
Ataru groaned, leaning back against the wall. He could feel Sakura's gaze on him - that heavy, authoritative stare that always made him feel like he was back in detention, except now the punishment involved things he actually enjoyed.
"The logic is sound, Moroboshi," Sakura said, her voice a cool blade. She crossed her arms, the fabric of her tight blouse straining against her breasts. "A dream is a delicate ecosystem. It's built on the subconscious desires and fears of the sleeper. If you enter, your presence is... loud. You're a chaotic element. You'd trigger their defenses before we could rewrite the narrative."
"So I'm just the prize?" Ataru asked, his lip curling. "I'm the trophy at the end of the race? I provide the seed, but I don't get to help with the gardening?"
Sakura stepped closer, the click of her heels echoing in the quiet room. She reached out, her index finger tracing the line of his jaw with a clinical precision that sent a jolt of heat straight to his groin.
"Precisely," Sakura murmured. "You are the center of this orbit, Ataru. But the orbit requires management. You've already proven you're incapable of managing yourself, let alone a growing collection of volatile women."
"This is a rip-off," Ataru grumbled, though he didn't pull away from her touch. "A total scam. I'm the one who aced the test! I'm the one who did the hard work!"
"Aced the test by turning a geometry problem into a blueprint for a fuck-fest," Shinobu reminded him, her voice dripping with mock admiration. "Honestly, it was impressive. But that's exactly why you're disqualified from the planning phase. Your brain is ninety percent libido and ten percent 'where is the nearest skirt?'"
Lum drifted around to face him, her expression softening into that deceptive, sweet smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face close to hers. He could smell her. As much as he didn't want to admit it, that electricity about her left this distinct lingering trace in the air that he could recognise in a heartbeat.
"Don't be sad, Darling~" she cooed. "Think of it as a surprise! When we're done, we'll bring them to you, all soft and eager and completely devoted. You won't have to do any of the boring work. You can just enjoy the rewards."
Ataru blinked. The image flashed through his mind: Ryuunosuke, the fierce and perpetually angry tomboy, reduced to a blushing, compliant mess; Ran, the chaotic whirlwind with doll-like beauty, finally calmed and focused entirely on his pleasure. The frustration in his chest began to melt, replaced by the slow, simmering heat of aroused anticipation.
"I guess..." he started, his voice losing its edge. "I guess that could work."
"That's the spirit," Shinobu said, sliding her hand down to pat his cheek. "Now, let's talk specifics. Ryuunosuke is a fascinating case. Her dreamscape is a fortress. Everything is disciplined, rigid, and focused on strength. But underneath that? There's a desperate, aching need to be seen as something other than a weapon."
"A girl," Lum added, nodding. "She wants to be pampered. She wants someone to tell her she doesn't have to be the strongest person in the room."
Ataru felt a surge of confidence. "I can do that. I'm great at pampering! I mean, I'm great at the other stuff that comes after the pampering."
Sakura sighed, a sound of genuine exhaustion.
"Which is why you're staying out," Sakura said. "If you went in and started telling her she's a cute girl, she'd likely punch your astral projection into next Tuesday. We need to weave that desire into her subconscious slowly. We create a scenario where she feels safe being vulnerable. Once she associates that safety with the idea of the harem, she'll practically beg to enter."
"And Ran?" Ataru asked. "Lum said she needs a psychiatrist."
Lum made a face, a look of genuine concern crossing her features.
"Her head is a mess, Darling. It's like a kaleidoscope that's been dropped down a flight of stairs. There's no center, no stability. She just reacts to whatever stimulus is strongest. If we just 'brainwash' her, she might snap or create some weird psychic feedback loop."
"So what's the plan for the disaster zone?" Ataru asked.
"Healing," Lum replied simply. "We use the dream berries to stabilize her. We build a foundation of trust and emotional security. If we fix the cracks in her psyche, the natural void left behind will be filled by her affection for you. It's a more permanent solution than a simple rewrite."
Ataru frowned, trying to process the psychological jargon. He didn't care about 'foundations' or 'psychic feedback loops.' He cared about the results.
"So, how long is this going to take?"
"A few nights," Shinobu answered, her eyes glinting. "Depending on how quickly they succumb. But in the meantime, you have us. And we're feeling very... appreciative of your academic achievements."
As if on cue, Shinobu's hand wandered from his cheek down to the waistband of his trousers. She didn't pull, but the mere pressure of her fingertips was enough to make him gasp. Lum, sensing the shift in mood, pressed her chest firmly against his arm, her nipples hardening against the thin fabric of her shirt.
Sakura watched them, a small, predatory smile playing on her lips. She didn't join in immediately; she enjoyed the anticipation, the way Ataru's breathing became ragged and shallow.
"You see, Ataru," Sakura whispered, stepping into his personal space until he could feel the heat radiating from her body. "The beauty of this arrangement is that you are completely taken care of. You don't need to strategize. You don't need to worry. You just need to be the perfect, mindless vessel for our desires."
Ataru felt a wave of submission wash over him. It was a strange sensation-the loss of control should have terrified him, but with these three women surrounding him, it felt like a luxury. He didn't have to think. He didn't have to plan. He just had to feel.
"I... I can do that," he whimpered.
"Good boy," Sakura murmured. She reached down, her fingers deftly undoing his belt with a practiced flick. "Now, let's see if that 'optimal coupling' theory of yours holds up during a practical application."
Lum giggled, her electricity sparking against his skin in tiny, exhilarating jolts. Shinobu leaned in, her lips brushing against his earlobe.
"Welcome to the bottom of the food chain, Darling," Shinobu whispered. "It's much more fun down here."
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