Virtual Reality

I park my car in the garage and take the elevator up to the 19th floor of the downtown high-rise. I feel my pulse quicken as I approach the door to Suite 1920. Etched on the glass door insert is one word: “Brainstorm”

I’ve been referred to the organization by my older sister, Mariko. Mari was enigmatic, maybe even downright mysterious, when she told me about it. “Kimi, trust me, you’ll love it,” she had said. “I don’t want to tell you too much, it’s better that way. Just go with the flow and enjoy yourself. You’ll be in very good hands. It’ll be an experience you’ll never forget.”

I open the door and walk shyly up to the reception desk. The blonde receptionist looks up and smiles. “Can I help you?”

“Yes,” I say, somewhat hesitantly. I introduce myself. “I think I have an appointment. My sister Mariko spoke with you.”

The receptionist taps on her computer keyboard for a moment. “Oh yes, here it is. Yes, Mariko has been one of our more…interesting clients. It’ll be just a few minutes. Just fill out this release form.”

I smile at her, take the clipboard and sit down. The release form is somewhat cryptically worded, but Mari told me not to worry, and I trust my sister implicitly. I sign the form and give it back to the receptionist. I sit back down and begin reading a copy of “Psychology Today”.

After awhile, an attractive young woman in a white lab coat opens a door to the reception area. She’s a petite blonde with deep blue eyes. “Kimiko?” she says. I get up and walk through the doorway.

“Nice to meet you, Kimiko,” the girl says, as she shows me into a room with just a sort of plush captain’s chair and a plasma TV screen. The chair has a small keypad attached to the right arm rest. “My name is Gretchen, I’m one of the technicians here. Has anyone explained to you how this whole thing works?”

“No, not really,” I reply.

“It’s very simple really,” says Gretchen. “Brainstorm is a pioneer in virtual reality technology. We provide…adventures. Experiences, really. They can be whatever you like, whatever you think you might like to experience. Anything at all. There are no rules. Things that you might be too unwilling or too frightened to do in real life. After all, we’re all adults here. Do you know what I mean?”

I get the hint. “You mean…like sexual experiences?”

Gretchen smiles. “Yes, they can be sexual fantasies. We’ve developed the ability to stimulate the brain directly, so that you actually “live” your chosen experience. And we can stimulate the pleasure centers of your brain, so that it’s a complete sensory experience. It will all seem quite real to you, but it’s all going on entirely in your mind. The brain is capable of doing remarkable things all by itself.”

My eyes widen. It sounds like fun, all right, like the ultimate amusement park thrill ride — but I feel some lingering trepidation about putting myself in these people’s hands, letting them in on my most intimate thoughts.

Gretchen seems to read my mind. “Everything is, of course, handled with complete confidentiality. Believe me, Kimiko, you probably haven’t harbored any secret thoughts we haven’t encountered before.” She winks conspiratorially.

My spirit of adventure finally gets the better of me. “All right,” I finally say. “Let’s do it. What happens next?”

“Good!” Gretchen smiles. “First, we need you to complete an electronic questionnaire. The program will run on the screen, and your answers will be recorded on this keypad. There are arrows for up, down, left, right, and a button in the middle to enter your response. I’ll leave you alone while you’re doing it, but if you need me, just push the red call button. The questionnaire takes about an hour.”

I climb into the chair and make herself comfortable while Gretchen starts the computer program. Gretchen watches for a moment, then slips quietly out of the room. The first few questions deal with categories of “experiences”. One of the options is “sexual fantasies”, and I selected it. I might as well do this right, I think to myself. The program continues, and I enter my responses. Parts of the program are dedicated to written questions, others are more visual, presenting graphic, even pornographic images. I find myself becoming aroused, and feel a familiar warm wetness in my vagina.

Finally the program ends. The lights come up in the room and Gretchen re-enters, smiling. “Very good, Kimiko. This will give us all we need. Come with me.”

I get up from the chair and follow Gretchen out the door and down the hallway. She shows me into a room dominated by another chair, much like a dentist’s chair, surrounded by equipment, consoles, and displays. “I’m going to have to need you to remove your clothing, Kimiko. Then if you’ll just climb in to the chair, we’ll get you hooked up and get going,” says Gretchen.

“Why do I need my clothes off?” I ask. Mari hadn’t mentioned this part.

“We need to attach some sensors and probes so that we can monitor your bio-functions, and also feed your chosen fantasy into your brain,” said Gretchen. Despite her somewhat clinical explanation, I get the feeling that she’s attracted to me, and is looking forward to seeing my naked body.

Dutifully, I unfasten my skirt, lower the zipper and slip out of it. My blouse follows, and finally my bra and panties. I stand before her naked and her eyes slowly take in my body. “You’re lovely,” she murmurs.

“Ummm, thank you,” I smile, somewhat self-consciously.

She helps me slide into the comfortable seat, then adjusts the back, head and armrests. Done with that, she begins to methodically attach small pads, like suction cups attached to wires, to my body. Two go directly over my temples, two on my nipples, and one on my clit. Gretchen gently parts my labia with her fingers in order to place the pad directly over it.

When she’s finally done, she goes to a side counter and returns with a hypodermic needle. “This will hurt just a little at first,” she says soothingly. “Then it will feel nice. You’ll feel warm, euphoric. Soon after that, your fantasy will begin. If you become too frightened, there’s a red button on your right arm rest which will terminate the program. But keep in mind that fear can be a good thing. And ultimately, you have nothing to fear. What you’re experiencing is not real, and you’re completely safe.”

I wince as the needle stabs through my skin. And then, as Gretchen said, I begin to feel warm, happy, euphoric. I’m aware again of the wetness in my pussy. The pleasent sensations grow until the room seems to fill with fog, and I gradually lose myself in it.

After a few moments, the veil of fog slowly begins to lift. I find myself in a Roman palace, in a large room surrounded by Doric columns. There are cushions ringing the room, and men and women are lounging on them, the men in togas, the women in white silk robes that drape over their bodies, often exposing one breast.