A story by guestsurprise and myself! Enjoy!
Ben and Sasha were walking past each other, looking completely exhausted. The aliens and Rachel couldn't help but notice.
"What's going on with you two?" Rachel asked.
"Tired," Sasha said.
"Yep," Ben said, now laying his head down on the table as he sat down.
"You guys have really been working hard lately. You need a break," Rachel said.
"Break? I don't know the meaning of the word!" Sasha said.
"Yeah, there's a lot going on and there is never even time to rest," Ben added. But from another realm, Jocu and Vibracio were watching the two tired friends.
"Well then…it appears my methods are needed," Vibracio grinned.
"Could it be you will help them with endurance?" Jocu asked.
"Yes Jocu, but not just any endurance. I will help them with tickle endurance. It will not only help them to grow stronger, but it will give them a good laugh." Vibracio smiled.
"And it appears they need both," Jocu observed, now watching them even closer.
Vibracio nodded and snapped his fingers, slowly teleporting them to the realm. As Rachel saw her sister and Ben disappear, she was somewhat startled. But once they were gone, Jocu appeared beside her.
"Do not worry Rachel. Vibracio and I overheard the conversation and he wants to help," Jocu explained.
"Oh ok! Well they sure can use as much help as you can give them!" Rachel smiled, now hugging the large behemoth. Jocu smiled warmly and hugged her too.
Meanwhile in the realm,
"Where are we?" Sasha asked, now looking around the beautiful and sparkly cave. "Huh?! Why am I in a bikini?!"
It was true. Sasha was in a white bikini while Ben wore green swim trunks.
"I think I know," Ben said happily, now standing. "It's Vibracio. He's like this hermit that really took care of me when I needed him a while back. He's awesome!"
"I know Ben! We've met him too!" Sasha laughed.
And with that, Ben got up and walked out of the cave, seeing Vibracio sitting on a boulder and grinning at him.
"Well, well…I was wondering when you would come out of there," Vibracio greeted, now ruffling the teen's hair.
"H-Hey!" Ben said, trying to duck away.
"Hey Vibracio!" Sasha greeted, now hugging the hermit.
"Hey there young one. How are you feeling?" he asked.
"A bit tired." She said honestly.
"Ok, well you won't be when we are finished. We will start with some warming up exercises," Vibracio said calmly. "I want you both to breathe in and out; have a seat on the grass."
Ben and Sasha calmly sat on the grass and began their exercises. It felt good to get it out of their system. As they breathed in and out, Vibracio continued to coach them and give them pointers.
"Good job guys! Now let's keep going." He said.
"I am starting to feel better," Ben said.
"Me too," Sasha replied.
"Ok for the next part, you will balance these books on your heads. No matter what happens, do not let the book drop," he said.
They both nodded as he let them sit down on the ground for a bit, but he was planning on them standing on the balance beam once they got accustomed to the book.
"This isn't so bad," Ben said.
"Nope. Not bad at all," Sasha said, now feeling even better.
But the two of them started laughing as Vibracio began tickling their stomachs with his claws and tail!
"GAH! AHAHAHAHAHA! STOP!" Ben said, trying not to let the book fall.
"I am not sure what the problem is Ben," Vibracio chuckled.
"YES YOU DO!" Ben laughed out.
"EEEEK! STAHAHAHAHAP!" Sasha squealed. Both tried to keep the books steady.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OH, NOHOHOHOOOO!" Ben pleaded.
"Oh yes," the hermit chuckled back. When he tickled more, Ben and Sasha gave in and the books fell of their heads.
Vibracio shook his head. "Try again."
"But we can't!" Sasha said. "We're way too ticklish!" She tried to leave, but Ben stopped her.
"Sasha! We can't give up!" Ben said.
"But I-" But Sasha's ankle was grabbed by Vibracio's tail and she wasn't hoisted upside down.
"I guess I should warn you the consequences of not taking the challenge or failing it."
Sasha gulped. "W-What'll you do?"
Vibracio narrowed his eyes. "There's the torture of a thousand tickles."
Sasha gulped. Queen Bliss mentioned the torture of a thousand tickles before. Whatever it was, Sasha did NOT want to suffer from it.
"I'll take the challenge." Sasha said.
"Excellent. Now, let us resume."
Ben and Sasha say back down cross legged on the ground. Vibracio placed the books back on their heads. "Remember, keep the books on your head no matter how much I tickle you. Now, arms out and keep them out."
Swallowing hard, Ben and Sasha held their arms out.
Vibracio sat in front of them and began by using his tails to tickle Ben and Sasha on their stomachs. Sasha clenched her teeth and Ben sucked his lips in.
The tickle monster smiled to himself seeing them trying not to laugh. "Does that tickle?"
The kids concentrated with all their might. Vibracio slithered his tail all around their defenseless tickle spots. The fluffy tips of his tails were very ticklish.
Ben grunted as the tail brushed against his armpit. Sasha opened her mouth to laugh, but she held it back.
After a few torturous minutes, Vibracio stopped. "Okay, you can move now."
Ben and Sasha immediately fell over.
"That was torture..." Ben breathed out.
Sasha panted. "I thought I was gonna explode."
"Now for the real test."
"REAL TEST?!"
Vibracio nodded. "Yes, you showed true strength when resisting the urge to laugh. I think I should elevate you two to one of the toughest endurance challenges!"
"NO WAY!" Sasha said. "I refuse!"
Vibracio leaned toward very close to Sasha. "Then I guess you prefer the torture of a thousand tickles?"
Sasha squealed and crawled away from Vibracio. "I'll do it! I'll do it!"
Vibracio grinned. "Excellent..."
But Sasha and Ben felt very regretful as they prepared for the final endurance challenge.
They both had a hand tied to each other that was holding a large tray of delicate china tea cups. In their other hands they held another tray of tea cups.
Standing before them was Vibracio. And boy, did he have a ticklish trick up his sleeve.
"Now, time to test how strong your will is." Vibracio put a hand on Sasha and Ben's exposed tummies and strange markings formed onto them.
"What are those?!" asked Ben.
"A tickle voodoo spell. Observe." Vibracio gave Sasha's stomach a tickle and it was so ticklish, she almost dropped the tray.
But when he tickled Sasha's tummy, Ben felt it too and he almost dropped the tray!
"See? This spell makes whoever is tickled feel the same amount of ticklish feeling as the victim with the same seal on their belly."
Sasha wanted to scream. She looked very afraid as Vibracio looked her right in the eye. "I heard you are the most ticklish girl that's ever been tickled...I can't wait to make you laugh!"
"Sasha! Don't give in to him no matter what he does to make you laugh!" Ben warned. "No matter how much it tickles, you have to resist!"
Sasha tried to even out her shaky breath as Vibracio wiggled his fingers. "Tickle time..." The Tickle hermit began softly wiggling his fluffy fingertips against Sasha's belly.
Sasha hissed, clenching her teeth hard as it tickled terribly. The seal on her belly glowed, transferring her ticklish feeling to Ben.
"AAAH!" Ben almost dropped the tray, but he regained his composure in time. 'Man! Sasha is SUPER ticklish!' he thought.
"Tickle, tickle, tickle." Vibracio teased in a whisper as he tickled Sasha's most ticklish stomach. "Ooooh, you're shivering. Ooooh, does that tickle?"
Sasha was almost going mad. But she stayed strong. She closed her mouth and kept as still as she could. She tried to be a statue, but she was a statue that shook like there was an earthquake.
Ben was suffering just as much as Sasha. He mentally cursed that tickle voodoo spell.
"Tickle, tickle, tickle..." Vibracio sang. "It must be bad having your worst tickle spot tickled..." he whispered.
Sasha grunted as she fought off the ticklish feeling. It was unbearable.
"I see goosebumps on your skin. Ooh, you can't stop shaking! Coochy, coochy, cooooo!" Vibracio teased splendidly. He tickled all over Sasha's belly, lightly grazing his fingers all over her trembling tickle spot.
Sasha wanted to laugh so hard, she was becoming mentally spent. And Ben was no different. A smile crept on his face, his arms shaking, but he still didn't break.
"Hmm, you two are stronger than I thought." Vibracio said as he tickled Sasha. "Perhaps I should take it to another level."
He stretched his two tails out and tickled Sasha's underarms.
Sasha squealed, almost dropping everything. But she still kept hosting still. Ben let out a huge laugh, but he closed his mouth and kept still.
"Coochy, coochy, coo! Tickle, tickle, tickle! Laugh for me, my tickle toys! Laugh for me!"
Sasha couldn't take it anymore. She just wanted to drop everything and laugh until she couldn't breathe.
But if she did, she would lose the challenge. And she didn't want that.
Ben was the same. He was going insane. But seeing Sasha hold out for this long encouraged him not to give in either.
So the two friends cringed, shivered, and snorted for what seemed like forever.
To their complete relief, Vibracio stopped.
"Wow. You two actually did it." said the Tickle Hermit. He took away the platters of china out of their hands. The second he did, Sasha and Ben collapsed.
"That...was torture." Ben breathed.
"I thought I wasn't gonna make it." Sasha was half conscious. Vibracio removed the tickle voodoo spell on their bellies.
"But I must say, you two did admirable work. The first humans to ever surpass the endurance challenge." Vibracio said between them. "It must have been hard trying to contain your laughter, huh?"
Both nodded.
"That's what makes it so torturous. Having to contain your joy and emotions like that." Vibracio said. "Laughter and happiness must never be contained. It must be out and about."
"Yeah, you're right." Sasha said. "It's good to be happy."
"And making people happy makes all Tickle Monsters happy." Vibracio raised his hands and wiggled his fingers. "How's about I make you kids happy now?"
Sasha and Ben shared a nervous look.
"Just a friendly tickle. No challenges or anything like that."
"Well, alright." Ben said. "It's not like we can escape the Tickle Hermit anyway."
Sasha nodded her agreement.
"Excellent!" Vibracio began gently tickling Ben and Sasha's stomachs. They both enjoyed a good laugh together.
"See? Doesn't this make you feel happy? Laughing without a care in the world? Feeling happiness bubbling inside you?" said Vibracio.
"Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! You monsters always make us happy! Ahahahahahahaha!" Sasha laughed.
"I'm so glad!" Vibracio laughed as his two friends laughed and laughed together.
Laughter is important when you want to live a happy life.
To guestsurpise: Sorry this one took so long, Amiga! I've been busy like crazy! When you get a chance, I want to talk with you on a story idea!