It was just another ordinary Saturday night at Usagi Tsukino's home in Juuban, Tokyo. The cold night wind blew through the mid-November air, gently plucking the last of the leaves off the trees. All throughout the house emanated the sounds of chatting and giggling as five teenage girls sat in the middle of the living room, trading stories about guys, clothes, and of course, the latest defeat of a dangerous youma. For you see, while it was an ordinary Saturday night in an ordinary home, these five were no ordinary girls. They were the Sailor Senshi, blessed with extraordinary powers and extraordinary lives, not to mention extraordinary good looks.
The topic of discussion at this particular slumber party had turned to an incident that occured just a few days earlier. One of these girls had been seriously endangered, but, because of her own bravery and intelligence, coupled with the assistance of a dear friend, had been able to make an escape and exact her own sort of justice, one that, in the end, saved the life of both herself and her young friend.
"I really do owe Shingo my life," said Ami, a blue-haired girl with a calm tone and serious demeanor. She wore a pair of sky-blue shorts that stopped several inches above her knees, with a matching sky-blue tanktop with a frilly white collar around the neck and waist made from soft, nylon fabric, a simple, yet stylish outfit perfect for a slumber party such as this.
"I know he's a good kid, but I still can't get over the fact that he just charged in there like that," said Usagi, seated next to Ami on the left. She wore a pink pajama t-shirt adorned with dozens of cartoon bunnies, and long pink pants that went down to her ankles, also decorated with cartoon bunnies. Her long, blonde hair was tied into two meatball-shaped bobs on the top of her head which allowed a pair of long strands to sift down all the way to her waist. "He seriously could've been killed!"
"But he wasn't, and that's the important thing," said Makoto, the brown-haired girl seated to Ami's right. She wore a dark green t-shirt with black fabric shorts, another simple outfit, even moreso than Ami's. Her voice contained both tender kindness and hidden strength, the latter a quality Makoto possessed in scores. "And it's good that you're safe too, Ami. You know that if Shingo wouldn't have shown up, the Sailor Senshi would've come for you in no time, right?"
"Or Tuxedo Mask," said Rei, seated next to Usagi on her left, two spots away from Ami in the small circle. Her long, raven-black hair slipped down over her shoulders, vividly contrasting with her bright red silk shirt. Its long, baggy sleeves gave the appearance of a kimono top, an outfit Rei had grown accustomed to wearing because of her background as caretaker of the nearby Shinto shrine. She wore red shorts that went down to just past her knees, longer than Ami and Makoto's but not full-blown pajama pants like Usagi's. She brushed back her hair with her hand and began to speak again. "Personally, I'd have rather been rescued by Tuxedo Mask than by Shingo..."
"Oh yeah, that'd be perfect for you, huh, Rei?" Usagi barked out at her friend. "You're sitting there all tied up and helpless, and then Tuxedo Mask comes in, swoops you up in his arms, gives you a big kiss, and the two of you live happily even after? Uh uh, he's my guy, not yours, so back off, sister!"
Minako, watching the argument from her prime position between Makoto and Rei in the circle, simply gave a loud yawn and flopped to the floor, not caring that her head was crushing the red ribbon tied into her long, golden hair. Her red, polka-dotted tanktop and white shorts were very comfortable, and she probably could've fallen asleep right there had she not been compelled by some unseen force to contribute her two cents to the discussion.
That was when the Great Sailor Slumber Bondage Battle began to take shape...
"I think it'd be kind of romantic to be rescued by someone you really care about," said Minako, her voice coming out half-statement, half-sigh. "I mean, think about it. Risking your life for the sake of someone else is practically the most selfless, romantic thing you can do for them, am I right?"
"Being tied up really isn't a picnic, you know," Ami replied. "The entire time I was kidnapped, I was scared out of my wits, my mind racing for some way to escape... I mean, I know I'm a Sailor Senshi and I've been in worse situations before, but... it was quite terrifying, especially since I had no way of activating my powers."
"Well, yeah, but... I mean, you know someone was eventually gonna come save you, right?" Rei asked, glancing over at Ami with a smile. "Either us or Tuxedo Mask... we're a team, aren't we?"
"But instead of us, it was Shingo," said Usagi, a slight hint of mock disgust in her voice. Usagi loved Shingo, he was her little brother, but... even at thirteen, Usagi found the boy to be terribly annoying. Fortunately for the girls, or at least for Usagi, Shingo was off at the movies with his friend Nakajima, and wouldn't be back until much later that night. Hopefully, the girls would already be asleep by then. "I must've seen that little spore on the news four times this week."
"He's a hero, Usagi..." said Ami, a warm smile on her face. "He saved my life. It was because of him that I could transform into Sailor Mercury."
"It was because of adrenaline that you could transform into Sailor Mercury," Usagi replied. "The kid had nothing to do with it."
"I think it's really sweet," said Minako, who knew about Shingo's crush on Ami. "I mean, he went into that place alone, not even knowing if there were gonna be two guys or twenty waiting for him. I wouldn't mind being rescued by a guy like that..."
"I bet you'd mind being tied up like Ami was," said Rei, a mischievous look on her face. "I mean, being rescued must be great, but the whole experience of being kidnapped must be truly horrifying..."
"Not if I knew there was going to be someone there to free me in the end," said Minako, drifting into one of her romantic musings. "The bonds of fear would be cut away to form new bonds of love between the damsel and her heroic prince..."
"You have got to be kidding me," mumbled Makoto under her breath.
"I don't think you could handle it," said Rei. "How about this? How about I tie you up and gag you, then leave you like that for about... mmm, fifteen minutes, and then we'll see if you're really ready to be a damsel in distress."
Now Minako wasn't so sure. She smiled politely, then shook her head, as if to say 'now that you mention it, no thanks, let's change the subject'.
"I have to agree with Minako," said Usagi, not so much agreeing with Minako as she was disagreeing with Rei, something she thought she needed to do as long as the two were in an argument, and, by Usagi's last count, the argument wasn't over yet. "This is starting to get silly."
"Or maybe Minako's starting to chicken out," said Rei, smirking.
"I am not!" Minako immediately replied. "Alright, how about this? How about putting your money where your mouth is? Let's play a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. If you win, you get to tie me up however you like. If I win... I get to tie YOU up!"
"Sounds fair," Usagi said, suddenly delighted with the possibility of Rei being bound... and gagged, meaning an instant reprieve from Rei's big mouth and instant victory in the argument.
"I really don't like where this is going, you guys..." Ami said meekly, wondering how a little discussion about her kidnapping could possibly turn into one of her friends being bound and gagged. This definitely wasn't where Ami wanted the conversation to lead.
Nevertheless, Mina and Rei were already seated across from one another in the middle of the circle, their right hands clenched into fists and held precariously above the palms of their left hands.
"Rock! Paper! Scissors!" came the simultaneous cry from both girls as their fists pounded against their palms three times, neither girl unclenching her fingers, both of them signaling 'Rock'.
"Looks like it's tied up," said Minako, "just like you're going to be in about five minutes!"
"That was lame, Minako," replied Rei in an annoyed tone. "Let's do this again."
"This is ridiculous," Makoto whispered to Ami, who nodded in agreement.
"Don't worry," Ami replied. "When they've had their fun, this will all be over."
"Rei's really pissed... she might keep her fist clenched all night," thought Minako, pondering her next move. "She's definitely going Rock. Well, I'm gonna go Paper!"
"Minako probably thinks I'm gonna go Rock again because I'm so angry right now," thought Rei correctly. "I can't wait to see the look on her face when she sees I'm going Scissors!"
The two girls revealed their hands, and sure enough, Mina had been dead wrong. She had gone Paper, and Rei's Scissors cut through Minako like... well, like a pair of scissors.
"Scissors cuts paper!" shouted Rei, standing up and pointing at Minako. "You lose!"
"Crud," said Minako, sighing and shaking her head. "I guess that means I'm getting tied up, huh?"
"You sure are," said Rei, reaching down and yanking off Minako's white socks.
"Hey!" shouted Minako, instinctively reaching down to her now bare feet.
"I'm gonna need these," said Rei.
Meanwhile, Usagi, who had been watching the proceedings and secretly hoping that Rei would lose, now just watched as Rei took her victorious time in tying Minako.
"Usagi, aren't you gonna stop them?" Ami asked, definitely annoyed that Rei was actually going to go through with tying Minako up. "This is really stupid..."
"Well, Minako did lose that bet..." replied Usagi. "Her Sailor honor's at stake if she doesn't follow through. I wish Mina-chan had won..."
Ami sighed, but remembered what she had told Makoto earlier. When they've had their fun, this will all be over. I hope.
Meanwhile, Rei had been tying Minako's ankles together with one of her socks. It was just long enough to loop around the blonde girl's slender ankles and leave enough material to tie a secure knot in back. Minako wiggled her feet several times and realized that her bonds were surprisingly secure.
"I can't believe you tied my legs up so tightly with just a sock," said Minako.
"Cross your wrists behind your back," Rei said, not even offering a reply to Minako's statement. Minako sighed and did as she was told, rolling her eyes as Rei looped Minako's other sock around her crossed wrists and tied another tight, secure knot.
"Are you quite done?" asked Minako, testing the bonds on her wrists. Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized that her arms were tied just as securely as her feet, and she couldn't wiggle free. "Psh, I can get out of this easily."
"Then why haven't you?" Rei asked, almost tauntingly. Minako struggled for several more seconds, gritting her teeth and trying to escape even harder than she had before. Neither the bonds on her wrists or on her ankles gave way. A bead of sweat began to appear on Minako's forehead.
"That's pretty good," said Usagi, impressed by the fact that Rei had tied up Minako to the point where she couldn't escape with just two socks.
Minako struggled a bit more, and began to get annoyed that she couldn't escape. An embarassed blush appeared on her face, and suddenly, she was beginning to dislike the idea of being a damsel in distress.
"Ow... I think my wrists are starting to hurt," Minako lied, hoping that Rei would show her some mercy and undo the bindings.
"Nope... according to the terms of our little wager, you still have about... fourteen minutes to be tied up," said Rei. "And I almost forgot one little detail."
Rei reached down and removed the long, white socks from her feet. Minako's eyes widened as she realized what Rei was about to do.
"No way!" said Minako, struggling even more in her bindings. "Don't you dare... not with your socks, Rei!"
Ignoring Minako's pleas, Rei walked behind Minako and tied one of the socks across her mouth, forming a tight cleave gag that immediately garbled and muffled Minako's protests.
"Gmmmmph!" Minako shouted, or at least attempted to shout as the sock was tied tightly behind her head. "Mmmph mmm bgggh!"
"Ah, the sweet sound of muffled Minako," said Rei, sitting down Indian-style in front of her captive and admiring her work. "So, is this romantic, Minako?"
"Mmmph!" screamed Minako through the sock, sweat starting to trickle down her face as she furiously struggled in her bonds, frustrated by the fact that her own socks were giving no slack as they held her wrists and ankles tight. Her long, blonde hair swooshed back and forth as she rolled on the floor, trying anything to loosen her bonds. Even Makoto couldn't help but be amused, putting her hand over her mouth to stifle a growing giggle.
"Makoto, I'm surprised at you," Ami said, glaring at her friend. "Don't you know how silly this is?"
"Well, you've got to admit it's kinda funny," Makoto replied, smiling at Ami. "She was talking a lot earlier, and now she's eating her words... well, actually, she's eating that sock. Don't worry, Ami, it's only for a little while longer..."
"I still think this is ridiculous," said Ami, looking around at the other girls. "I mean, we all know what it's like to be in that situation anyway. We've been tied up dozens of times in battles against youma before... Minako's got nothing to prove!"
"Mm-hmm! Mm-hmm!" 'said' Minako, nodding her head at Ami in a show of silent agreement. "That's right, Ami, get me out of this mess!"
"Maybe Ami's right, you guys..." said Usagi, brushing her hand back through her hair. "I mean, we have been captured by bad guys before, all of us... and we should be showing sensitivity to Ami anyway. She's been through a terrible ordeal, where she was REALLY bound and gagged and in serious danger... I don't think we should be making a mockery of-"
"Tell you what," said Rei, looking over at Ami. "I'll make you a deal. If you beat me at Rock-Paper-Scissors, I'll untie Minako right now and all of this 'silliness' will be over. But if I beat you..."
"I can see where this is going," Makoto thought.
"I get to tie you up and gag you, just like Minako. Do we have a deal?" Rei asked.
Immediately, Ami began to shake her head. By engaging in this wager with Rei, Ami was taking the chance that she could be tied up just like Minako, and a whole new dimension would be added to this already ridiculous game. But by besting Rei, there was the chance that it could be ended immediately. If she didn't play, Minako would be tied up for what... twelve more minutes? Ami could put up with this foolishness for twelve more minutes.
But somewhere inside of her, deep within her psyche, was another voice... a voice that was telling her to take a chance, to play Rock-Paper-Scissors with Rei. Wasn't that exactly what Minako was talking about, anyway? Taking a risk for someone you cared about, putting yourself in jeopardy to save them? This... this was nothing like that. Minako wasn't in any danger, except perhaps being humbled further by Rei. The voice of reason was slowly returning, and Ami was once again ready to decline Rei's challenge.
"C'mon, Ami..." came a familiar voice from the girl seated next to her. Ami looked to her right... and saw her friend Makoto, actually trying to convince her to take Rei up on her wager. "You'll beat Rei, I'm sure of it!"
"Makoto, I... this is silly, I..." Ami stammered. She was now completely unsure of what to do. Suddenly, the voice in her head returned... not the voice of reason, but the enterprising spirit within us all, the invisible phantom that compells us to throw caution to the wind. Now, it was compelling Ami. "Fine, I'll play. And when I win, you're going to untie Minako and we're going to talk about something else, alright?"
"That's the spirit!" said Rei, curling the fingers of her right hand into a fist and stretching out her palm.
"Mmgh, mmph mrph..." mumbled Minako. "Ami, you idiot..."
Ami didn't even think that she would lose to Rei. She just wanted to win, get Minako untied, and get this whole thing over with. The thought that she would lose didn't even enter her mind.
But five seconds later, her Scissors were being smashed by Rei's Rock, and the inconceivable had just become a reality. For the second time in just a few days, Ami Mizuno was going to be bound and gagged.
"I don't believe it..." Ami whispered, looking down at her hands and realizing that she'd better take a good look, because they were probably about to be tied behind her back.
"Well, believe it," replied Rei, yanking Ami's socks off of her feet. "You know the drill."
"Rei, please... this is absolutely ridiculous," said Ami, looking down and watching as Rei bound her ankles in a similar fashion to Minako's. "Let's just stop this foolishness and-"
"Do you want me to gag you now, or after your arms or tied?" Rei asked, staring straight into Ami's eyes.
"I'd prefer not to be gagged at all," Ami said quietly, crossing her wrists behind her back and sighing as Rei tied them tightly and securely with one of Ami's own socks. Like Minako's binding earlier, the tie was surprisingly tight, and Ami couldn't budge her wrists even an inch as she struggled to escape the tie. Thoughts of her binding at the hands of the two criminals earlier that week began to come to Ami's mind, and as she tried to block out the memories, a shudder went down her spine. The shudder stopped when Ami realized that she was with her friends, people that would never harm her, no matter what... but the helpless feeling was still quite unpleasant, especially when it was compounded by the surprisingly tight bonds.
"Did you just shiver, Ami?" Usagi asked.
"Rei, I think Ami's having a flashback or something," said Makoto, concerned that being tied up might bring back memories of Ami's kidnapping just a few days earlier. "You should probably untie-"
"No, I'm fine," Ami replied, shaking her head. Could she actually be saying that? This was her chance to get herself and possibly Minako out of being bound and gagged, her chance to end this silly game that never should've happened in the first place... but even though she was tied up, and quite securely at that, Ami felt fine. Not that she enjoyed being tied up, but she certainly wasn't in fear for her life or anything. Besides, it would all be over in just a few minutes anyway. Ami prided herself in always telling the truth no matter what, and she wasn't about to lie now. She had lost to Rei in a fair wager, and was going to accept the consequences.
"Good," said Rei, picking the last sock up from the floor. It was one of Rei's, the other having been used to gag Minako. "Now, since I gave Minako a cleave gag, I'm going to do things a bit different with you. I'm giving you a detective gag."
"What the heck is that?" Usagi asked, slightly bewildered.
"It's the type of gag typically employed in old detective serials," replied Ami, matter-of-factly. "Tied over the mouth."
"That's right, Ami, you get an A," said Rei, tying the sock loosely over Ami's mouth and securing it in the back with a tight knot. "And now, no more talking."
"Rei, how long do I have to be tied up like this?" Ami asked, her voice completely unmuffled by the sock, even though it was tied fairly tightly. Usagi gasped.
"How can she talk?" Usagi shouted, pointing at the gag tied across Ami's mouth. All the while, Minako kept squirming on the floor, occasionally offering muffled grunts through her gag. Meanwhile, Rei walked over to Ami and untied the sock from her face.
"Because it's not a thick enough material to really muffle anything," said Rei, taking the sock and exiting the room, walking toward the kitchen. "I'll be right back."
"I wonder what she's doing?" asked Makoto, trying to peer into the kitchen to see what Rei was up to. Rei was standing near the sink, shuffling through the Tsukino's numerous cabinets.
"I'm not sure, but I just hope Rei will come to her senses and untie us in ten minutes like she's supposed to," said Ami, her hands grasping at the knot that Rei had tied in her wrist bonds.
"Of course she will," replied Usagi. "It's just a game... enjoy it, you're the star player! Well, you and Minako, anyway. How's it going, Mina-chan?"
Usagi reached over and brushed her fingernail across the sole of Minako's right foot. Minako, being extremely ticklish, immediately moved her bound feet away and let out a loud squeal through her gag, followed by an angry series of protests.
"Mmmpgh mmph hmmf mmm!" shouted Minako, straining furiously in her bonds. "You'll pay when I get out of this, Usagi..."
Suddenly, a loud ripping noise immediately diverted the girls' attention to the kitchen, from where Rei was returning. Her sock was in one hand, and a long strip of silver duct tape was in the other.
"I like how the detective gag looks on you, but I wasn't sure how to make it any more effective... so I just decided I'll tape your mouth shut and then tie the sock over it. How's that sound?"
"It sounds like all I have to do is keep my mouth open, and-" Ami began before Rei cut her off with,
"If you do, I'll just stuff the sock in your mouth and tape it in. Your choice," said Rei.
Ami sighed again, and pressed her lips together, remembering how uncomfortable it was to have cloth filling her mouth, something she experienced at the hands of her kidnappers. Rei smiled and pressed the tape neatly over Ami's lips before tying the sock over Ami's sealed mouth once more.
"There, how's that?" Rei asked, smirking. Ami didn't dignify Rei with a muffled reply, so Rei decided to take the other road, reaching behind Ami and tickling the bottoms of her feet for several seconds. That got the reply Rei wanted.
"MMMMMMMMMMPH!" screamed Ami, trying to wriggle her feet away from Rei's fluttering fingers. "Mmmmph hmm hmmph mmph MMMMMM!!!"
A series of muffled giggles ensued, followed by a chorus of giggles from Usagi and Makoto. Minako simply smiled under the cleave gag, amused that Ami was recieving the same treatment from Rei that she'd recieved from Usagi just a few moments earlier. Not only that, but from Minako's silent count, there were only about six or seven minutes left in she and Ami's captivity. Once the time was up, they'd be untied and this whole thing would be over. That was the same thought going through Ami's mind as she tried to catch her breath through her nose after Rei's tirade of tickle torture ceased.
"Just a few more minutes," Ami thought, "Then this foolishness will all be over..."
I-I-I-I-I
The movie had ended, and Shingo and Nakajima were just now walking up the narrow pathway to the Tsukino home's front porch.
"That movie was horrible," Shingo said, frowning as he reached for the front doorknob. "I give The Polar Express two thumbs down."
"You're kidding me, right?" Nakajima asked, smiling and slapping Shingo on the shoulder. "That was the best movie of the year! It's got Oscar written all over it! Don't tell me you weren't smiling at the part where Santa Claus-"
"It's got Razzie written all over it," said Shingo with a groan. "We should've gone to see National Treasure."
"Isn't that the movie Ami wants to go see?" Nakajima asked. "You told me that Ami told you it was when you guys went out to dinner a few days ago."
"We were gonna go see it, but it was a school night, and I didn't want Ami to miss any of her studies..." Shingo replied. "Maybe we'll go some other time."
"Isn't she here tonight with her friends?" Nakajima asked.
"Yeah, our parents are out of town tonight and Usagi invited all her friends over for a slumber party," said Shingo. "I'm actually not supposed to be back until about midnight, but-"
"But the line at the movies was a lot shorter than we expected," said Nakajima. "But hey... you and Ami are going to be sleeping in the same house tonight. Maybe you could try and-"
"No way!" Shingo replied indignantly, starting to blush. "I'm not... I mean... Ami and I are only friends, and-"
"Sure, sure," said Nakajima, smiling and waving at Shingo as he walked back down the front walkway. "Just give me all the juicy details at school Monday, alright?"
"There won't be any to give, but okay," said Shingo, turning back toward the door and rolling his eyes. "I can't believe this, Nakajima thinks I'm actually gonna try something with Ami tonight... I just want to go inside, maybe say hi to Ami, go to my room, and go to sleep. End of story."
But nothing could prepare Shingo for the sight he saw when he walked into the Tsukino family living room.
"Mmmph!" came the joint reply from Ami and Minako, still bound and gagged on the floor and looking up at Shingo with wide eyes. Shingo gasped and stepped back, immediately fearing the worst. Had robbers broken into the house? Was Ami hurt? Where was Usagi?
"Oh geez, I can't believe the little squirt came home early," Usagi said, standing up and glaring at her little brother, clearly unhappy to see him. "I thought you and Nakajima were at a movie."
"We were," said Shingo, closing the door as a wave of relief swept over him, quickly overtaken by a wave of anger. "Why the heck is Ami tied up? Let her go right now, Usagi!"
"Mmmrph," Minako moaned, annoyed by Shingo having completely ignored her own predicament. "What about me, twirp?"
"We're playing a game called, um... 'Bind And Gag The Snoops'," said Rei, standing up and pointing at Ami and Minako. "These junior detectives have stumbled upon our evil plan, and now they won't be telling anyone! MWAHAHA! MWAHAHA!"
"And I'm playing a game called, 'Let Ami Go Right Now Or Else'," said Shingo, clearly not buying a word Rei told him. "The other one I don't care about, but let Ami go!"
"Mmmph mmph mph, hmmm mmph!" Minako shouted. "I have a name, you know!"
"I remember all the times I used to tie you up and put makeup on you, little Shingo..." Usagi said, smiling devilishly at her little brother. "Remember those?"
"Yeah," said Shingo, beginning to get nervous. One-on-three... the odds definitely didn't favor him, who could probably be taken down by any one of the three girls, especially Makoto, who regularly won fights with boys twice as big and strong as he was. He wondered why Ami didn't transform into Sailor Mercury, then realized that she couldn't use her abilities for personal gain, and escaping from one of her friend's tie-ups probably would classify as just that. Clearly, Shingo wouldn't be rescuing Ami by conventional means. Besides, she didn't even need rescuing. Whatever Ami and her friends were doing was just a game, a game that Ami had clearly lost. Still, as Shingo looked over at Ami on the floor... she didn't appear happy, and was clearly struggling to escape her bonds. "Ami, are you okay?"
"Mmmph mm?" Ami asked, looking over at Shingo while continuing to work at her bonds. "It's just a game, Shingo... although I probably wouldn't mind being untied right now... don't get yourself tied up or anything..."
Ami remembered one time that Usagi had tied Shingo up... she found him tied to a chair in his own room, bound tightly with jump rope and gagged with two of Usagi's dirty socks that had been taped into his mouth with several pieces of duct tape. His face was practically a sea of makeup, smeared over his eyes, nose, forehead, cheeks, as well as the tape covering his mouth, a realistic-looking pair of lips painted onto the tape's surface with pink lipstick. His fingernails and toenails had been painted in a rainbow of colors, and the makeup on his face was stained with tears. Ami quickly untied him and helped him wash off... it was actually the first time he and Ami had met, and Shingo was immediately touched by Ami's kindness and tenderness in helping him.
From that moment on, he'd had a crush on her, which was intensified later on by that fateful day at the beach, and had grown into actual love just a few days ago when Ami herself was kidnapped, not just for play, but for real. From that moment on, he'd devoted himself to becoming her protector, and now, even as Shingo realized that the only danger Ami was in was of potential embarassment, he knew that he had to protect her, no matter what. He had to rescue Ami from Usagi, just like she'd rescued him. It was his duty as her knight in shining armor!
"I won't tell you again, sis... let Ami go," said Shingo, clenching his fist. Usagi frowned and began to speak, but before she could, Makoto chimed in.
"He's right, let's just untie Ami and Minako and get on with this slumber party," said Makoto. "Now that Shingo's here, I'm sure he wants to spend some time with Ami."
Shingo blushed, and as Shingo looked over at Ami, he could see her blush slightly as well.
"It would be nice to at least be able to TALK to Shingo..." Ami thought.
"How about instead, we just tie up and gag Shingo? Ya know, for old times' sake!" said Usagi, smiling wickedly at Shingo, whose blush disappeared as his face slowly went pale.
"Mmph mmph mmm, mmbghph..." Ami groaned. "Don't you dare, Usagi..."
"I've got a better idea..." said Rei, smiling at Shingo. "Let's give this poor kid a chance, huh? A chance to be Ami's hero... I think you're the one who said how romantic that was, right, Mina-chan?"
Rei tickled Mina's ribs, causing Mina to emit a loud, muffled squeal.
"We're going to take Ami and Minako upstairs and hide them somewhere. If you can find them in thirty minutes, you get to untie them and we'll call it a night. But if you can't... we tie you up and leave you tied up with Ami and Minako for the rest of the night! How's that sound, Shingo?"
"Mmmmmmph!" shouted Minako, growling into her cleave gag and beginning to struggle again. "Mmmph hmm mmmmmmph! Mmmm bmmmph hmmgh mmmm mmmmph! MMMRPGH HRMM MMMMMMMMPH!"
"Nnnngh mmmph mmmm!" Ami muffled, realizing that this little 'game' had suddenly become something far more. "You said it'd be over in a few minutes, Rei... you can't leave us tied up for the whole night, especially not Shingo! I was afraid this was going to happen..."
"I don't know about all this..." said Makoto, looking over at Ami. "Ami doesn't seem too happy, and-"
"I think it's a great idea, Rei!" said Usagi. "But... there aren't that many places in this house to put them... I mean, he's going to find them, and-"
"There's the catch," said Rei, "and here's where things really get interesting. If Shingo opens up a room and doesn't find them, but instead finds one of us, he has to tie that person up before they can tie him up. If Shingo himself gets tied up, the game is over and we win."
"I see... that sounds good, Rei!" said Usagi. "It's the first good idea you've had all night!"
"Quiet, Usagi, or I'll tie and gag you," said Rei, glaring at her blonde friend.
"I'd like to see you try!" Usagi shouted.
"Fine, I'll play your stupid game," said Shingo. Right now, the only thought on his mind was freeing Ami, and if playing Rei's game was the only way to do it, he'd give it a shot. He looked over at Ami, and mouthed, 'I promise, I'll get you out of this...'. She simply nodded, resigning her fate to the hands of her dear friend Shingo.
"This is all so ridiculous," thought Ami, "but I trust you, Shingo... I know that somehow, you'll find a way to beat these girls at their own game."
"You guys, that's enough," said Makoto, standing up and pointing at Ami and Minako. "You've proven your point, this whole thing is absolutely ridiculous! We need to untie Ami and Minako and stop all of this right now."
"But Makoto... we just want to have a little bit of fun," Usagi pleaded, distracting Makoto as Rei walked into the kitchen. "We're not going to hurt Shingo..."
"We only started this game because Minako wanted to know what it was like to be a damsel in distress," said Makoto. "Now it's spiralled out of control, and I really don't want to be a part of it. So let's untie Minako and Ami and do something else."
"Something else, like..." Usagi began before stepping out of the way. Suddenly, Rei leapt at Makoto, a roll of duct tape in hand. Despite Makoto's strength, Usagi and Rei were able to get Makoto down to the floor after a decent amount of struggling and grappling, and soon, Rei was taping Makoto's hands tightly behind her back.
"Let me... GO!" Makoto shouted angrily, furiously trying to squirm away as Rei looped tape around her wrists. "I mean it..."
Once Rei had looped the tape around Makoto's wrists about twenty times, she tore off the tape and removed the socks from Makoto's feet. Makoto kicked vigorously, but she held back, not wanting to injure her friends. As Rei took advantage of her friend's mercy and began taping Makoto's ankles together, Shingo crawled over to Ami, trying to take advantage of the distraction presented by the impromptu binding of Makoto.
"Now's my chance... I'll have you untied in a jiffy, Ami..." Shingo whispered. Ami nodded, and gingerly offered her wrists to be untied. "After I untie you, we're gonna have to sneak out of here... I think my sister's gone crazy. Wanna go see National Treasure?"
"Mm-hmm," Ami said, surprised by Shingo's offer of a date, but eager to take him up on it... anything to get out of the situation she was in right now. Her date with Shingo a few days ago was one of the most enjoyable times she'd ever had, and she definitely welcomed the opportunity to go out with him a second time. But those thoughts quickly exited Ami's mind as Usagi grabbed Shingo and dragged him away from Ami before he even had the chance to start untying her wrists.
"And just what do you think you're doing, Shingo Tsukino?" asked Usagi.
"I'm getting Ami out of here, that's what I'm doing!" shouted Shingo.
"If you win the game, you and Ami can go wherever you want," said Usagi. "C'mon, have some confidence in yourself! I mean, you saved Ami once, you can do it again? Right? Right?"
Meanwhile, Rei was going to town on Makoto with the duct tape, using it on not only her ankles and wrists, but her knees and shoulders as well. Finally, she finished it off by shoving Makoto's two socks into her mouth and sealing her lips with five strips of duct tape.
"Mmmmmmmpgh!" Makoto shouted, muffled by the socks and tape.
"I guess the stakes just went up, didn't they?" asked Rei, peeling a strip of tape off the roll and pressing it over Shingo's eyes.
"Hey!" shouted Shingo, reaching up to pull off the tape. "I thought you said-"
"We've got to go hide the prisoners," said Usagi, smiling and kissing Shingo on the top of the head. "You count to 100 and then you can start looking. Remember the rules... you have thirty minutes!"
And as Shingo began counting, Rei and Usagi began carrying their prisoners up the stairs. First was Minako.
"Mmmmmmmmmmmmph!" Minako screamed as she was carried up the stairs by her friends. "Mmmmph hmm mmph!"
Next, was Makoto.
"Mmmbgh mmph!" Makoto growled indignantly, struggling slightly as she was carried up.
Finally, was Ami, who didn't even try to speak as Usagi and Rei carried her up the stairs. She could only hope that Shingo could find her, just like he did the last time.
"I believe in you, Shingo... I know that you can find me."
I-I-I-I-I
"98... 99... 100."
Shingo peeled the tape from his eyes, wincing as several of his eyebrow hairs went with it. The house was now silent. Usagi, Rei, Minako, Makoto, and... Ami, even Ami were gone, seemingly vanished into thin air. It was as if the entire house was deserted.
"Well, I guess it's time to start looking..." Shingo said to himself, thoughts racing though his mind as he frantically tried to figure out where Usagi and Rei would try to hide Ami and the others. "I guess I'll start with the most logical place... Usagi's room."
Without a moment of hesitation, Shingo rushed up the stairs to his sister's room, his feet pounding the steps as he ran. He raced down the hallway and turned to the first door on the left. He threw it open and rushed inside.
"Ami? Ami?" Shingo called out, hoping Ami would hear him and reply back. Immediately, he heard the muffled cries of a girl, emanating from Usagi's closet. He realized immediately that it wasn't Ami, as he'd memorized her voice by heart. "That's not her... but maybe it's one of the other two girls!"
Shingo opened the closet door and gasped when he saw that it wasn't Minako or Makoto inside the closet. Instead, it was Rei with a piece of duct tape over her mouth, screaming her head off. She peeled off the tape and pointed at Shingo, giggling insanely.
"You completely fell for it!" said Rei, pointing and laughing as Shingo growled in anger. "I make a good damsel, don't I?"
Rei reached into the closet and pulled out the roll of duct tape, yanking off a long strip. Shingo immediately recoiled back into the room, taking a fighting stance.
"You might've tricked me, Rei... but you're not going to win!" shouted Shingo.
"We'll see about that," said Rei, advancing on Shingo with the roll of tape.
"Rei's flexible," thought Shingo, stepping further and further back into the room, almost to the wall. "If I try to just grab her, she'll slip away from me and she'll be able to overpower me. I've gotta think like Ami! Ami's smart, Ami would know what to do... what WOULD Ami do?"
But before Shingo could ponder the matter any further, Rei had pressed the tape across the front of his chest and the top of his arms, which meant that all she had to do now was twirl Shingo around and he'd essentially be helpless. Rei grabbed for Shingo with one arm, using the other arm to hold the roll of tape. Shingo looked to his sides, searching for anything he could possibly use to get Rei off of him. He looked to his left... nothing. He looked to his right... Usagi's dresser... and saw two snap-on bracelets on her desk. He grabbed them and snapped them both on Rei's wrists as quickly as he could. Rei, stunned by Shingo's sudden move, stepped back and reached up to her wrist, trying to remove the bracelet. This gave Shingo the time he needed to slip away from Rei, rolling on the floor toward the center of the room. On the floor, he spotten a large, red rubber band, and seized it in his hand.
"Shingo, I don't know what the heck you did," said Rei, setting the tape on Usagi's dresser and trying to yank off one of the snap-on bracelets, "but you're only delaying the inevitable..."
"No," said Shingo, standing up and smiling. "I think I'm speeding it up!"
With adrenaline coursing through his veins, Shingo knew he had but one chance to make his move. Seizing the moment, he took Rei's wrists in his hands, placed them together behind her back, and quickly looped the rubber band through them, tying a knot and securing Rei's wrists behind her back. Rei shrieked and began tugging the bracelets apart. With the rubber band tied through them, they were like a pair of makeshift handcuffs. However, Shingo knew that the rubber band would break in just a few seconds of Rei's tugging. So, he quickly grabbed the duct tape and began taping over the bracelets, looping around Rei's wrists almost thirty times before finally tearing off the long strip.
"Dammit!" Rei shouted, kicking at Shingo in frustration. Shingo smiled and grabbed Rei's ankle, tickling her foot for only a second, enough to make her lose her balance. Shingo helped her fall gracefully and painlessly to the floor, where he began looping endless amounts of tape around her ankles, binding her bare feet tightly and inescapably together. "You little-"
"Little what?" Shingo asked, smiling and setting Rei down on Usagi's bed. He then used the tape to secure Rei to the bed, tying it all the way around the bottom and then over Rei's bound arms and bound legs, using just enough to secure her so that she wouldn't escape. "There, you should be staying put. Now, for the little matter of telling me where Ami is..."
"Never, you little brat!" Rei shrieked. "UNTIE ME RIGHT NOW!"
"I gave you a chance," said Shingo. He smiled and ripped a long strip of tape off of the roll, then pressed it over Rei's mouth. "But I guess that if you're going to be difficult with me, I'm going to be difficult with you..."
"Mmmph! Mmmph hmmph!" Rei's protests were silenced further as Shingo pressed another, then a third, then a fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and finally a twelth piece of tape over Rei's mouth. The poor raven-haired girl's face was now covered in tape from her chin to the bottom of her nose, and there was no way she'd be removing the tape with her tongue or anything else but her own fingers, which were uselessly secured behind her back. "MMMMMPH!"
"I'll be back," Shingo said in an impersonation of Arnold Schwartzeneggar, slipping out of the room and walking downstairs.
"Where the heck is he going?" Rei thought, continuing to struggle against the tape as Shingo exited the room. "Mmmmph hmmmm!!!"
I-I-I-I-I
Shingo returned two minutes later, holding a CD in his hands. He smiled, seeing that Rei was still trapped in her inescapable predicament, screaming curses at him through the numerous pieces of tape over her mouth. He walked over to Usagi's desk and opened every drawer until he found the item he wanted... a portable CD player. He opened it up, took out the CD that was inside, and put in the CD he retrieved from downstairs. He placed the headphones of the CD player snugly over Rei's ears, pulled up a chair, and sat next to the bed, watching her for several seconds as she struggled. Then, he looped tape several times over the headphones and Rei's head, using up the last of the tape on the roll to make sure Rei couldn't remove the headphones no matter how much she struggled. Then, he began to speak.
"The CD inside this player is of a guy that my mom and dad like very much," said Shingo. "And actually, some of this guy's songs are pretty good. His name is Phil Collins... ever heard of him?"
"Mmmmmph!" Rei growled angrily, glaring daggers at Shingo through her narrow, purple eyes. "He's that guy that they were making fun of on South Park... his music is absolutely horrible! If Shingo makes me listen to him..."
"He's got one song on this CD that's absolutely, positively the worst song ever. It's the most boring, stupid, dumb, repetitive song in the history of like, ever."
Shingo pressed a button on the CD player, then pressed several more buttons, finally sure that he had the song he wanted. He pressed another button which would set the song to repeat endlessly. Then, he turned up the volume high enough to drown out pretty much every other sound, but just high enough so that it wouldn't hurt Rei's ears. The song began to play.
"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!!!!" Rei screamed, her body lifting up from the bed as she frantically struggled against her bonds, anything to keep Sussudio out of her head. Shingo looked over at the clock on Usagi's desk... he had twelve more minutes to find Ami. He figured that he could spend two minutes watching Rei, and so, he did. "Mmmmmmph! MM-HMM!!!"
"It's bad, isn't it?" Shingo said, knowing that Rei probably couldn't hear him. "You're the one that started this whole mess, you know. Well, I guess what they say is true... if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Or something like that!"
Rei couldn't believe it. She had allowed herself to be outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted by a thirteen-year-old boy. A snickering, gloating thirteen-year-old boy.
"Mmmmmph!" Rei screamed. "I don't wanna play anymore! This song... I... I can't stand it!"
"Well, I'd better get going," said Shingo, winking at Rei as he exited the room, closing the door behind him. The sound of the door closing was accompanied by the sound of one last loud 'MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!!!', and Shingo knew he was one step closer to freeing Ami. "Just you and me now, sis... and I know exactly where to look."
I-I-I-I-I
Inside Shingo's room, Ami, Makoto, and Minako had been secured to Shingo's bed in much the same way that Rei was now tied to Usagi's, but instead of tape, Usagi had used yarn. Lots and lots of yarn, and had been tying complex, spider-web-like knots for fifteen minutes, finally completing her masterpiece. The three girls were tied down by layers and layers of yarn, with some of the strands looped between their wrists and the girls' original bonds, interweaving them into the yarn web with intricate precision. By the time Usagi was finished, the three girls could barely move.
"I wonder how Rei is doing...." Usagi said to herself, thinking that Shingo had probably gotten to her first. "I bet any minute now she'll be walking through that door with Shingo bound and gagged in her arms!"
"Think again, sis," said Shingo, opening the door to the room. "Ami!"
"Mmmph!" Ami replied, overjoyed that Shingo had somehow made it to her location.
"I found them, Usagi. Now let them go, I won the game!" Shingo shouted.
"Wait..." said Usagi, staring into Shingo's eyes. "Where's-"
"She's taped up in your room," said Shingo. "Now let Ami go. I win. It's over."
"Um... um... you forgot one thing... the rules said that if you find one of US, you have to fight us first!" shouted Usagi, stunned that Rei had actually been taken down by Shingo. "How the heck did Rei lose to Shingo? There's no way he could've overpowered her!"
"But you said if I find them-" Shingo began.
"Those are the rules, Shingo... I didn't make them, I just enforce them!" replied Usagi.
"Mmmph hmm mmph!" muffled Minako. "That's not fair, those aren't the rules!"
"Mmmbgh mmmm!" muffled Makoto. "You cheated!"
"Oh, quiet down, Shingo's gonna be joining you shortly," said Usagi. "Now c'mere!"
Usagi grabbed Shingo and immediately wrestled him to the ground, her fingers digging into his ribs. Shingo immediately began to laugh, as his ribs were his most ticklish spot. Tears stained his eyes and his face turned completely red.
"This is how I got you that one time, remember?" said Usagi, grabbing a long length of yarn from the floor and continuing to tickle Shingo's ribs with her free hand. "I started tickling you, and pretty soon you were too tired to fight back!"
"That's.... not... gonna... happen... this... time!!" Shingo screamed, though it was clear that his big sister was right. As he tried to roll away, he continued to laugh, and all that laughing quickly began to drain his strength. Usagi knew Shingo's exact weakness, and she was exploiting it with the brutal precision of a chess master ready to exact a game-winning strategem against his opponent.
Meanwhile, secured on the bed in a fixed spot by the yarn webbing, Ami could only watch helplessly as Shingo was fast losing his battle with Usagi.
"Poor Shingo..." thought Ami, struggling weakly in her bonds as Shingo flopped around on the floor like a fish, laughing loudly as Usagi's hands dug into his sensitive ribs. "Mmmmph! Mmmph hmmph mmph mmm!"
Suddenly, Shingo turned his head toward Ami, who was obviously trying to scream something to him that was muffled by her gag.
"A...mi...?" Shingo said through laughs, his eyes meeting Ami's. As he stared into her eyes, he thought about what she could possibly be trying to tell him. Was it... 'Shingo, don't give up!'? Or maybe 'Shingo, kick her butt!'? Or could it have been... 'Usagi, stop tickling him'! Or even... 'I love you, Shingo'? Well, it probably wasn't that last one. But whatever it was, Shingo knew that Ami needed his help, and he wasn't about to let her down. "Usagi... wait! Stop!"
Usagi continued to tickle Shingo, paying no attention to anything he said.
"Do you surrender, Shingo?" Usagi asked, laughing as her fingers poked at Shingo's ribs. "Huh? Do you surrender?"
"If... if you tie me up... everyone will be tied up... how will you enjoy the slumber party?" Shingo shouted.
Usagi gasped, and immediately stopped her tickle attack on her little brother.
"You... you're absolutely right," Usagi stammered. What had this little game become? It just started with a challenge by Rei to Minako, and now... now it had turned into some horrible, horrible mutation of what it had once been... there were already four people tied up, and with Shingo, a fifth... and Usagi would be alone... what had she done? What had she done? "WHAT HAVE I DONE???"
"You just lost, that's what," said Shingo, smiling. Usagi tried to move her arms, but gasped in horror when she realized that Shingo had used the yarn to tie them tightly behind her back. Her wrists had been crossed and the bonds held strong no matter how much Usagi struggled.
"You little... you little brat!" shouted Usagi. She lunged at Shingo, but because of her tied hands, she had very little balance, and she fell flat on her face. Shingo quickly grabbed her ankles and tied them together with the yarn, then pulled two strings from the yarn and used them to tie Usagi's big toes together. Now, she was really mad. "LET ME GO!"
Shingo didn't stop there. He looped some yarn through her ankle bonds, ran it up to the bonds around her wrists, and tied the strings together in two knots in the middle. Usagi was now hogtied, and there was no chance of her getting off of the floor. Minako and Makoto giggled through their gags, and even Ami allowed herself to laugh for the first time all night, amused by how quickly the tide had turned.
"Way to go, Shingo..." Ami thought. Shingo looked over at Ami, and for a split-second, he thought he could see her smiling through her gag.
"Just a second, Ami..." said Shingo, smiling and taking off his shoes. "I've got a bit of unfinished business to take care of first..."
"Please, Shingo... I mean, it was all Rei's idea, really!" Usagi shouted. "I... I didn't... Rei made me do it, and-"
"Put a sock in it, sis," Shingo said, shoving both of his socks into Usagi's mouth, then removing one of her socks and using it to cleave-gag her, securing the socks in place. Finally, he tied Usagi's other sock tightly over her eyes, blindfolding her. Now, it was over. Shingo had won.
"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!" Usagi screamed, struggling wildly on the floor and trying to remove the sock from her eyes, to no avail. "Mmmph hmm!"
Shingo walked over to Ami and smiled, kissing her on top of her gagged mouth. Then, he pulled the sock from her face and slowly pulled the tape from her lips.
"Thank you, Shingo..." were the first words out of Ami's mouth as Shingo removed the tape.
"You didn't, um... the kiss..." Shingo stammered, blushing as he immediately apologized for stealing a 'kiss' from Ami. Ami smiled, and shook her head.
"You earned it, Shingo," Ami replied. "This makes the... second time this week you've saved me?"
"I didn't really save you," Shingo said modestly, reaching beneath the yarn and untying the sock from Ami's wrists. After that was done, he untied the sock from her ankles, which allowed her to slowly slip out of the yarn webbing, with his help. "I mean, what was Usagi gonna do... tickle you?"
"Probably," Ami said, looking down at Usagi and giggling again. "I really shouldn't be laughing at this..."
"Mmmmph mmmgh mmmmmmph mmm! Damn right you shouldn't... and your socks taste terrible, Shingo! When I get out of this..." Usagi continued squirming, quickly realizing that she wasn't about to escape.
"I guess we should probably go untie them," said Shingo. Ami nodded, and pulled Makoto out of the yarn webbing, an easy task since Makoto's tape bonds weren't tied to the yarn itself. Shingo walked over to Usagi, but before he could start freeing her, Ami shook her head.
"On second thought... as long as we untie Makoto, they should be alright," said Ami, pulling the tape off of Makoto's lips.
"What do you mean, Ami?" Makoto asked, looking over at Minako, and then Usagi.
"We don't really have to untie them until we come back," said Ami, peeling the tape from Makoto's shoulders and wrists.
"Come back from what?" Shingo asked, now helping to remove the tape from Makoto's legs.
"National Treasure, of course," said Ami, smiling at Shingo. "You wanted to see it, didn't you?"
"Mmmmmmmmmmbgph!" Minako shouted in protest, realizing that she wasn't going to be untied for a long while.
"Of... of course I did... I mean, I do!" said Shingo, his eyes lighting up.
"So, you guys are going to the movie?" asked Makoto. "And you want me to babysit, is that it?"
"Basically, yeah," said Ami. "I mean... you reap what you sow, right?"
"I thought you said this whole thing was ridiculous," replied Makoto, smirking as she glanced at the bound Usagi, then the bound Minako.
"After they came after you, I thought they deserve a little bit of payback," said Ami.
"And since Minako started this whole thing, she can stay tied up too," said Shingo, smirking at her.
"Mphhhbt!" Minako replied at him, trying to blow raspberries through her cleave gag, with little success.
"Bye, sis...." Shingo said, tickling Usagi's feet for several seconds before he and Ami left the room.
"MMMPH!" Usagi screamed.
Shingo and Ami left the room and walked down the hall, holding hands as a chorus of 'mmmph's filled the air around them.
"Our wedding march..." Shingo thought, smiling at Ami as the two walked down the stairs. She smiled back, and finally, she realized that Minako was right. It did feel great to be rescued by someone you cared about... no matter what the circumstances.
I-I-I-I-I
THE END