Two days after the incident when Asuna trapped Lisbeth and Sinon in Gun Gale Online, Rika "Lisbeth" Shinozaki came home one day to discover an angry Shino Asada standing at her door, a BB gun in hand. "Liz, if you don't want to get shot, you'd better listen to what I say. This won't kill you, but it can seriously injure you, and it sure will hurt like hell. Go on inside."

"Easy now, Shino," Rika gestured defensively as she opened the door and the two of them went indoors. "I guess… you're over the fear of guns now, huh?"

"I've improved a lot- thanks to Kazuto." Shino replied tersely. "He's my friend, a good friend," Shino asserted. "Unlike you and Asuna. But he's just a friend. There's nothing of that sort between us."

"L- look-" Lisbeth stammered. "I- recognize I was wrong. I realized after thinking about it that I totally misunderstood you- and um- I was jealous of your friendship. I'm really sorry."

"Will sorry cut it?" Shino replied coldly. "Do you know how much I suffered? I know Asuna is the main perpetrator, and I'll be paying her a visit, but you tortured me as well!"

Rika sighed, and turned her back to Shino, before pushing the brim of her skirt down a little, exposing the top edge of her underwear. "Fine, go ahead. Take your revenge." She winced and braced herself.

Shino smiled vengefully and seized Rika's underwear.

Despite bracing herself, the sudden assault and pressure on her most private regions struck her harder than she'd anticipated. "GAAAHHH!" Her knees knocked inward from the pain and she fell forward, which only served to increase the torture on her pussy. "Please… oh god… o-okay, c-could you s-stop now. It r-really hurts- "

Shino smirked maliciously and disregarded Rika's pleadings, pulling harder instead, drawing another shrieked from Rika. "Just like you gave me mercy when I begged for it, huh, Liz? Trust me, this isn't even as painful as what you put me through."

Shino dragged Rika up a stairwell by the panty to the second floor- and violently hooked it over a stair newel cap.

"OWWWW!" Rika groaned, her eyes rolling backward, and her hands desperately rushing to try and alleviate the pain in her groin.

"Oh no, you don't!" Shino barked harshly, and produced a thick fiber rope from her backpack and expertly tying Rika's wrists and ankles tightly to the stair balusters. Now Rika could do nothing but moan helplessly.

Shino then rooted through Rika's room and found a hefty ottoman. She went back to where Rika was being tormented in her uncomfortable position, and firmly tied the ottoman to the back of Rika's panty, then with great difficulty, shoved it over the stairway railing.

The ottoman plunged toward the first floor, only to be jerked still in mid-air, suspended by the panties it was tied to.

"AUGHHH! AAAAHHH! WAHHH!" Rika screamed, spittle flying out of her mouth, as the poor girl's private place was violently and mercilessly chafed.

Slowly, centimeter by agonizing centimeter, Rika's panties were stretched, frayed, and finally tore away, letting the ottoman drop to the first floor.

Shino cut away the rope tying the tortured Rika to the balusters, but kept her wrists and ankles tied together.

Rika collapsed to her knees, shaking in pain. "I'm- s-so sorry-"

"Just so we're clear, I'm not into Kazuto," Shino declared as she put a hand on her hip triumphantly. "What I'm curious about is why you're so into Kazuto yourself. He's clearly with Asuna, and you claim to be Asuna's best friend. Why would you risk your friendships like that?"

"I… didn't know at the time… we met…" Rika groaned, still lying on the floor. "I w-wonder why I- I'm still into him after all this time… But I… felt so lonely- my connection to Kirito made me feel so alive. He was the only one who really paid me any notice… I admired him so much. Who else would care for a simple blacksmith like me? And a nerdy gamer in real life, no less. I can't be as pretty or charming as Asuna…"

"That's not true!" Shino blurted out abruptly. Then she composed herself and knelt down next to where Rika lay. "Hey, aren't I a nerdy gamer too? What do you think of me?"

"I confess… I was jealous… not just of your friendship with Kirito. You were so confident… so capable… I wished I could be like you. I wanted… maybe you all would take note of me… you normally barely even noticed me…"

"You survived SAO, didn't you?" Shino reached down to touch Rika's face. "Don't you think that's something worth admiring?" She lifted Rika's face upward by the chin. "And you're far prettier and cuter than Asuna."

"What-" Rika blushed slightly. "Why the sudden flattery? Weren't you punishing me? What… are you getting at?"

"To tell you the truth… I've always admired you for surviving SAO. I can't imagine what it must have been like, trapped in the death game. I did notice you all along… I was just… afraid to approach you… Rika…" Shino began blushing deeply in embarrassment and her hands trembled. "I didn't know how you would feel…" She stopped hesitantly, as if on the cusp of saying something of great importance.

"S-Shino," Rika's eyes widened, taking note of her sudden change in demeanor. "Wha- What do you mean?"

"I- mean- um, what did you think of m-me when we first m-met-? You never considered- um- feelings, aside from Kirito- "

"Wait- what did you mean-"

"It's not true that we didn't notice you- I noticed you, Rika! I- I really like you, Rika Shinozaki!" Shino blurted out bravely, on the verge of tears. "I've had feelings for you! You were the one I liked all along, not Kazuto! I'll understand if you don't feel anything-"

Rika managed to push herself into sitting position despite her bound limbs, gaping flabbergasted. "M-Me- b-but why-?"

"You're so beautiful- so cheerful- and kind- I love you, Rika… can you love me back in that way?"

Rika blushed deeply. "A-are you formally asking me out? Because if you are, consider that a yes! I guess I never really realized it- but I… I had feelings for you too, Shino! I wanted your attention… and I… was angry you always ignored me… that's why… I love you too, Shino!"

Rika's eyes widened as Shino put their lips together in a passionate kiss. After a minute locked in an intense embrace of the mouth, Sinon finally broke away, both girls blushing and flustered.

"Well- thanks- but could you untie me- oh wait… on second thought- don't untie me. You know… since I'm already tied up… well, my room is that way." Rika smiled seductively. "And I'm missing my panties, see?"

Shino grins mischievously. "I'd be happy to oblige, princess."

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Irrelevant Historical Fact:

Two years ago on this day, November 15, 2016, the High Court of Hong Kong's dictatorial government, led by then-Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (now a Vice Chairman of Communist China's Political Consultative Conference) and acting as a puppet regime for the Chinese Communist occupation forces, banned fairly and democratically-elected members of the Legislative Assembly Yau Wai-ching and Baggio Leung (of the free Youngspiration Party) from the Assembly. This blatant violation of Hong Kong's freedom was all because these two young, brave legislators refused to swear allegiance to the Communist Chinese occupation regime. The crimes of Communist China and its puppet regime in Hong Kong have only inspired more Hong Kongers to reject the Communist propaganda that Hong Kong is part of China, and assert their identity as Hong Kongers.