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Chapter Four - Dressing Room

Bocchi and Kita trotted down the steps from street level and walked into Starry.

"There's our naked girl," Nijika said. "Did you get a good night's rest?"

"Their sofa was very comfortable."

Kita held up a finger. "She only tried to escape one time."

"I didn't try to escape. I wanted to get some fresh air."

Kita frowned. "At 3:00 AM?

Ryo was testing a row of LED bulbs she'd fastened to the Stargate. "I told you that extra deadbolt would come in handy."

Nijika pointed at her cheek. "I'm loving the mole, but next time we should wait till just before show time."

"Will do."

Kita led Bocchi to the dressing room, where she helped her get out of her clothes and into a robe. "Now let's get you into that wig." She sat Bocchi in front of the mirror and started braiding her hair. "Did you really sleep okay?"

"Yes. I feel pretty good."

"I figured you'd be nervous as heck, so I didn't bother you till noon." Kita giggled. "I'm super nervous myself, and I get to keep my clothes on. But the most important thing is for you to be well rested."

After finishing the braids, Kita matted the strands on top of Bocchi's head and pulled the blonde wig over them.

Bocchi shifted her head back and forth. "It feels like it's shifting."

"It's fine. The straps from your ball gag and goggles will keep it in place. We've still got a little time before we go on stage so we won't worry about that right now." Kita ran her hands over Bocchi's thighs. "You legs are so silky smooth and sexy. Do you shave them a lot?"

"Yes."

"Are you trying to impress a guy or something?"

Bocchi turned bright red. "No."

Ryo stepped into the room. "Is it time for wardrobe yet?"

"Yes, it is. Here's your girl."

Bocchi remained seated as Ryo fastened the leather zip-tie-style cuffs around her ankles and wrists. "Right wrist, yellow. Left wrist, red. Left ankle, blue. Right ankle, green."

"Is there a reason you put the colors on her in that order?" Kita asked.

"It matches the new lighting I put on the Stargate."

"Cool. I can't wait to see it."

Bocchi froze in place when Ryo fastened the brown collar around her neck.

"Is that comfortable?"

"It's nice and snug, but sometimes it gets sweaty underneath."

"You really don't need that big leather collar, especially since you're wearing the orange goggles and purple ball gag, but let's see how it goes tonight. We can switch it out for something lighter if you want, okay?"

"Okay."

"Ready for the goggles?"

After Bocchi raised her chin, Ryo fastened a set of black, orange-mirrored goggles over her head. Two citrus-sized circles covered her eyes.

Ryo fastened its strap behind the wig. "Has the polarization been working for you?"

Bocchi nodded. "Yes. I can see my strings really well, even in the spotlight."

Ryo held the purple ball gag up to Bocchi's lips. "Speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I want to go home."

"I love you too. Now open wide."

When Bocchi obeyed, pulled the purple ball gag between her teeth and tied the zip-tie-style strap behind her head, fully seating the wig.

"How does that feel?" Ryo asked.

"Aww-hwww." All right. Bocchi checked her look in the mirror. The blond wig beautifully framed her face while the goggles and ball gag formed a hauntingly sexy three circle triangle underlined by the collar.

Bocchi felt her heart race. She looked at the clock. Forty minutes to show time. How did time fly by so fast?

Pa-san stuck her head in the door. "The place is filling up. Let's get moving."

Bocchi scanned the room for the nearest exit.

"No, you don't." Ryo pulled Bocchi's arms behind her back and connected the silver loops of her wrist cuffs together with a zip tie. She dropped to her knees and used a second zip tie to fasten Bocchi's ankle cuffs together.

"Don't be afraid." Kita wrapped her arms around Bocchi from behind, carried her to the couch, and set her sideways on her lap. She undid the sash, opened the robe, and gently kissed Bocchi's breasts.

Bocchi's eyes bulged as her vocal chords emitted a moan.

"Don't worry." Kita's fingertip brushed Bocchi's nose. "I'm only going to take you up to ten percent." She slid the fingertip down Bocchi's throat, between her breasts, over her belly button, and stopped between her legs. "Just enough to keep you warm."

Bocchi nodded, dipped her head into Kita's shoulder, and took a deep breath. Thanks to several practice sessions, Kita had become expertly attuned to Bocchi's response mechanisms.

Nijika stepped through the door and scanned the scene. "Is it my imagination, or did it just get really hot in here?"

Seated in the corner, Ryo shifted her attention from her phone. "Is it time to go?"

"We've got a packed house. It's time to set up. How are you feeling, Andromeda?" Nijika rubbed Bocchi's wig.

Bocchi nodded. "Gwngd." Good.

Kita tied Bocchi's robe closed, helped her to stand, and steadied her.

Ryo pulled Bocchi over her shoulder and carried her to the stage. "You're going to love the new lighting on the Stargate." Ryo patted Bocchi's bottom.

Four dim overhead bulbs lit the stage area behind the curtain. Kita donned her guitar behind the microphone while Nijika took her seat behind her drums. Sensing activity behind the curtain, the crowd increased its activity and volume, vibrating the wooden stage floor.

Ryo set Bocchi on the Stargate platform, cut the zip ties off of her wrist cuffs, and pulled the robe off of her body. She clipped Bocchi's right wrist to the Stargate at the ten o'clock position and whispered, "I've done this so many times, I could do it with my eyes closed." She clipped Bocchi's left cuff to the prop at the two o'clock position.

Bocchi, feeling surprisingly calm thanks to Kita's tender care, giggled and nodded.

Ryo cut the zip tie from Bocchi's ankle cuffs before guiding her feet onto the Stargate's ledges placed at eight and four o'clock. The act of spreading her legs lowered Bocchi's body, stretching her arms to their limits. After Ryo clipped her ankle cuffs to the circular prop, Bocchi, feeling like skin wrapped over a drum, couldn't move an inch.

Ryo took a step back. "Everything okay?"

Bocchi fluttered her fingers and nodded.

Ryo squeezed Bocchi's breasts and planted a kiss on her ball gag. "You look terrific." She turned away, took a step, then hopped back. "Whoops. I almost forgot." She clipped a miniature wireless lapel microphone to Bocchi's collar and turned it on. Then she trotted to the other end of the stage and picked up her bass.