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Description
“I… I don’t know about this,” Yuna said, stepping into a cool blast of air from the sweltering outside humidity. The doors closed behind her. Signs hanging on the outside reading ‘Tickle-cade’ dangled as the doors shut. Her skirt wafted against a soft current of a nearby fan. The summoner’s hands lifted to block the gusts from rustling her hair. Next to her, Rikku pranced around to meet Yuna face to face.

“Aww, don’t back out now, scaredy,” Rikku said. “You said you wanted to try this place ever since I brought it up.”

“I’m not sure I ever said that,” Yuna said, a brush of rose streaking across her cheeks.

“Yeah-huh,” Rikku argued. “Everyday it’s been question after question. I knew you secretly wanted to see it for yourself. So, ta-da!” Rikku threw out her arms in welcoming Yuna to the Tickle-cade, a Colosseum for tickle exhibition. Yuna looked around the main lobby. Eccentric, colorful designs carved into the walls eased her mind. Decorations from regions all over highlighted nooks and delivered a homey feel to patrons from all over. Yuna studied her surroundings. Her teachings and experiences had brought her a keen eye for soaking in new environments. The Tickle-cade presented itself as a hotel, but one much more elegant than any she had ever encountered. Yet, strange differences caught her eye.

“I… I haven’t asked that many questions, have I?” Yuna asked. “I feel like there’s still so much I don’t know.”

“Trust me, it seems a little overwhelming at first, but you’ll get the hang of it,” said Rikku. “I bet you’ll even grow to like it.” Rikku shot Yuna a wink as she walked up to an odd device in the lobby. A pit of nerves bore into Yuna’s chest as she approached. The contraption on display stood much taller than Yuna. It was fitted with padded cushions, ropes, and buckled cuffs. A velvet rope blocked the device off from being played with. The piece of equipment came with a diagram and explanation of how it was to be used.

“Oh my!” Yuna exclaimed. Reading the summary of the contraption, she learned that it was a piece of bondage equipment, used to ensnare a person. Rikku chuckled back at Yuna’s reaction.

“Relax, you have nothing to worry about,” said Rikku. “No one gets hurt here. It’s all fun and smiles. And tickles!” Rikku drove her hands in against Yuna’s sides. She squeezed Yuna’s waist, eliciting a fluttering giggle out of the girl. Yuna bent over and backed away defensively as she rode out the last of her laughter.

“Rikku…” Yuna said, looking around to see how many people were still watching.

“Aww, don’t be shy,” Rikku said. “That’s what the Tickle-cade’s all about. It’s a game all about tickling. And I know you like to be tickled.”

“Wha- how do you know that?” Yuna asked.

“Tidus told me,” said Rikku. “He said you let him tickle you all the time. It’s so cute!” Rikku looked back to Yuna, standing with a modest scowl pointed to the ground. “Aww, don’t be mad at him. He only told me and only because I told him that I wanted to take you here for a girl’s day out.” Yuna looked back up and smiled, her concern defeated by Rikku’s lively smile which she wore as comfortably as her high riding shorts and exposed midriff.

“Well… I don’t mind it…” Yuna said with a shy grin.

“It’s perfectly fine to like it,” said Rikku. “Come on! It’ll be fun! It’s a game so it’s extra fun.”

“I don’t know…” Yuna said, rubbing her arm.

“Pleeeeeze?” Rikku asked, begging with folded arms. “I promise you’ll like it. I come all the time. I asked Lulu, but she told me that if I so much as touched her, she’d burn my hands off with a fire spell.” Yuna laughed.

“That sure is Lulu,” said Yuna. “Okay, Rikku. I’ll give it a try.”

“Yay!” Rikku cheered, jumping up and down. “Don’t worry, I’ll make the first one real easy for you. I know how ticklish you are.” Rikku teased Yuna by poking her belly. Yuna giggled and backed away.

“I’m just not sure I remember all the rules that you told me,” said Yuna. She looked around the lobby. More bondage contraptions sat behind velvet ropes, each with their own gimmicks and functions. On the other side of the lobby, kiosks with bright screens stood littered around the floor where clusters of people stood around, typing into the monitors with gaming smiles.

“Don’t worry, they’re really good at explaining it here,” said Rikku. The girl took Yuna’s hand and led the summoner toward a front desk, where a male receptionist stood idly by. The desk came with a forward facing monitor lighting up the cartoony Tickle-cade logo. Beneath it was a rectangular dispensary and tray. “They can probably do it better than I can.” Rikku and Yuna stopped at the front counter. The receptionist greeted them with a bright, young grin.

“Hello, ladies,” said Duncan, as identified by his nametag. “Welcome to the Tickle-cade. Can I sign you fine young ladies up for a room?” Yuna shared a glance with Rikku, hopping excitedly.

“Yes please,” said Rikku. Duncan brought his eyes down to a screen facing him, typing away.

“Well, you’re in luck,” said Duncan. “We have an opening starting in just fifteen minutes, about as long as it’ll take to get you two set up. Now, have either of you been here before?”

“I have,” said Rikku. The girl fumbled with several of the pockets on her shorts before finding and pulling out a membership card, complete with her name and a strand of numbers servicing as identification. “And she’s new.” Rikku handed the card to the man.

“Okay… Rikku,” Duncan said with a smile. “Let’s see what we can do.” The man inputted Rikku’s information into the computer. “Alright, well it seems you have clocked in over eighty hours, a star tickler. I’m impressed.” Rikku smiled wide. Yuna shot her a glance.

“I… I’ve been here once or twice…” Rikku said shyly.

“And miss, would you like to register for a membership today?” Duncan asked Yuna. Yuna paused.

“Um… no thank you,” said Yuna. “Not today.”

“That’s fine,” said Duncan. “Most people don’t their first time. Usually they do the second when they’re already hooked. I’ll just put you down as Rikku’s guest for this first game.”

“Thank you,” said Yuna.

“Now, before we go over the rules and customization, you do know that you will be tickled, correct? Assuming that Rikku is to be your tickler.” Duncan looked back at both girls. Yuna shyly nodded.

“Y-yes,” said Yuna.

“But how intense it is is entirely up to you two,” said Duncan. “We have game formats ranging from ‘very mild’ to ‘extremely intense’. Might I suggest your first game being more on the tamer side?”

“Yes, please,” Yuna said. She spoke with a soft air, brushing her hair out of her temperate face.

“Can you please explain to her the rules?” Rikku asked. “I tried, but she’s still a little confused.” Duncan laughed.

“We get that a lot,” Duncan said. “Don’t worry, I’ll explain it as best as I can and be around if you have any questions before your game begins.”

“Good,” Yuna said. “Thank you. I don’t really know what to expect and I’m a little nervous.”

“That’s perfectly natural,” Duncan said with a warm smile. “You have an experienced, trusted friend to guide you through the process, so I’m sure we’ll find a way to make you nice and comfortable.” Duncan returned to typing away at his keyboard. His round, cherub face glowed in the light of the monitor. The tablet stationed at the desk, pointed toward both girls, awakened with a white light and the Tickle-cade logo in the center. Yuna and Rikku turned to the screen.

‘Welcome, Rikku and Guest, to the Tickle-cade,’ spoke a soothing, feminine voice from the tablet.

“This system is your ADM, or ‘Automated Deck Master’,” said Duncan. “She will also be available to assist you more directly in your game.”

“Deck… master?” Yuna asked.

“The game you will be playing today operates by a deck of cards,” Duncan said. The screen in front of the two players displayed an animated stack of cards. “The cards you play with will dictate how Rikku is allowed to tickle you. Each turn, your ADM will draw three cards, one card from each category: body cards, time cards, and effect cards. Body cards will dictate where she is allowed to tickle you. Time cards will give her a set time limit for which to tickle you. Effect cards are a little more wild. Effects can range from specific tools to enhancements to time multipliers. Some of the more milder decks will include leniencies, making the turn easier on the person being tickled.” The animated deck isolated three cards on the screen, each displaying one card from each category. Yuna read a draw that required a belly to be tickled for ten minutes with feather. She shivered and smiled, giggling nervously. Rikku shot her a sly look. “You must complete your deck to win the game by following your deck’s commands.

“What do we win, exactly?” Yuna asked.

“Your score is calculated based on game duration, multiplied by intensity,” Duncan answered. “Your score is saved into a profile upon membership. Higher scores gain access to a variety of benefits from unique cards to be added to your database to entries into exclusive contests and tournaments.”

“That’s fun,” Yuna said with a smile. “There certainly is a big operation here.”

“Oh yes, Tickle-cade facilities are expanding all over the place,” Duncan said.

“So, is every deck the same?” Yuna asked.

“Not at all,” said Duncan. “While we do have set decks based around body part focus and varying intensities, the deck you will play with today can be completely customized by you two. You can do so by picking out individual cards to fit your deck size.” The screen listed out a towering series of cards, each fitting the three different categories with all different features. The cards were tinted with different colors, each category containing an equal amount in each color. “Green cards are mild intensity, featuring single body parts and shorter durations. Yellow cards are average intensity. Red cards are high intensity, with several body part locations at once and higher time limits. For a mild game, I recommend a deck of eighteen. A green focused deck between fifteen to twenty four cards should fill up a game lasting thirty to forty minutes. If you want, I can randomize a mild deck for you now of eighteen. Many people randomize merely to include an element of surprise to their game.”

“Yes, let’s do that!” Rikku said, bouncing impatiently up and down while hanging onto Yuna’s shoulder. Yuna looked down timidly while Duncan laughed.

“Sounds good, as long as that is fine with you, miss?” Duncan. “We prefer to prioritize the word of the player being tickled in the decision process.” Yuna smiled softly.

“Yes, that sounds fine,” said Yuna. Her nervous apprehension was compromised by Rikku’s enthusiastic insistence. Duncan returned to typing.

“Alright, then,” Duncan said. The screen switched to one displaying a series of green cards pouring into a stack.

‘Deck, assorted,’ said the ADM. ‘Game duration, thirty four minutes. Average intensity, mild. Is this your deck?’ The words ‘Accept’ and ‘Decline’ appeared in clickable boxes under the deck animation.

“Now, if you’d like to examine the cards assembled, you may,” said Duncan. “And if this is the deck you’d like for your game, just hit accept and the ADM will dispense your cards.”

“Accept!” Rikku shouted, barely containing her excitement.

“You sure we don’t want to look at the cards we’re playing with?” Yuna asked.

“Now way, it’s more fun this way,” Rikku said. Yuna sighed and smirked. Her friend’s energy never ceased to ease her mind and paint a smile across her face.

“If you say so,” said Yuna. The young summoner pressed ‘Accept’ with her finger.

‘Thank you,’ the ADM replied. Beneath the monitor, the dispensary hummed a gentle song as cards poured into the tray in a neat stack. The cards were bigger than the playing cards they had used for varying games on long voyages aboard the Fahrenheit, but only slightly. They were constructed of thick, durable material. The Tickle-cade logo was printed on one side, with a coded pattern on the other. None contained any indication of the features they had been assigned. ‘Please take your deck.’ Yuna reached out and took a firm grasp on the eighteen cards which were to determine how Rikku would be instructed to tickle her for the game.

“Okay,” Yuna said. “Now, how exactly am I to be… tickled?” Yuna spoke the last word in a hush murmur, her eyes shifting around the immediate vicinity.

“Well, if you will follow me,” said Duncan, standing up from the desk, “I will show you to your room and we can start your game.” The attendant walked around and escorted the girls to a set of double doors. Yuna’s hands toyed anxiously with the cards. Rikku stepped out in front of her, making her way up to the door. With Yuna dragging behind, Rikku stopped and looked back at her.

“What’s wrong, Yunie?” Rikku asked.

“N-nothing,” said Yuna, walking up to her with a lowered head. “Just nervous is all.”

“Don’t be, silly,” Rikku said. “It’s a lot of fun. You’ll see.”

“I… I trust you,” said Yuna. “I’ve just… never been so open about being tickled before. It’s strange.”

“I know, but it’s all about letting loose and having a good time,” said Rikku. “They’re really secrete here. The rooms are private. You’ll see.” The girls stepped through the double doors into a long hallway. The corridor was littered with solid doors on both sides. Each door came with a number and a card reader. Yuna walked slowly down the hallway with Rikku by her side. They followed Duncan as he led them with substantial distance. “Admit it though, you’re nervous because you’re excited.” Yuna laughed and stroked her chestnut hair.

“Maybe a little,” Yuna said, cheeks shaded rose. “I do like being tickled. I just never expected it to get out like this. I’ve really only ever been tickled by Tidus.”

“Well, I’m good,” said Rikku. “You’ll see. I’m really good. I’ll try to go easy on you for your first time, but no promises.” Yuna sighed, the chilling hollow in her stomach caving more the farther Duncan led her and Rikku.

“I trust you,” Yuna said, genuine but forced in the moment. “Just… go easy on my feet.” Rikku snickered.

“Tidus did say that your feet are really ticklish,” Rikku said. Yuna’s thumbs twiddled around the edge of the deck. “You really can’t trust that boy to keep a secret, can you?”

“I don’t hate it,” Yuna said softly, “they’re just really sensitive.”

“Don’t worry, Yunie,” Rikku said. “I’ll be nice. This first time. Maybe.” Rikku snickered playfully as Duncan led the girls up to their room.

“Here we are, room #203,” said Duncan. Yuna and Rikku approached the attendant from behind. He pulled a key card out of his pocket and inserted it into the reader. A light on the outside of the door flashed green. The door unlocked with a muffled click. Duncan pushed down the handle and opened the door to the room.

The attendant held the door open as Yuna and Rikku slipped inside. Lights flashed on from overhead. The room greeted the girls with a fresh scent of lavender. The walls had no windows, but contained framed explanations of the rules of the game. One wall held aloft a wide screen bearing the Tickle-cade logo much in the way that the monitor at the front desk welcomed them. Beneath the screen was a series of rectangular drawers, each shut and outlined by deactivated light strips. Yuna stalled upon entering as her eyes fell upon what stood in the center of the room. A padded table sat flat atop an adjustable arm. The table contained four branching appendages. The branches were hinged at the middle, each equipped with straps and ending with a single-slotted stock, complete with locking latches. Yuna’s heart sank as the bondage device caused her to freeze in place. Rikku rushed around her front. The small Al Bhed scavenger placed her hands on Yuna’s shoulders and looked her in the eye.

“Yunie, hey,” Rikku said, begging the summoner’s attention. “It’s going to be okay, okay? I promise, you’ll be fine and have a lot of fun.” Yuna sucked in several deep breaths, breathing in through her nose and out from between her shivering, pink lips.

“Okay,” Yuna said. “I trust you.” Yuna managed a smile as Rikku grinned up at her.

“That’s the spirit!” Rikku cheered. Rikku took the deck from Yuna’s tightly clenched fingers. The screen read another friendly display of ‘Welcome, Rikku and Guest!’ from the ADM.

“Alright, now miss,” Duncan said, walking up to the table in the center of the room. “Lie up onto the table and I will strap you in. The table is completely customizable. Rikku will position you any way that suits you both.”

“A-alright,” Yuna said. A substantial subject of her teachings to become a summoner was learning about different regions and their customs. She had prepared herself for a wide variety of practices that seemed innately strange to her, but never before had she imagined she would be so bound and vulnerable. “It’s just tickling.” Yuna repeated to herself.

“Right!” Rikku said with a reassuring smile. Yuna inched closer to the table.

“You may need to remove your boots first,” Duncan said. Yuna stalled. She looked down to her black leather boots, containing what she knew to be her most ticklish spots. The request resonating the reality that her feet would be at the mercy of being tickled.

“My boots?” Yuna asked.

“Typically players remove their shoes first before hopping up onto the table,” said Duncan. “It’s not always required ahead of time, but for the sake of getting your ankles into the grooves, it would be for the best.” Duncan gestured to the stocks at the bottom two arms of the table. He opened and closed them, a padded circle cut into two hinged guards.

“R-right,” Yuna said. The teenage summoner bent down. She pinched the zipper tab on the side of her right boot and pushed it down as far as it would go. Yuna promptly repeated the undressing of her left foot. Yuna thought to the sudden realization that it was always Tidus that would remove her shoes whenever he felt the urge to tickle her. It was one of the most relaxing and exciting moments of their sessions, full of intimacy and anticipation. Yuna was overcome with a new sense of excitement as she had never willing removed her own clothing specifically to be tickled before. Strange new experiences, no matter how many came her way, were always an adjustment.

“Aww, Yunie, you have such pretty feet,” Rikku said. “I think this might be my first time seeing them bare. You never let them out of your boots.”

“I just… like them protected,” said Yuna.

“Not around Tidus, though,” Rikku said. “‘He’s special’. Isn’t that what you’d always say?” Yuna grinned up at Rikku, despite her mocking impression of her. Her mouth stumbled on a rebuttal as her mind drifted back to the intimate calm of her and Tidus’s alone time.

Yuna slipped out of her boots to reveal her bare feet, softened with a slight dampness. She set her shoes neatly to the side. “Alright, miss. There we go.” Duncan said as Yuna made her way up to the table. She hopped up, her seat sinking into the plush padding. Yuna breathed deeply as she swung her legs over, straightening herself out like lying on a cot. Her navy floral skirt draped over the sides of the table like curtains. Rikku stood back and watched Duncan situate the summoner. He took her arms and gingerly turned them up, placing both wrists inside the grooves of the stocks. “Okay, now I’m going to lock you in. If there is a problem, any problem at all during your game, you say the word ‘cease’ aloud the ADM will unlock you from the table and an assistant will be on their way to help you any way you need. Okay?” Yuna nodded.

“Yes, sir,” Yuna said. A shade of color drained from her face as she felt the stocks locked around her wrists. She tested the binds by lightly tugging at them. As Duncan circled her body, Yuna tugged harder and harder to learn that no amount of strength she possessed would free her from the stocks. Duncan trailed down to the bottom of the table and laughed.

“Now, normally we don’t have players coming in long skirts like this, so I would suggest a position to keep your ankles together,” said Duncan. Yuna only immediately registered half of what Duncan said before agreeing.

“Yes, that would be best,” Yuna said.

“Great, now just stick your ankles into the stocks,” said Duncan. His calm demeanor was odd, yet comforting, against the waves of nervous anticipation that washed over Yuna. She hesitated before lifting her bare feet and placing them into the grooves. Duncan closed the stocks around them, locking them both shut and together. Yuna stared up at the ceiling, still calming herself with deep breaths about which she still lacked confidence. Rikku skipped up beside Yuna and smiled.

“Comfy?” Rikku asked.

“Y-yes,” Yuna answered. She complimented Rikku’s smile with one of her own.

“Stop worrying,” said Rikku. “This is a place to relax and have fun. You’ll see. I’m sure after this you’ll be itching for another game.”

“We’ll see,” said Yuna.

“Alright, now Rikku, how would you like Yuna to be positioned?” Duncan asked.

“Hmmmm,” Rikku hummed, finger up against her pursed lips. She looked her friend over from top to bottom. Rikku fanned both of Yuna’s arms to stretch out above her head, her armpits open and exposed. “There. That’s better.” Duncan reached underneath the table and locked the narrow formation in place. He turned to Yuna with a smile.

“Are you comfortable this way?” Duncan asked. Yuna grinned back at the man and nodded, charmed by his consideration to her plight.

“Yes, sir,” said Yuna. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” said Duncan. The attendant turned back to Rikku, shifting side to side anxiously. “Okay, now there is an intercom over there by the door if you need someone to assist you before the game is over. When the game finishes, we will be alerted and come get you both. Understood?”

“Crystal clear, Dunkie,” Rikku said with a wink. Duncan brushed off the name with a chuckle.

“Alright, now if you come over here, we’ll get you started,” said Duncan. He led Rikku over by the screen facing Yuna. Below the screen, much like the monitor at the front desk, was a receptacle fitted to be the size and shape of the deck. “Now I understand that you know how this works. Just insert your deck into the slot here. The ADM will shuffle the deck and separate it by category. Each round will pull one card from each category, giving you a total of six rounds for a thirty four minute game. Still sound good?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Rikku cheered. Before Duncan could turn back toward the door, Rikku dropped her deck into the receiver and watched as each card was sucked into the computer one at a time.

“Alright, you two,” Duncan said, “if there are any other questions or you need anything at all, just reach me on the intercom and I will come back right away. If not, then have a good game, girls. Enjoy.”

“Oh, we will,” Rikku called back.

“Thank you, sir,” Yuna answered. Duncan shot both Rikku and Yuna a tender smile before disappearing beyond the door, shutting and locking it behind him. Alone, Rikku turned back to Yuna, staring up at her with wide eyes. Rikku clapped her hands and bounced up and down.

“Yay!” Rikku squealed. “Aren’t you excited?”

“I… I don’t know yet,” Yuna.

“Aww, come on,” said Rikku. “It’s just us girls now. Nothing to be embarrassed by.” Yuna giggled.

“Okay, maybe still a little,” said Yuna.

“That’s good enough for me,” Rikku said triumphantly. The ADM played a calming piano segment as it showed the game screen.

‘Thank you for choosing the Tickle-cade as your entertainment venue for today,’ the ADM spoke in a placid tone. The screen before them showed the number eighteen in the top left corner, boxed off in a section labeled as ‘Deck’. Above the center, images of the cards sat separated into three small stacks. In the center of the screen were three rectangular outlines, each section labeled with the three card categories. The area itself was sectioned off and labeled as Round. Below center screen was a timer reading 00:00:00. ‘Player tickling, remember your rules. You are only permitted to tickle where, and for how long, instructed by the round. Violations of these rules will be met with disciplinary measures, so be on your best behavior. Player being tickled, remember your safeword. Should you need to free yourself from your binds, simply shout the safeword and I will release you. Should the safeword be called, the game session will be forfeited from the score of both players and an attendant will be by to assist you. You will be given a fifteen second transitional period between rounds to replace tools, adjust your subject’s binds, and prepare yourself for the following draw. Ready, players?’

“Oh, I’m so ready,” Rikku answered back at the automated voice. “Are you?”

“I suppose I am,” said Yuna, sinking into calming breaths.

‘Your game begins now,’ said the ADM.

-continued in part 2-

Description
“I… I don’t know about this,” Yuna said, stepping into a cool blast of air from the sweltering outside humidity. The doors closed behind her. Signs hanging on the outside reading ‘Tickle-cade’ dangled as the doors shut. Her skirt wafted against a soft current of a nearby fan. The summoner’s hands lifted to block the gusts from rustling her hair. Next to her, Rikku pranced around to meet Yuna face to face.

“Aww, don’t back out now, scaredy,” Rikku said. “You said you wanted to try this place ever since I brought it up.”

“I’m not sure I ever said that,” Yuna said, a brush of rose streaking across her cheeks.

“Yeah-huh,” Rikku argued. “Everyday it’s been question after question. I knew you secretly wanted to see it for yourself. So, ta-da!” Rikku threw out her arms in welcoming Yuna to the Tickle-cade, a Colosseum for tickle exhibition. Yuna looked around the main lobby. Eccentric, colorful designs carved into the walls eased her mind. Decorations from regions all over highlighted nooks and delivered a homey feel to patrons from all over. Yuna studied her surroundings. Her teachings and experiences had brought her a keen eye for soaking in new environments. The Tickle-cade presented itself as a hotel, but one much more elegant than any she had ever encountered. Yet, strange differences caught her eye.

“I… I haven’t asked that many questions, have I?” Yuna asked. “I feel like there’s still so much I don’t know.”

“Trust me, it seems a little overwhelming at first, but you’ll get the hang of it,” said Rikku. “I bet you’ll even grow to like it.” Rikku shot Yuna a wink as she walked up to an odd device in the lobby. A pit of nerves bore into Yuna’s chest as she approached. The contraption on display stood much taller than Yuna. It was fitted with padded cushions, ropes, and buckled cuffs. A velvet rope blocked the device off from being played with. The piece of equipment came with a diagram and explanation of how it was to be used.

“Oh my!” Yuna exclaimed. Reading the summary of the contraption, she learned that it was a piece of bondage equipment, used to ensnare a person. Rikku chuckled back at Yuna’s reaction.

“Relax, you have nothing to worry about,” said Rikku. “No one gets hurt here. It’s all fun and smiles. And tickles!” Rikku drove her hands in against Yuna’s sides. She squeezed Yuna’s waist, eliciting a fluttering giggle out of the girl. Yuna bent over and backed away defensively as she rode out the last of her laughter.

“Rikku…” Yuna said, looking around to see how many people were still watching.

“Aww, don’t be shy,” Rikku said. “That’s what the Tickle-cade’s all about. It’s a game all about tickling. And I know you like to be tickled.”

“Wha- how do you know that?” Yuna asked.

“Tidus told me,” said Rikku. “He said you let him tickle you all the time. It’s so cute!” Rikku looked back to Yuna, standing with a modest scowl pointed to the ground. “Aww, don’t be mad at him. He only told me and only because I told him that I wanted to take you here for a girl’s day out.” Yuna looked back up and smiled, her concern defeated by Rikku’s lively smile which she wore as comfortably as her high riding shorts and exposed midriff.

“Well… I don’t mind it…” Yuna said with a shy grin.

“It’s perfectly fine to like it,” said Rikku. “Come on! It’ll be fun! It’s a game so it’s extra fun.”

“I don’t know…” Yuna said, rubbing her arm.

“Pleeeeeze?” Rikku asked, begging with folded arms. “I promise you’ll like it. I come all the time. I asked Lulu, but she told me that if I so much as touched her, she’d burn my hands off with a fire spell.” Yuna laughed.

“That sure is Lulu,” said Yuna. “Okay, Rikku. I’ll give it a try.”

“Yay!” Rikku cheered, jumping up and down. “Don’t worry, I’ll make the first one real easy for you. I know how ticklish you are.” Rikku teased Yuna by poking her belly. Yuna giggled and backed away.

“I’m just not sure I remember all the rules that you told me,” said Yuna. She looked around the lobby. More bondage contraptions sat behind velvet ropes, each with their own gimmicks and functions. On the other side of the lobby, kiosks with bright screens stood littered around the floor where clusters of people stood around, typing into the monitors with gaming smiles.

“Don’t worry, they’re really good at explaining it here,” said Rikku. The girl took Yuna’s hand and led the summoner toward a front desk, where a male receptionist stood idly by. The desk came with a forward facing monitor lighting up the cartoony Tickle-cade logo. Beneath it was a rectangular dispensary and tray. “They can probably do it better than I can.” Rikku and Yuna stopped at the front counter. The receptionist greeted them with a bright, young grin.

“Hello, ladies,” said Duncan, as identified by his nametag. “Welcome to the Tickle-cade. Can I sign you fine young ladies up for a room?” Yuna shared a glance with Rikku, hopping excitedly.

“Yes please,” said Rikku. Duncan brought his eyes down to a screen facing him, typing away.

“Well, you’re in luck,” said Duncan. “We have an opening starting in just fifteen minutes, about as long as it’ll take to get you two set up. Now, have either of you been here before?”

“I have,” said Rikku. The girl fumbled with several of the pockets on her shorts before finding and pulling out a membership card, complete with her name and a strand of numbers servicing as identification. “And she’s new.” Rikku handed the card to the man.

“Okay… Rikku,” Duncan said with a smile. “Let’s see what we can do.” The man inputted Rikku’s information into the computer. “Alright, well it seems you have clocked in over eighty hours, a star tickler. I’m impressed.” Rikku smiled wide. Yuna shot her a glance.

“I… I’ve been here once or twice…” Rikku said shyly.

“And miss, would you like to register for a membership today?” Duncan asked Yuna. Yuna paused.

“Um… no thank you,” said Yuna. “Not today.”

“That’s fine,” said Duncan. “Most people don’t their first time. Usually they do the second when they’re already hooked. I’ll just put you down as Rikku’s guest for this first game.”

“Thank you,” said Yuna.

“Now, before we go over the rules and customization, you do know that you will be tickled, correct? Assuming that Rikku is to be your tickler.” Duncan looked back at both girls. Yuna shyly nodded.

“Y-yes,” said Yuna.

“But how intense it is is entirely up to you two,” said Duncan. “We have game formats ranging from ‘very mild’ to ‘extremely intense’. Might I suggest your first game being more on the tamer side?”

“Yes, please,” Yuna said. She spoke with a soft air, brushing her hair out of her temperate face.

“Can you please explain to her the rules?” Rikku asked. “I tried, but she’s still a little confused.” Duncan laughed.

“We get that a lot,” Duncan said. “Don’t worry, I’ll explain it as best as I can and be around if you have any questions before your game begins.”

“Good,” Yuna said. “Thank you. I don’t really know what to expect and I’m a little nervous.”

“That’s perfectly natural,” Duncan said with a warm smile. “You have an experienced, trusted friend to guide you through the process, so I’m sure we’ll find a way to make you nice and comfortable.” Duncan returned to typing away at his keyboard. His round, cherub face glowed in the light of the monitor. The tablet stationed at the desk, pointed toward both girls, awakened with a white light and the Tickle-cade logo in the center. Yuna and Rikku turned to the screen.

‘Welcome, Rikku and Guest, to the Tickle-cade,’ spoke a soothing, feminine voice from the tablet.

“This system is your ADM, or ‘Automated Deck Master’,” said Duncan. “She will also be available to assist you more directly in your game.”

“Deck… master?” Yuna asked.

“The game you will be playing today operates by a deck of cards,” Duncan said. The screen in front of the two players displayed an animated stack of cards. “The cards you play with will dictate how Rikku is allowed to tickle you. Each turn, your ADM will draw three cards, one card from each category: body cards, time cards, and effect cards. Body cards will dictate where she is allowed to tickle you. Time cards will give her a set time limit for which to tickle you. Effect cards are a little more wild. Effects can range from specific tools to enhancements to time multipliers. Some of the more milder decks will include leniencies, making the turn easier on the person being tickled.” The animated deck isolated three cards on the screen, each displaying one card from each category. Yuna read a draw that required a belly to be tickled for ten minutes with feather. She shivered and smiled, giggling nervously. Rikku shot her a sly look. “You must complete your deck to win the game by following your deck’s commands.

“What do we win, exactly?” Yuna asked.

“Your score is calculated based on game duration, multiplied by intensity,” Duncan answered. “Your score is saved into a profile upon membership. Higher scores gain access to a variety of benefits from unique cards to be added to your database to entries into exclusive contests and tournaments.”

“That’s fun,” Yuna said with a smile. “There certainly is a big operation here.”

“Oh yes, Tickle-cade facilities are expanding all over the place,” Duncan said.

“So, is every deck the same?” Yuna asked.

“Not at all,” said Duncan. “While we do have set decks based around body part focus and varying intensities, the deck you will play with today can be completely customized by you two. You can do so by picking out individual cards to fit your deck size.” The screen listed out a towering series of cards, each fitting the three different categories with all different features. The cards were tinted with different colors, each category containing an equal amount in each color. “Green cards are mild intensity, featuring single body parts and shorter durations. Yellow cards are average intensity. Red cards are high intensity, with several body part locations at once and higher time limits. For a mild game, I recommend a deck of eighteen. A green focused deck between fifteen to twenty four cards should fill up a game lasting thirty to forty minutes. If you want, I can randomize a mild deck for you now of eighteen. Many people randomize merely to include an element of surprise to their game.”

“Yes, let’s do that!” Rikku said, bouncing impatiently up and down while hanging onto Yuna’s shoulder. Yuna looked down timidly while Duncan laughed.

“Sounds good, as long as that is fine with you, miss?” Duncan. “We prefer to prioritize the word of the player being tickled in the decision process.” Yuna smiled softly.

“Yes, that sounds fine,” said Yuna. Her nervous apprehension was compromised by Rikku’s enthusiastic insistence. Duncan returned to typing.

“Alright, then,” Duncan said. The screen switched to one displaying a series of green cards pouring into a stack.

‘Deck, assorted,’ said the ADM. ‘Game duration, thirty four minutes. Average intensity, mild. Is this your deck?’ The words ‘Accept’ and ‘Decline’ appeared in clickable boxes under the deck animation.

“Now, if you’d like to examine the cards assembled, you may,” said Duncan. “And if this is the deck you’d like for your game, just hit accept and the ADM will dispense your cards.”

“Accept!” Rikku shouted, barely containing her excitement.

“You sure we don’t want to look at the cards we’re playing with?” Yuna asked.

“Now way, it’s more fun this way,” Rikku said. Yuna sighed and smirked. Her friend’s energy never ceased to ease her mind and paint a smile across her face.

“If you say so,” said Yuna. The young summoner pressed ‘Accept’ with her finger.

‘Thank you,’ the ADM replied. Beneath the monitor, the dispensary hummed a gentle song as cards poured into the tray in a neat stack. The cards were bigger than the playing cards they had used for varying games on long voyages aboard the Fahrenheit, but only slightly. They were constructed of thick, durable material. The Tickle-cade logo was printed on one side, with a coded pattern on the other. None contained any indication of the features they had been assigned. ‘Please take your deck.’ Yuna reached out and took a firm grasp on the eighteen cards which were to determine how Rikku would be instructed to tickle her for the game.

“Okay,” Yuna said. “Now, how exactly am I to be… tickled?” Yuna spoke the last word in a hush murmur, her eyes shifting around the immediate vicinity.

“Well, if you will follow me,” said Duncan, standing up from the desk, “I will show you to your room and we can start your game.” The attendant walked around and escorted the girls to a set of double doors. Yuna’s hands toyed anxiously with the cards. Rikku stepped out in front of her, making her way up to the door. With Yuna dragging behind, Rikku stopped and looked back at her.

“What’s wrong, Yunie?” Rikku asked.

“N-nothing,” said Yuna, walking up to her with a lowered head. “Just nervous is all.”

“Don’t be, silly,” Rikku said. “It’s a lot of fun. You’ll see.”

“I… I trust you,” said Yuna. “I’ve just… never been so open about being tickled before. It’s strange.”

“I know, but it’s all about letting loose and having a good time,” said Rikku. “They’re really secrete here. The rooms are private. You’ll see.” The girls stepped through the double doors into a long hallway. The corridor was littered with solid doors on both sides. Each door came with a number and a card reader. Yuna walked slowly down the hallway with Rikku by her side. They followed Duncan as he led them with substantial distance. “Admit it though, you’re nervous because you’re excited.” Yuna laughed and stroked her chestnut hair.

“Maybe a little,” Yuna said, cheeks shaded rose. “I do like being tickled. I just never expected it to get out like this. I’ve really only ever been tickled by Tidus.”

“Well, I’m good,” said Rikku. “You’ll see. I’m really good. I’ll try to go easy on you for your first time, but no promises.” Yuna sighed, the chilling hollow in her stomach caving more the farther Duncan led her and Rikku.

“I trust you,” Yuna said, genuine but forced in the moment. “Just… go easy on my feet.” Rikku snickered.

“Tidus did say that your feet are really ticklish,” Rikku said. Yuna’s thumbs twiddled around the edge of the deck. “You really can’t trust that boy to keep a secret, can you?”

“I don’t hate it,” Yuna said softly, “they’re just really sensitive.”

“Don’t worry, Yunie,” Rikku said. “I’ll be nice. This first time. Maybe.” Rikku snickered playfully as Duncan led the girls up to their room.

“Here we are, room #203,” said Duncan. Yuna and Rikku approached the attendant from behind. He pulled a key card out of his pocket and inserted it into the reader. A light on the outside of the door flashed green. The door unlocked with a muffled click. Duncan pushed down the handle and opened the door to the room.

The attendant held the door open as Yuna and Rikku slipped inside. Lights flashed on from overhead. The room greeted the girls with a fresh scent of lavender. The walls had no windows, but contained framed explanations of the rules of the game. One wall held aloft a wide screen bearing the Tickle-cade logo much in the way that the monitor at the front desk welcomed them. Beneath the screen was a series of rectangular drawers, each shut and outlined by deactivated light strips. Yuna stalled upon entering as her eyes fell upon what stood in the center of the room. A padded table sat flat atop an adjustable arm. The table contained four branching appendages. The branches were hinged at the middle, each equipped with straps and ending with a single-slotted stock, complete with locking latches. Yuna’s heart sank as the bondage device caused her to freeze in place. Rikku rushed around her front. The small Al Bhed scavenger placed her hands on Yuna’s shoulders and looked her in the eye.

“Yunie, hey,” Rikku said, begging the summoner’s attention. “It’s going to be okay, okay? I promise, you’ll be fine and have a lot of fun.” Yuna sucked in several deep breaths, breathing in through her nose and out from between her shivering, pink lips.

“Okay,” Yuna said. “I trust you.” Yuna managed a smile as Rikku grinned up at her.

“That’s the spirit!” Rikku cheered. Rikku took the deck from Yuna’s tightly clenched fingers. The screen read another friendly display of ‘Welcome, Rikku and Guest!’ from the ADM.

“Alright, now miss,” Duncan said, walking up to the table in the center of the room. “Lie up onto the table and I will strap you in. The table is completely customizable. Rikku will position you any way that suits you both.”

“A-alright,” Yuna said. A substantial subject of her teachings to become a summoner was learning about different regions and their customs. She had prepared herself for a wide variety of practices that seemed innately strange to her, but never before had she imagined she would be so bound and vulnerable. “It’s just tickling.” Yuna repeated to herself.

“Right!” Rikku said with a reassuring smile. Yuna inched closer to the table.

“You may need to remove your boots first,” Duncan said. Yuna stalled. She looked down to her black leather boots, containing what she knew to be her most ticklish spots. The request resonating the reality that her feet would be at the mercy of being tickled.

“My boots?” Yuna asked.

“Typically players remove their shoes first before hopping up onto the table,” said Duncan. “It’s not always required ahead of time, but for the sake of getting your ankles into the grooves, it would be for the best.” Duncan gestured to the stocks at the bottom two arms of the table. He opened and closed them, a padded circle cut into two hinged guards.

“R-right,” Yuna said. The teenage summoner bent down. She pinched the zipper tab on the side of her right boot and pushed it down as far as it would go. Yuna promptly repeated the undressing of her left foot. Yuna thought to the sudden realization that it was always Tidus that would remove her shoes whenever he felt the urge to tickle her. It was one of the most relaxing and exciting moments of their sessions, full of intimacy and anticipation. Yuna was overcome with a new sense of excitement as she had never willing removed her own clothing specifically to be tickled before. Strange new experiences, no matter how many came her way, were always an adjustment.

“Aww, Yunie, you have such pretty feet,” Rikku said. “I think this might be my first time seeing them bare. You never let them out of your boots.”

“I just… like them protected,” said Yuna.

“Not around Tidus, though,” Rikku said. “‘He’s special’. Isn’t that what you’d always say?” Yuna grinned up at Rikku, despite her mocking impression of her. Her mouth stumbled on a rebuttal as her mind drifted back to the intimate calm of her and Tidus’s alone time.

Yuna slipped out of her boots to reveal her bare feet, softened with a slight dampness. She set her shoes neatly to the side. “Alright, miss. There we go.” Duncan said as Yuna made her way up to the table. She hopped up, her seat sinking into the plush padding. Yuna breathed deeply as she swung her legs over, straightening herself out like lying on a cot. Her navy floral skirt draped over the sides of the table like curtains. Rikku stood back and watched Duncan situate the summoner. He took her arms and gingerly turned them up, placing both wrists inside the grooves of the stocks. “Okay, now I’m going to lock you in. If there is a problem, any problem at all during your game, you say the word ‘cease’ aloud the ADM will unlock you from the table and an assistant will be on their way to help you any way you need. Okay?” Yuna nodded.

“Yes, sir,” Yuna said. A shade of color drained from her face as she felt the stocks locked around her wrists. She tested the binds by lightly tugging at them. As Duncan circled her body, Yuna tugged harder and harder to learn that no amount of strength she possessed would free her from the stocks. Duncan trailed down to the bottom of the table and laughed.

“Now, normally we don’t have players coming in long skirts like this, so I would suggest a position to keep your ankles together,” said Duncan. Yuna only immediately registered half of what Duncan said before agreeing.

“Yes, that would be best,” Yuna said.

“Great, now just stick your ankles into the stocks,” said Duncan. His calm demeanor was odd, yet comforting, against the waves of nervous anticipation that washed over Yuna. She hesitated before lifting her bare feet and placing them into the grooves. Duncan closed the stocks around them, locking them both shut and together. Yuna stared up at the ceiling, still calming herself with deep breaths about which she still lacked confidence. Rikku skipped up beside Yuna and smiled.

“Comfy?” Rikku asked.

“Y-yes,” Yuna answered. She complimented Rikku’s smile with one of her own.

“Stop worrying,” said Rikku. “This is a place to relax and have fun. You’ll see. I’m sure after this you’ll be itching for another game.”

“We’ll see,” said Yuna.

“Alright, now Rikku, how would you like Yuna to be positioned?” Duncan asked.

“Hmmmm,” Rikku hummed, finger up against her pursed lips. She looked her friend over from top to bottom. Rikku fanned both of Yuna’s arms to stretch out above her head, her armpits open and exposed. “There. That’s better.” Duncan reached underneath the table and locked the narrow formation in place. He turned to Yuna with a smile.

“Are you comfortable this way?” Duncan asked. Yuna grinned back at the man and nodded, charmed by his consideration to her plight.

“Yes, sir,” said Yuna. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” said Duncan. The attendant turned back to Rikku, shifting side to side anxiously. “Okay, now there is an intercom over there by the door if you need someone to assist you before the game is over. When the game finishes, we will be alerted and come get you both. Understood?”

“Crystal clear, Dunkie,” Rikku said with a wink. Duncan brushed off the name with a chuckle.

“Alright, now if you come over here, we’ll get you started,” said Duncan. He led Rikku over by the screen facing Yuna. Below the screen, much like the monitor at the front desk, was a receptacle fitted to be the size and shape of the deck. “Now I understand that you know how this works. Just insert your deck into the slot here. The ADM will shuffle the deck and separate it by category. Each round will pull one card from each category, giving you a total of six rounds for a thirty four minute game. Still sound good?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Rikku cheered. Before Duncan could turn back toward the door, Rikku dropped her deck into the receiver and watched as each card was sucked into the computer one at a time.

“Alright, you two,” Duncan said, “if there are any other questions or you need anything at all, just reach me on the intercom and I will come back right away. If not, then have a good game, girls. Enjoy.”

“Oh, we will,” Rikku called back.

“Thank you, sir,” Yuna answered. Duncan shot both Rikku and Yuna a tender smile before disappearing beyond the door, shutting and locking it behind him. Alone, Rikku turned back to Yuna, staring up at her with wide eyes. Rikku clapped her hands and bounced up and down.

“Yay!” Rikku squealed. “Aren’t you excited?”

“I… I don’t know yet,” Yuna.

“Aww, come on,” said Rikku. “It’s just us girls now. Nothing to be embarrassed by.” Yuna giggled.

“Okay, maybe still a little,” said Yuna.

“That’s good enough for me,” Rikku said triumphantly. The ADM played a calming piano segment as it showed the game screen.

‘Thank you for choosing the Tickle-cade as your entertainment venue for today,’ the ADM spoke in a placid tone. The screen before them showed the number eighteen in the top left corner, boxed off in a section labeled as ‘Deck’. Above the center, images of the cards sat separated into three small stacks. In the center of the screen were three rectangular outlines, each section labeled with the three card categories. The area itself was sectioned off and labeled as Round. Below center screen was a timer reading 00:00:00. ‘Player tickling, remember your rules. You are only permitted to tickle where, and for how long, instructed by the round. Violations of these rules will be met with disciplinary measures, so be on your best behavior. Player being tickled, remember your safeword. Should you need to free yourself from your binds, simply shout the safeword and I will release you. Should the safeword be called, the game session will be forfeited from the score of both players and an attendant will be by to assist you. You will be given a fifteen second transitional period between rounds to replace tools, adjust your subject’s binds, and prepare yourself for the following draw. Ready, players?’

“Oh, I’m so ready,” Rikku answered back at the automated voice. “Are you?”

“I suppose I am,” said Yuna, sinking into calming breaths.

‘Your game begins now,’ said the ADM.

-continued in part 2-