Story 8: Of tranquility and darts...

rufusluciusivan
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Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:08 pm

Story 8: Of tranquility and darts...

Post by rufusluciusivan »

I wasn't supposed to have these characters return so quickly, there was supposed to be another story before, but a few days ago I randomly came across a comment made by darthchloroform on one of lesther's latest pictures: “I do think sleep darts are really underused in our stories.”, and meditions was developing the thought in the comment below. And this gave me an idea for a short story, so much that I had to write to get it out of my head.
This was actually written in two days (as I said, to get it out of my head and move on), it was something of a self-challenge, so don't hesitate to point out typos or errors.

Also warning, boring epilogue with no uniform stealing scene just to tie this story with the previous one. Joke aside, at the middle of the epilogue, there are a bunch of question marks. I'd like to have your opinions on it: do you like it better with or without the story added after the question marks?

This story happens one month after the events of the previous story:
No Sport. The detailed descriptions of the returning characters are here.

https://i.goopics.net/2L7br.jpg

Of tranquility and darts...

**************

People would often mock guards' bouts of incompetence, to the point that the 'dumb guard' had become a widespread stereotype. But the truth was that true guard duty was a boring and thankless job. Keeping watch was actually a lot harder than one may think: it required absolute vigilance, even though the task was both repetitive and boring, especially at night.
And, in 99% of the cases, it was for nothing, as nothing important would happen during the shift. While people would often remember the successful heists, they were quick to forget that these events were rare. A lucky (or unlucky, depending on the point of view) guard could spend their entire carreer without having to deal once with a truly dangerous emergency.

With all that in mind, Piper was patrolling the western half of the park of the Skiron manor. She was bored.

This was a boring night. Just like the previous night was. Just like the next was going to be. She yawned.

The Skiron manor was located in the outskirts of Matilda, right in the middle of a vast park scattered with groves of trees, with a pond in its western side and an alley of statues in its eastern side. The park was surrounded by a barrier made of golden metallic bars over a small marble look white wall.

The Skiron family was one of the richest families of the town of Matilda, but given the fact that Matilda wasn't a very important town compared to South Window or Two-Rivers, it didn't mean much. Basically, they were rich enough to have to hire a few guards to not be the laughingstock of the other rich families of the country, but they weren't rich enough to actually be targeted by true criminals. Basically, with the exception of the two bodyguards of the Skiron spouses, the security team they were employing was just for the symbol. Their guards were watching the estate only at night, and they were five at most: four outside, one inside. The day, there was only one watchman.

Piper herself only applied for this job because she failed the police's entrance exam a second time, after having already wasted several years in law studies until she realized that she didn't want to become a lawyer. She needed to earn money to wait until the next exam session in a year.

Piper was a fit young woman in her mid-twenties, with light brown skin and eyes that were a mix of green, blue, and brown. She spent a lot of her free time at the gym, and therefore was athletic enough to somewhat look the part of a professional. Even though she wasn't. Her slightly bushy brown hair were a little unkempt and shoulder long, with the exception of a long braid down one side with a blue bird feather in it. Her haircut alone was the proof that the Skirons' security team was just for show: a professional team wouldn't have allowed such haircut.

Just like the other guards of the estate, Piper was wearing thick black boots, dark grey military-like pants, a dark grey shirt, a black tactical vest with a flashlight in one of the pockets as well as several gun magazines in others, and a black cap. She wasn't allowed to wield a machine gun, but she had a handgun in a holster strapped on her belt. Strapped on her belt, there were also a few plastic zip-ties, a small can of pepper spray, a retractable nightstick, and a walkie talkie. She and her colleagues were maybe here just for show, but at least their uniforms were impressive enough. That was a start...

“Annabeth, I'm going to check the other side of the grove of trees.” she said.

“Roger.”

Annabeth was her partner. They were patrolling the western half of the park – the one in which the entrance gate was located. She was slightly taller and more fit than Piper, had blond hair and grey eyes, as well as a slight tan given the fact that she enjoyed going to the beach during her free time. Her hair were also a little messy and frilly, and were tied into a high ponytail. Annabeth became a security guard working for the Skiron family exactly for the same reasons as Piper – in fact, they were part of the same study group when they were preparing the police entrance exam. The two young women suspected that they were hired because they already knew each other, and therefore could work as a team.

“Also, by the way, do you think that Hazel and Leo are doing it again?” Annabeth asked.

Piper grimaced. “Shut up!” Leo was the only man in their security group, the group in duty every even week. Hazel and he had quickly found an utility for the long nights alone in the park, at least when it was warm – such as tonight. “I'm leaving now. Try to take your mind out of the gutter before I come back...”

“I make no promises!”

The guards were supposed to only patrol the parts of the park that were illuminated by artificial lighting. However, from time to time, they were expected to check the other side of the groves. Checking the other side of the western grove of trees was the only part of the guard shift that broke up the monotony, to the point that the guards were actually taking turn to do it. There was a pond there. When temperatures were warm, depending on the moment, they could watch dozens of colorful dragonflies fly around while the sun was going down, or fireflies at the beginning of the night, or frogs. At night, during mating season, the frogs were doing a true concert. It was funny to try to blind them with a flashlight to make them stop. Well, funny... In a manner of speaking.

Piper sighed. That just showed how boring their job was... I'm 26, and I've already wasted my entire life... she thought. Her only hope was to succed during the next exam session. Only six months left...

Piper walked around the grove and arrived near the pond. As expected, the frogs were making a huge racket. This part was darker. The artificial lighting was too far to properly lighten it. She was going to grab her flashlight.

Suddenly, she felt something sting her neck.

“What the?!” she exclaimed. She stopped and put her hand to her neck.

It didn't hurt much, but still... Was it a moskito? Damn annoying insects! Piper felt her neck. Was it a needle her fingers were touching? A needle into her neck? This doesn't seem like a moskito... A bee's dart? At night? She looked around. She was going to...

Piper frowned. Why was the world suddenly spinning?

Her eyes rolled, she staggered a few seconds, then she fell down on the grass. Nap time! her brain exclaimed. She was sound asleep before even reaching the ground.

**************

When the brown-haired guard came into her field of view, Lizéa immediately aimed and shot. Her air pistol made a soft 'pfft'. The dart entered the guard's neck.

“What the?!” she exclaimed. The woman stopped and put her hand to her neck.

She looked around, probably thinking it was an insect, but the drug was fast-acting – especially given where the dart had hit. Apparently, she even found the dart, but wasn't fast enough to connect the dots in time. Soon, the brunette's world was spinning.

The guard's eyes rolled, she staggered a few seconds, then she fell down on the grass, sound asleep before even reaching the ground.

“These things are neat!” Tiffany whispered next to her, while gazing at the dart gun Lizéa was holding. “Why don't we use them more often?”

“Because, with the previous models, it took too long to knock someone out. This specific fast-acting drug was just discovered. In fact, this tranq gun is supposed to be an experimental weapon.”

They approached the neutralized guard, who was sleeping like a baby, a serene expression on her face. Both criminals were wearing camouflage clothes.

“Then how did you get your hands on two of these guns?” Tiffany asked.

“I have my ways.”

“Oh, I see! That's why you came back dressed in a lab coat one week ago... I remember reading in the newspaper that 'A scientist was assaulted by a pervert with an underwear fetish...' It was you, right?”

Lizéa smiled. “They have mistaken the intent of the stripping, but yes. Though I won't complain. Bad publicity beats no publicity at all, am I right?”She refrained from talking further when she heard another voice.

“Piper? Did you say something?” a female voice asked. Probably the guard called 'Annabeth'. (Lizéa and Tiffany could hear the two women's discussion from their hiding spot near the grove.) For now, the blonde was sounding more intrigued than alarmed. However, Tiffany and Lizéa knew that they had to act fast.

In the darkness and through the grove of trees, they discerned the figure of the other guard approaching them. The woman was walking around the grove to come and see what was going on.

“Piper! That's not funny!” Now, she was suspicious. They only had a few seconds left...

Tiffany took action the second the blond guard appeared from the other side of the grove, before her mind could even register what was going on. A sweeping of the leg made the woman lose balance, and she fell on her back. The impact with the ground briefly cut her breath and prevented her from screaming.

Lizéa had used the opportunity to reload her tranq gun with a second dart, taken from a small plastic box in her camouflage jacket's pocket. She aimed her weapon at the guard. The blond-haired woman froze in fear, forgetting the idea to scream for help.

“No please don't...” she begged.

Lizéa shot the guard on the ground in the right breast. The woman winced and curled up in fear; but when she realized that the projectile was a dart and not a bullet, she stared at her two attackers in disbelief. She was so shocked to still be alive that she didn't even think of calling for help. She probably had thought that this was a real gun and that they were going to execute her...

“Come on... I may be a greedy b*tch, but I'm not a killer...” Lizéa said while taking a knee in front of her and grabbing her cheeks, ready to hand-gag her if she was trying to scream. “Well, at least, not a killer of low-paid wage slaves. You people have enough problems already.”

By the time she finished her sentence, the drug was kicking in. Annabeth tried to rise up, muttered something in a slurred voice, and fell back on the ground. She started to snore.

“For the record, I'd like to say that this proves that good old martial arts won't be rendered obsolete by your new toy, no matter how cool it is.” Tiffany commented.

**************

“I take 'Piper', you take 'Annabeth'.” Lizéa told Tiffany.

“Roger!”

Lizéa rolled her eyes. “Very funny...”

The two criminals moved simultaneously. First, they unlaced Piper's and Annabeth's boots before taking them off. Underneath, the guards were wearing the same standardized grey woolen socks. Lizéa and Tiffany didn't touch them. Next, they unbuckled the two guards' utility belts and removed them, before unzipping their tactical vests, lifting their upper bodies, and taking them off. Piper mumbled in her sleep when her body hit back the grass, but she didn't wake up. Because of the drug in the dart she was hit with, she would sleep two to three hours. The pants were the next article of clothes that were removed. Lizéa and Tiffany unbuttoned them, then slid them along Piper's and Annabeth's legs. Underneath, the brunette was wearing violet boyshorts with white trimmings, while the blonde had chosen dark blue dotted hipster panties this morning. Finally, the black shirts were removed last, as well as the thin white tank tops underneath, revealing Piper's lavender t-shirt bra and Annabeth's white cotton push-up bra.

Lizéa fiddled Piper's braid between her fingers. “I like what this one did with her hair...” she commented.

Leaving aside her considerations, she took the three zip-ties strapped on Piper's discarded belt. Tiffany did the same with the ones on Annabeth's. A first zip-tie was used to tie the wrists behind their back, another to tie their ankles, and the third to tie their knees.

“Did you bring the tape?” she asked Tiffany.

Tiffany gave her one of the precious rolls of silver duct tape. Lizéa wrapped several layers of tape around Piper's hands and forearms, as well as around her legs, thighs, and upper-body. “Just to be safe.” she commented. Tiffany imitated her. Finally, she shoved a sponge in Piper's mouth and wrapped tape around her lower face. One last strip was used to blindfold her. Tiffany finished gagging and blindfolding her own guard at the same time.

“Good! They're ready for their change of shift!” the busty woman commented.

“We were lucky to hear their names. This might come in handy...” Lizéa said. “Though we'll have to be careful with you. You're impersonating a blonde. Even from afar, they will spot you.”

“Luckily, there aren't many cameras. And I can stay as much as possible in the dark.”

Finally, the two accomplices dragged the two trussed up guards under some bushes of the grove. They covered Piper and Annabeth with a few leafy branches cut from the nearby trees in order to conceal them.

“Let's just hope that nobody walks too close... Blondie's still snoring and your braided darling mumbles in her sleep.”

“With the frogs nearby, I don't think this will be a problem. Let them have their beauty sleep, not that they would need any really.”

“Do you want me to wake them up so you can compliment them?”

Lizéa didn't answer. Instead, she took the time to admire their handiwork. Even while knowing that two bound-and-gagged woman were currently hidden in the grove, she had a hard time spotting them. Perfect. Lizéa thought to herself. We're still good! I'm still good! I knew that our failure with Klenia and Shayna was just a brief slump! We're back on track, and I'm loving it! If anything, this mission was already a way to regain their fighting spirit after one hard month. And soon, after tonight's success, they were going to regain their reputation as well.

Then, she and her accomplice finally took off their own camouflage clothes to slip into their new clothes; pants, tank top and shirt first, then the utility belts and the tactical vest.

While they were busy disguising themselves, Tiffany couldn't help but ask: “Don't you find this mission strange? No kidnapping. Just these fake proofs to plant in the offices of the Skiron spouses. Why would Jason ask us that?”

“Personally, I don't really care. We're directly at his service now, at least for the time being. As long as he pays us, I'm not questioning his orders.”

After the fiasco with Klenia and Shayna a month ago, Lizéa and her team fell through hard times. The two b*tches tipped the cops about their hideout in the warehouse, and they lost a lot of money in both bribes and frozen bank accounts during their efforts to escape their prosecutions. In order to make ends meet, hey were actually forced to directly enter the service of Jason Percée, the man who before that was only their middleman when they needed to contact the big organized crime. They weren't free to do whatever they pleased anymore, but at least they could get paid.

Finally, the two accomplices put on and laced their combat boots.

“All set!” Lizéa said after gearing up.

“Mine are too small...” Tiffany complained. “And the shirt and vest are too tight around the chest...” Such was the curse of women with a big bust...

“Bear it in silence, please.” Lizéa checked her wristwatch. “We've done our part. Hopefully, Yuki has done hers as well...”

“We'll know soon. We're right on schedule. If everything went without a hitch, she should arrive in five to ten minutes.” Tiffany said. “Just the time for us to go to the gate.”

They quickly walked to their destination, leaving their two victims to snooze together in peace. The other two guards were patrolling at the exact opposite of the estate, therefore Lizéa and Tiffany wouldn't risk coming across them.

Not like it would be a problem, with this little beauty here... Lizéa thought while carressing the cross of her tranquilizer airgun, nicely stored in the holster strapped to her belt. The plastic box with the darts were in a pocket of her tactical vest.

“Do you think it was a good idea to give Yuki such a huge responsability?” Tiffany asked. “All the plan relies on her success...”

“We didn't have a choice. She's the only one who can impersonate Nera. And Aeris is with her. Trust me, she's resourceful. Of course, she didn't shine during the whole fiasco with the two b*tches – but neither did we. You'll see, when she's not taken by surprise by stronger opponents, I'm sure she can work wonders... I was like her a decade ago, you know?”





************** One hour ago **************

For a fancy private university, the security of the International Business and Management School of Matilda was rather lax. To keep watch during the night, there was an old watchman at the desk of the reception building and a few security cameras that were leaving a ton of blind spots. Of course, the place was situated in a low crime district of an already low crime city, so them being complacent was understandable.

Yuki wasn't complaining. It allowed her to go through the campus and enter the dormitory without being caught. The night was dark and, even though it was also warm, there was nobody outside.

The short young woman was extatic. This was the first time she was given a true mission! Lizéa even gave her one of the two new tranq airguns she stole a week ago.

They needed to infiltrate the manor of the Skiron family, one of the richest families of the town. The goal of the mission was a little strange, plant some boring fake evidence, but they were paid handsomely so Lizéa didn't ask any question. Therefore, Yuki didn't ask any question either. After the fiasco with Klenia and Shayna, they needed money...

In order to penetrate the manor, Lizéa had imagined a rather convoluted but, in theory, foolproof plan. Yuki was going to impersonate Nera Skiron, the family's eldest daughter currently student at the prestigious International Business and Management School of Matilda. With her stolen identity, she could enter and roam freely the family's manor. Even though she was living in the same town, some weird tradition was forcing Nera to live in the campus' dormitory. Something about teaching independence to young adults... Although the heiress herself wasn't complaining: it was giving her a lot more freedom. And of course, Lizéa wasn't going to complain... Therefore, Yuki wasn't going to complain either.

The short black-haired woman had one hour to accomplish her task. In one hour, Lizéa and Tiffany were going to neutralize and impersonate some of the guards of the manor. Yuki would have to arrive shortly afterwards, in order to enter the building through the gate they were guarding. Even the heiress wouldn't avoid to have to answer a few questions to the guards before entering, if only to explain why she was arriving in the middle of the night. But of course, that wouldn't be a problem if the guards were accomplices... Normally, once inside, things should be very easy. Nera's parents, as well as their high-ranked bodyguards, were away on a business trip until tomorrow morning. There was no family member or high-ranked member of the staff that could spot an imposter. Most of the domestic staff would be off duty. There would only be one or two low-ranked guards at most, maybe none, and perhaps a servant or two. Nobody that would dare to impolitely stare at the boss' daughter.

Naturally, the first step of the entire plan was therefore to borrow Nera's student uniform, and to make sure that the real Nera would remain quiet and out of sight for a few hours...

Of course, Yuki wasn't under any illusions. Her boss gave her this task only because she had the same height and build as the heiress. Aeris was waiting for her in a van. Once she would come back with the uniform, Aeris would use a wig, some make-up to darken her skin and colored contact lenses to turn her into Nera's twin sister – at least from a distance. With the uniform, the illusion would be enough. Way enough to fool the cameras inside the manor at least...

Yuki arrived in front of the door of Nera's dormitory room. She carefully listened through the door frame and watched through the keyhole. There was nobody in the room next to the door. Nera was probably in her bedroom or her bathroom. Which was no surprise, since it was the beginning of the night. Perfect... Of course, the door was locked, but this simple basic lock wasn't going to hold her for long. Carefully watching the corridor, Yuki silently pinned the lock. This was her speciality even before joining Lizéa's gang – Yuki was proud to say that she was part of the low crime statistic in the low crime city of Matilda.

The door opened without a noise, another stroke of luck. Yuki entered the dark entrance room and closed the door behind her. The dormitory looked exactly like the plans Lizéa found. An entrance room, a living room also giving access to a small kitchen in front, a bathroom to the right and a bedroom to the left. Yuki realized that the place was almost as big as the apartment she used to live in with her entire family. Well, before she ran away... The short woman shook her head. She wasn't regretting anything!

There was light coming from under the bedroom's door, and she could hear some noise as well. Apparently, there was music playing in the bedroom. The other rooms were inoccupied. Yuki noiselessly approached the bedroom's door and, once again, looked through the keyhole. What she saw made her realize that she could open the door risk free, as long as she didn't make any noise.

**************

Nera Skiron was a beautiful young woman in her early twenties. Sure, she was rather short for her age, which made her look a few years younger than she really was – after all the eighteen-year-old-and-a-half (almost nineteen) Yuki shared a similar build and height. However, she had a soft flawless tanned skin, beautiful hazel green eyes, and firm and well-rounded bosoms of average size. Her nails were painted red. Her loose shoulder-long hair were brown, wavy and frizzy.

Currently, Nera was also lying scantily dressed on her bed. She was only wearing a silk black seamless wireless bra with red lacy trimmings and a lace-strap design; and frilly lacy black bikini panties with bright red trimmings, a red small bow and a red floral pattern. Her student uniform was carefully hanged up on a nearby chair. It consisted of black shoes, long white socks, a beige knee-long skirt, a white shirt, a dark blue jacket with golden buttons and white threads, and a striped red and yellow neckerchief. On the jacket's chest pocket, the school's crest and Nera's first name were embroidered.

Moreover, and more importantly, the heiress was blindfolded with a black scarf and tied spread-eagle to the four bedposts with ropes. Another girl around Nera's age was lying on her, and busy having a snog with her. She was even more scantily clad: her white lacy bra was on the floor next to her own school uniform, leaving her perkyy breasts on full display, and the only article of clothes she was still wearing were her beige silk hipster panties with a floral lace design. Yuki read her name embroidered on her school uniform: Amelie. Amelie had black hair, light skin, and blue eyes – a rather rare combination of hair and eye colours. She was slightly taller than her girlfriend, perhaps a little pudgy at the waist, but still attractive. Her hair were tied into a loose bun. Or perhaps the bun used to be more tight but, given how passionate she and Nera were with their kisses, Amelie's hair was messier now. Her nails were also painted red.

A stereo was playing romantic music.

An outside observer may find the scene comical in an ironic way. Yuki, the intruder looking to steal Nera's clothes and identity, was standing literally a few feet next to her target and her target's girlfriend, with them none the wiser. And Amelie had already stripped Nera for her... The two young women were so engrossed in each other, they probably wouldn't notice if a battalion of soldiers launched an assault on the building.

Wow. Girl on girl action. the short woman, deadpan, thought to herself. She couldn't care less, she for her part wasn't into other girls.

Given what Yuki knew of Nera's parents, she thought that they wouldn't mind that their daughter was in a relationship with an other girl. However, they would probably be outraged to learn that she was a bottom.

Given how enthusiastic the two girls were becoming with their kissings and moanings, Yuki could easily guess that foreplays were going to be over in a few minutes at most, and then things would become a lot more lewd.

She grabbed her tranquilizer airgun.

So... How does this thing work again?

There was already a dart in the chamber. She removed the safety and pressed the trigger. The airgun almost noiselessly shot a small dart right into Amelie's left buttock. The music covered the weapon's sound. The young woman barely felt the sting; it was actually one of the perks of this new model of tranq gun. Although the fact that she was very busy smooching her partner proably also had something to do with her lack of reaction...

Three passionate kisses (with the tongue) later, Amelie's movements became slower. After two more, she fell face first in Nera's breasts, sound asleep. Hopefully dreaming of pleasant things, such as the pillows of heaven her head was currently resting on.

Wow! That was fast!

Yuki didn't know where Lizéa found this new model of weapon, but boy was it efficient! Normally, to be so fast acting, a dart had to penetrate an artery...

Still blindfolded, Nera couldn't understand what was going on exactly, but she realized that something was off when her girlfriend stopped moving.

“Amelie? You okay?” she asked, moving her head right and left to try to loosen the blindfold.

Yuki quickly put an other dart in her weapon's chamber and fired again. The dart entered Nera's right shoulder.

“Hey! Who...?”

Yuki jumped and handgagged her. Fast-acting or not, the drug's effect wasn't instantaneous, and she didn't want to risk having the heiress call for help during the few seconds of lucidity she had left.

And indeed, Nera did try to call for help, but Yuki's hand firmly blocked her scream. Her muffled cries didn't go through the wooden frame of her dormitory's door and were drowned by her music. Soon, the heiress' body relaxed, and she was off to dreamland too.

Yuki smiled. Overpowering older girls was clearly a nice and pleasant experience, especially when they were also richer. She eyed Nera's discarded student uniform on the chair. Fancy clothes for a fancy school... And now they're mine... I love them already... The young woman grew up in poverty, her parents were destitute immigrants from the Province of Smog. She would never have dreamt of getting her hands one day on the uniform of a fancy expensive private university...

Still, before taking the uniform with her, she had to take one last precaution. Sure, the dart's drug was supposed to make Nera and Amelie sleep two to three hours, but Yuki thought that it was better to be safe than sorry. And since these two were kind enough to remove the uniform *and* to already do part of the ropework for her, she had just enough time to finish their handiwork before regrouping with Aeris for her makeup session...

Time to put Lizéa's lesson into practice...

Yuki searched the drawers and found, among other things, white ropes, black armbinders, and two ball-gags with air holes in them – one red and one black.

Lizéa was always saying that people were providing the tools to restrain them more often than one may think, but until now Yuki had always thought that she was joking. Not anymore...

The ropework Amelie did on Nera was flawless: tight enough to prevent her from escaping alone, but not tight enough to cause lasting damage. Yuki didn't need to change a thing. She simply opened the snoring young woman's mouth, and shoved the red plastic ball into it, before tying and tightening the straps of the ball-gag behind her head. She left Amelie lying on top of Nera, her face nestled in her girlfriend's breasts. She simply tied the young woman's feet to the bed legs and used an armbinder to restrain her arms behind her back. The black ball-gag was used to silence her.

Now that she was finished, Yuki grabbed Nera's school uniform.

“Have a nice night!” she said, shutting down the music and closing the door.

As for me, for a night, I'm going to be a rich girl... she chanted in her head.





************** Back to present time **************

Tiffany's worries turned out to be unfounded. Yuki and Aeris arrived just on schedule.

Lizéa and Tiffany were waiting near the gates of the barrier.

The sight of a richie rich daddy's girl in a fancy private university uniform driving a van herself would probably have made one raise an eyebrow, had someone been able to witness it. However, Yuki was maybe the newcomer of the gang, but she already knew about its golden rule.

Never let Aeris drive.

She parked the van just out of the gate camera's field of view; and left the vehicle. With her clothes, her makeup, her wig, and her colored contact lenses, Yuki was the spitting image of Nera Skiron.

The short woman was beaming with pride.

Lizéa squeezed her shoulder and smiled to her. “Perfect work! Your first success. Congratulations.” she proudly said, making Yuki's smile widen. Lizéa then nodded to Aeris. “And perfect makeup.” The light-brown-haired woman smiled lightly. Lizéa then looked at Tiffany. “Now, we...”

“Reyna here. Reyna here. Is someone at the gate?” a woman's voice suddenly asked in Piper's walkie talkie.

Lizéa grabbed it. “Piper here. It's Miss Nera.” She said, with a decent imitation of Piper's voice. “She says she needs to fetch something she left in her bedroom here. Annabeth and I will escort her to the manor.”

“Roger.”

**************

They arrived at the manor's entrance door without hindrance. A security camera was there. They stopped right before the beginning of its field of view. While Yuki was Nera's spitting image, Lizéa could pass herself for Piper from behind and with her hair hidden in her cap, and Tiffany was smart enough to avoid the cameras; all three women wanted to recap one last time their plan. And they weren't going to spend one second more than necessary in a camera's field of view.

“Aeris is waiting in the van to drive us away in case something goes wrong.” They were hoping that it wouldn't be the case. “Now remember, our mission is to plant these documents into Drake and Cardea Skiron's office rooms. But we have to make it look like we were here for a robbery... So take as much money and jewelry as you can. When Drake Skiron comes back, he has to think that these fake proofs were accidentally pulled out of their hideout by the robbers. And be careful, given how quick we were called when Yuki arrived, we can safely assume that at least one guard is monitoring the security cameras. Probably this 'Reyna' chick.”

“Got it.” the other two women said.

Lizéa nodded. “Now for the last part.” She grabbed Piper's walkie talkie. “Piper here. Piper here.” she said in the device, still imitating the voice of the unfortunate (and still blissfully asleep) Piper. “Miss Nera says she won't take long. She asked us to wait for her. We'll escort her back when she leaves. Please go on without us for a while.”

”Reyna here. Got it.”

“Hazel here. Got it. Lucky dogs by the way. You get to do something different for once!”

Lizéa smiled and said. “Sorry.” before ending the communication.

“So that means there are two groups of guards.” Tiffany commented. “And at least one is inside.”

They used Piper's keys to unlock the door and entered.

**************

The manor's main hall was immense and filled to the brim with expensive decorations. In front of them, a huge marble white staircase was leading to the first floor.

“Yuki, take the first floor. We'll check the ground floor. We'll probably have to neutralize the guard in the security room if we want to be tranquil.”

The short woman nodded, and walked to the stairs.

Suddenly, they heard a voice from across the room.

“Miss Skiron! It's Reyna! Can you wait for me, please?”

Tiffany and Lizéa had the reflex the retreat into a side corridor in order to not be seen.

A woman exited the security room at the ground floor and headed toward Yuki, who was standing frozen at the bottom of the big stairs leading to the first floor.

The guard, Reyna, was tall and dark-haired, with a slightly tanned skin and brown eyes. Her braided hair were mid-back long. While she was wearing the same dark grey military-like pants, belt with weapons and black shirt as the other guards outside, instead of boots she was wearing black shoes and instead of the tactical vest, she was wearing a black jacket – similar to those worn by professional public security companies.

“Miss Skiron. I have a question for you...”

Yuki was smart enough to not answer and to hightail, climbing the stairs four-four and disappearing in the first floor.

“Miss Skiron?”

Reyna paused for a moment, looking confused, then quickly returned inside the security room.

“She will call someone if we give her the time to do so. We can't let her blow our cover...” Lizéa said to her accomplice.

“Agreed.” the busty woman nodded.

They ran to the security room's door.

“Also, by the way, did you realize that she has brown hair and bigger feet than Blondie?” Tiffany said.

“I see where you're going.”

Lizéa took her tranq gun.

Tiffany noiselessly opened the door of the security room.

It was a denuded room, with a table, a coffee machine, a rolling armchair, and a wall covered in security monitors.

Standing in the middle of the room, Reyna had a cellphone in her hand and was currently searching a number in its phonebook.

Lizéa didn't hesitate. She shot the guard in the neck.

Reyna froze, more out of surprise that out of pain, and dropped the phone before being able to dial the number she wanted.

Tiffany quickly moved to make sure she wasn't going to try to raise the alarm. She pressed the guard against the wall, one hand clamped over Reyna's mouth, the other wrapped around her throat, to prevent her from screaming.

“Why don't you just take a nap, Reyna, just like your two colleagues outside?” she growled.

The guard tried to ask: 'Who are you?', but could only make a muffled moan. Her eyes widened when she started to feel the drug starting to take effect. She was understanding, but too late, and her feeble attempts at struggling didn't lead her anywhere.

The drug acted quickly. Soon, Reyna's eyes rolled back and, with a sigh, she fell asleep in Tiffany's arms.

“Well, looks like I'm still a champ...” Tiffany commented.

Lizéa didn't enter immediately. She took the time to gaze at her airgun. “Never in my life have I needed something so much and never known until I received it. Where were you all this time, perfect weapon?”

She then grabbed her cellphone and called Yuki. “Guard's been taken care of. Start robbing everything that's not nailed, we'll regroup with you once Tiffany has had a change of clothes...”

“Okay.”

**************

While taking off the clothes of an overpowered guard was always an exhilarating experience, in this particular case they couldn't take the time to enjoy it. Time was of the essence.

The two of them made short work of stripping the dozing Reyna: Tiffany took care of the bottom part, Lizéa of the top. Jacket unzipped, shoes unlaced, belt unbuckled, shirt and tank top pulled off, pants removed. They stripped her in record time.

Reyna was wearing the same grey woolen socks as Piper and Annabeth, they were probably part of the uniform, but Lizéa and Tiffany refused to touch them. She was also wearing a sky blue bullet bra with little white clouds on the cups and light blue classic briefs, with a white cloud painted at the middle. Strange. A little too kiddie in my humble opinion...

While a relieved Tiffany was taking off her boots and shirt, Lizéa seated the sleeping Reyna on the rolling armchair used to monitor the security screens. She used the zip-ties to tie each guard's wrist to an armrest. The last zip-tie was used to tie her legs. Since they had used too much tape on Piper and Annabeth, there wasn't enough left for Reyna. Therefore, Lizéa grabbed Tiffany's now discarded shirt. She cut the sleeves and shoved them into Reyna's mouth, filling it. Then, she cut the shirt into a few strips: one as a makeshift cleave gag, two as makeshift ropes to reinforce the bindings tying the brown-haired guard's arms on the armrests, one to tie her knees. Finally, she broke the chair's wheels, preventing in advance Reyna to try to roll in order to search help.

She abandoned the guard to her drug-induced slumber, her head rested on the armchair's back

“She's a little better than Blondie, but the shirt's still too tight.” Tiffany commented while adjusting her new uniform. “Well, at least my feet are comfortable now...”

“Good news, because we still have to roam the building and take everything we want.”

“In short, the best part.”

**************

Yuki was extatic. So many fancy things to steal...

Lizéa said that they were supposed to make it look like it was a robbery. Yuki was happy to oblige. She grabbed all the cash she could find and decided that she was going to help herself to the jewelry, and a few gold candlesticks, and also the silver mirror, oh and perhaps the silverware too.

Then she realized that her skirt had no pockets.

She froze.

“FUUUUUUUUUUU...”

**************

After Tiffany changed uniform, she and Lizéa regrouped with Yuki. She was carrying a strange makeshit bag, as if she was the robber in a cartoon.

“School uniforms suck!” the short woman complained. “This dumb skirt has no pockets in it! I was forced to turn a table cloth into a bag. Now I look like one of these dumb robbers on TV, the ones with the black and white striped pyjamas!”

Lizéa rolled her eyes and smiled. “The sacrifices we have to make in our line of work... You can still give up on the silverware if that bothers you.”

“No way! This stuff's fancy!”

“Have you planted the fake proofs yet?”

“I'll let you handle this. I've spotted four gold candlesticks with my name on it on my way here!”

She quickly ran off, carrying her bag over her shoulder.

Tiffany chuckled. “Kids gotta have their fun...”

“It's important for her development to encourage her spontaneity...” Lizéa nodded. “Anyway, to the office, we have fake evidences to plant and a safe to rob...”

A rousing success. I knew we could do it! I knew we were the best! After tonight, our reputation will be restored...

**************

And indeed, a rousing success it was. With the money and other stuff they stole alone, they were back to their feet financially. And that was without even counting the money Jason would pay them for planting the fake evidences...

Lizéa, Tiffany and Yuki returned to the van with their loot, refused to let Aeris take the wheel, and drove off. They were leaving to their fate the unfortunate victims of their heist.

First step of our comeback, completed.Lizéa thought to herself.





************** A few hours later **************

Piper moaned in frustration. Ever since she had woken up to discover that she was completely trussed up, gagged, blindfoded, and scantily dressed (which, let's be honest, was a lot to take for one woman), she had tried to free herself. Well, Piper, you didn't want a boring night shift, now you got it...

She could hear that another woman was lying near her, probably Annabeth, and given the muffled cries this woman was making, she was in the same situation as her. After a good chunk of efforts, and a long conversation made of various moans and other muffled 'Mmmmm!', 'Mfffff!' or 'Mmhhh!'', they managed to crawl towards each other in spite of their taped limbs. The sensation of the branches and leaves used to conceal them on their bare skin was very uncomfortable, especially since some of them were getting stuck into their hair as well. Once they were back to back, Piper tried to grab the tape wrapping Annabeth's forearms and wrists, to at least try to do something.

However, loosening tape with only the tips of the fingers and without seeing anything was an impossible task. Piper groaned in frustration. This actually looked so much easier on TV...

And she needed to go to the bathroom.

Suddenly, she regained hope when she heard a voice.

“Annabeth! Piper!” Hazel was calling. “Why aren't you answering in your walkie talkie?”

Piper and Annabeth both channeled all their remaining strength to produce some the best and loudest: 'MMMHHHHHH!' one had ever heard.

Piper heard footsteps approaching.

“Piper? Annabeth?” Hazel was approaching, using the noise of their muffled cries. When she shouted: “Goodness!”, Piper knew that she had found them.

“No way! Were are your uniforms? It can't be... Don't tell me that someone conked you and stole your clothes! I thought this stuff was just an urban legend!”

“No uniforms? You mean they're naked?” Leo asked from afar.

Piper heard the sound of Hazel kicking him in the backside.

“Piss off! Am I not enough for you? You won't get an eyeful! I'm going to release them, you go check the manor and phone for help. Also find some blankets!”

“Roger that.” He left.

Hazel then approached her two mewling colleagues. “Wow, they truly did a number on you... Sorry in advance for the tape.”

Annabeth and Piper winced in anticipation.

Now, Piper was sure of one thing. She would never complain about boring guard duty again. 'Interesting' guard duty was way too uncomfortable...

**************

Ever since she had woken up, Reyna had struggled against the bonds tying her arms to the chair's armrests. The gag was too tight to remove without her hands and, since the wheels were broken, it was too dangerous to try to use her bound feet to move. Indeed, the armchair was precariously balanced and she even had to be careful to not move too fast or too hard if she wanted to avoid losing her balance and falling on the floor.

Reyna stopped struggling against her bonds when the entrance door was opened.

She paled when she heard Leo calling for someone in the main hall.

No! Of course, she wanted to be released. But... Not like that! Not by him! The guy would never let her get away with it. She could already hear from here all the dumb jokes he would make day after day, never letting her forget about this incident...

She struggled against her bonds more than ever, with renewed vigor. But it was her mistake... In her panic, she had forgotten that, until now, she wasn't struggling too hard for a reason. The rolling chair, precariously balanced ever since its wheels were broken, fell on the floor.

The brown-haired guard fell with it. She made a lot of noise, between the fall and her muffled indignant scream.

“Reyna? Is that you?”

Curses...

**************

“Nera! The watchman called me! There's a call for you coming from your house! They say you don't answer on your cellphone!”

Kimi tried to open the door of Nera's dormitory. The door was locked, but Kimi was Nera's closest friend after Amelie and she had given her a spare key, in case of emergencies. And given what had happened in the Skiron manor, it was an emergency. Kimi unlocked the door.

“Nera?”

She was hearing muffled sounds coming from the bedroom.

“Nera? Is that you?”

She opened the door, turned on the light, and froze in surprise.

Nera was tied to the bed, while Amelia was lying on her arms and legs also bound. Nera had managed to get rid of her blindfold by shaking her head, and was regularly trying to rise from her bed, with no success due to her tied limbs and the weight of Amelie's body. However, her attempts were making her body, especially her breasts and her panty-clad 'intimate parts', rub against her girlfriend's. Both girls were loudly moaning into their ball-gags. They watched the newcomer intensely.

Kimi put her hands on her eyes. “Oh! Goodness! Sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't know you were still doing your roleplay! Sorry! Sorry!”

She was so embarassed that she didn't notice that these were actually pleading moans and pleading looks, and she sprinted out of the bedroom, and then out of Nera's dormitory, closing all the doors behind her, still shouting: “Sorry!” She had completely forgotten about the message she was supposed to deliver.

Nera and Amelie, very frustrated, witnessed her run away without being able to do anything else than groan in their gags. Hopefully, Kimi would get over it soon and would come back to release them. In the meantime, they were left alone together with their bonds.

Betrayed by their own bondage skills and tools...

************** Epiloque **************

Jason Persée was a tall and tanned handsome man. He also was a ruthless criminal that compensated for his small influence with a total disregard for human life. In Matilda, he was the one with the connections to the human trafficking market, among other rings of the organized crime. Technically, he wasn't a true crime lord, more like some kind of middleman. And he was rich. He wasn't the leader of his own group, but several bands were taking orders from him from time to time – such as Lizéa's little gang for instance.

“Maxie!” he exclaimed while boarding the ship.

Max and Selena were waiting for him in a small pleasure boat moored in Matilda's marina, the kind of boat used by tourists for a quick trip on the sea.

“Maximilian.” the small accountant corrected him.

“Come on, after everything we've been through, don't we have the right to use nicknames?” Jason then eyed Selena, and playfully elbowed the small accountant. “I see you also found yourself another hooker... Nice job Maxie!”

“Her name is Selena, she's not a hooker. And please, call me Maximilian.”

Selena took it upon herself to remain quiet. Play dumb. Stand there like the trophy escort you're supposed to be.

“So Maxie, were you satisfied? I told you that this team was promising!”

“Indeed, I'm not disappointed. Though, given all the money you asked in exchange of their service, I wouldn't have accepted anything less than a flawless success.”

Selena and Max heard two days ago on the news that the Federation's head general prosecutor, John Isara, nickname: 'Mr. Big', was involved in an adultery scandal. Proofs were found in the Skiron's manor that he was cheating on his wife with Cardea Skiron. Also that he liked to dress up as a pig during their frolics for no reason... Drake Skiron, the husband, was outraged. He was all the more outraged since he had been robbed the same day, and he had to pay a compensation for his guards that were trussed up during a robbery, AND his own daughter had been assaulted and also left trussed up, gagged, and humiliated in her own bedroom as one of the robbers impersonated her. Drake was venting his frustration by promising a deterioration of the diplomatic relationships between the Utopian Federation and the Free Nation of Okéanis. John's reputation for probity was destroyed, he was probably going to have to resign, and he now was the laughingstock of the press. They were calling him: 'Mr. Pig'.

Incidentally, John Isara was also the guy who put Reka and her entire team into the same prison without having to be bribed for it... and was therefore responsible of making Selena and Max work tirelessly several weeks for nothing. And as for Cardea Skiron, she owed Max money and refused to pay back.

In essence, Max and Selena had spent a small fortune for a petty revenge scheme.

And it was worth every cent.

“Jason. I'd like to make a proposition.” Max said. “But this is the kind of proposition that absolutely must not be heard by prying ears. Do you mind if we take a little trip on the open sea?”

The request was odd, but everyone knew that Max Shroud was an odd person. Just as much as everyone knew that he was an all-right guy when it came to business. Jason had no reason to be suspicious.

“Why not?” he said. “As long as there are cocktails and charming company.” He winked at Selena.

The redhead forced herself to smile. Instead of breaking his nose in one punch, she unmoored the ship. Max took the helm and pilotted the pleasure ship out of the harbor.

“I didn't know you knew how to pilot a ship, Maxie...” Jason commented.

“My parents were fishermen.” he explained. “And it's Maximilian, I insist.”

Selena gave Jason his cocktail to save time.

Once they were out of the harbor and in the open sea, Jason asked: “So tell me, what is your proposition? When I heard about it, I went to meet you as fast as I could!”

“You mean that nobody knows you're here?” the small man said, sounding surprised.

“Well, you made it clear that this meeting was supposed to be secret. And that a lot of money was at stake.”

Jason didn't notice that Max was still piloting the ship farther and farther away from the harbor. He was busy drinking his cocktail.

“I need to hire Lizéa and her team for another job. One that will require a lot of time and efforts.”

“What kind of job?”

“A prison break.”

Jason easily understood. “For Reka, uh?”

“And her team, yes.”

“I think that we can come up with a fair price.” Jason answered with a greedy smile. He grabbed a sheet of paper and started to calculate.

Selena moved near him. This was her cue! “Mister, you should take off your jacket...” she said, trying to sound like a brainless floozy. “Or you will get too hot, what with you having to think a lot!”

Jason smiled and complied. “Good idea, toots...”

You are so dead...

Jason finished his calculation and wrote the total amount on the paper. “Here you go, Maxie!”

Max left the helm. They were now in the middle of the open sea. Matilda was far behind them. The accountant grabbed the paper and read the price.

“You do realize that the price is twice higher than if I was asking them directly...” he commented.

“You *do* realize that I have to make some profit too...” the other retorted.

Jason didn't notice the quick glance Selena and Max exchanged. If he had, he would have understood the danger he was in. But the criminal was too busy imagining the enormous sums of money he was going to get...

“Don't worry, Maxie. I'm sure that we will work something out... After all, no price would be too high, if it means it will save Reka, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

Selena exchanged a glance with Max.

“Max, he's wasting our time. I will throw him overboard now.”

“Please do.”

Jason laughed, as if the redhead just made a joke. Then he saw a smiling Selena take a step forward and he understood that it wasn't a joke. He paled. Reflexively, the man took a step back.

Selena blockced his way and advanced on him. He tried to fend her off, but she easily countered his assault and pushed him back.

“Goodness! This guy's a pushover!” Selena commented. “Did he even do his military service? I had a hardest time with the garbage lady in front of the police station!”

Jason realized in horror that he was now back to the ship's rail.

“Wait! I can't swim!” he said.

Kick in the chest. Splash!

“Then learn it.” Selena retorted.

They watched the trail of bubbles fade away.

“And indeed, no price is too high, if it means breaking out Reka and the others.” Max commented to the sea.

Selena nodded.

The redhead contemplated the sky while they were returning to Matilda. To free Reka, Lucina and the others, they needed help. They needed a team to infiltrate Reka's prison. In spite of their failure with Klenia and Shayna, Lizéa's team had an impressive record track with all their kidnappings. However, after the fiasco with Klenia and Shayna a month ago, Lizéa fell through hard times. Klenia snitched the location of her hideout and she lost a lot of money. She was actually forced to enter directly the service of Jason, who previously was only her middleman with the big organized crime. Therefore, as she was now taking orders directly from him, someone looking to benefit from her services had to negociate with Jason. The problems were: a) that Jason was not reliable, as he would most likely denounce their planned prison breaking to the Federation, and b) that he was asking for unfairingly high prices even when not planning to betray his clients.

However, today, the problem was... removed.

Of course, technically, they could still have found a way to bribe the guy... But Max didn't like him. And, from what little Selena had seen of him, she didn't like him either. It wasn't like the world was going to miss a criminal like Jason Persée anyway...

Though, Lizéa will quickly realize that her current employer has gone missing. It will be the moment to phone her and say that we're looking to recruit her...

Selena smiled.

THE END

Edit: A few changes were made to the ending due to the comments.
Last edited by rufusluciusivan on Sun Aug 29, 2021 8:01 pm, edited 6 times in total.
tirepanted3
Posts: 1934
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 11:40 am

Re: Of tranquility and darts...

Post by tirepanted3 »

Two stories inside a week - impressive! Let's hope there are other ideas you need to get out of your head in the future. ;)

I think I preferred "No Sport" slightly over this one, due to the greater variety of uniforms and scenarios (always my preference). Still, this was another well-written and engaging entry in the saga, with some enjoyable banter, particularly between Lizéa and Tiffany as they take down the two guards (I liked the comment about the frogs drowning out Piper and Annabeth).

Some good development for the relatively new characters - it's an interesting change of pace that Lizéa isn't quite like other villainous bosses like Reka or Emery - she seems to care about her team as people, and is even gaining respect for Yuki. Her fascination with the tranquilizer gun is a great way to humanize her character beyond the cold-hearted kidnapper she initially seemed to be in "No Sport."

I guess my other issue with the story was the dorm scene, mostly since I don't really care for BDSM-type scenarios. Would've been nicer to see Yuki take out and strip Nera the old-fashioned way. It is a nice little spotlight for Yuki's character, though.

As for the epilogue, I was mostly okay with it. Too male-centric, but it tied the story in with the larger arc nicely, and we get to see a more ruthless side of Selena. I guess the only real problem is the M/M replacement scene, which seems at odds with the rest of the series. So that post-question mark section is a little awkward, though I'm intrigued by Selena's musings about Lizéa.

All in all, not my favorite story, but still entertaining, and I look forward to what happens next. :)
rufusluciusivan
Posts: 1225
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:08 pm

Re: Of tranquility and darts...

Post by rufusluciusivan »

I'm glad you liked it. Being entertaining is the purpose of any story, so I consider it a success. ;) (Though once again, I find it funny to see that we have opposite reactions; personally (on-the-spot) I think I like this one slightly better than the previous.)
I guess my other issue with the story was the dorm scene, mostly since I don't really care for BDSM-type scenarios.
I can see your point. Personally, I liked it, and wanted to try something different than the usual mug-and-replace. I don't know if I might try an other scene like that. Probably not. (I don't know how you feel about it, but I now sometimes have the sensation to have a hard time coming up with new situations...) I got the idea as I was writing and it was so ingrained in my mind that I didn't envision it differently.
I guess the only real problem is the M/M replacement scene, which seems at odds with the rest of the series.
I didn't even realize it could be interpreted that way. :shock: In my mind, I just found it logical for them to come up with an alibi after murdering a criminal, to avoid reprisals. I'll wait if others want to comment on it, and then will probably change it.
Hopefully, Max will return to the sidelines by the time the storyline returns to Selena. ;)
Selena's not musing about Lizéa, just about the fact that they're about to truly start working on breaking out her friend. I'll probably modify this part to make it more obvious. Guess this was the downside of trying to write and publish it in two days... :)
tirepanted3
Posts: 1934
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 11:40 am

Re: Of tranquility and darts...

Post by tirepanted3 »

Yes, I understood the Selena/Lizéa moment. I was saying that I like the idea of Selena and Lizéa (and her henchwomen) teaming up. I love the villains in these stories, and the idea of them forming an alliance sounds intriguing.
rufusluciusivan
Posts: 1225
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:08 pm

Re: Of tranquility and darts...

Post by rufusluciusivan »

I see. Sorry. (My bad. ;) )
esercito sconfitto
Posts: 7096
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:06 pm

Re: Of tranquility and darts...

Post by esercito sconfitto »

at some point, I give attention to details

the first detail is the importance of national and racial differences in your saga- they are totally invented, but I share this thing. This is one of the basic part in the stories I created ( rarely posted here)

one of the other most interesting parts , at least for a maps enthusiast like me,is something even you missed, Rufusluciusivan. Nobody pays attention to maps.I collect both maps of real places and maps of fictional places. Well, the map of your newly created universe is clearly ( but I presume unknownly to you ) based on the United States ...and the town of Matilda is what should be Pensacola in Florida. Guess where the last ( today completed) Tirepanted's story has been set ... ;)

but the other part I noticed is the reluctance of many characters to even touch the socks of their victims...this marks a sharp difference from the last trend, at Deviantart, at Pixiv and even at our board, with feet considered as a sort of target and sexual object. Personally I love the last trend, for many reasons I embraced it. But I see the point ...like in Tirepanted stories, your characters are wanting to subjugate their victims , just throwing them in the category of losers, and the Uniform stealing characters are basically uninterested in enjoying the unresponsive bodies...
rufusluciusivan
Posts: 1225
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:08 pm

Re: Of tranquility and darts...

Post by rufusluciusivan »

Yes indeed, the biggest advantage of using a fictional setting is that I can't do whatever I want with the physical features of the characters. It really comes in handy...
...and the town of Matilda is what should be Pensacola in Florida. Guess where the last ( today completed) Tirepanted's story has been set ...
Goodness, you're seeing connections I didn't even think of... I mean... Obviously this was totally premeditated and absolutely not a coincidence. Really. (unconvincing nervous laugh) :P

I added the little detail about the socks with Lizéa and Tiffany because it crossed my mind. I guess they're the kind of persons who don't want to touch socks that had been worn during most of the day... It's true that most of my characters don't usually take pleasure in the act of stripping and bounding their victims itself, outside of seeing it as a way to assess their superiority. The only exceptions I can think of being Klenia, obviously (even though she's rather tame compared to some others) and Presa.

I take it, since you didn't comment on it, that you were fine with the epilogue and the scenes around Nera? I'd be curious to hear if you appreciated the takedowns / neutralizations in this story.
esercito sconfitto
Posts: 7096
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:06 pm

Re: Of tranquility and darts...

Post by esercito sconfitto »

Hi rufusluciusivan

about the last part, generally speaking I don't like the insertion of male characters in our stories ( and in the board! this is like an ancient harem! :D ...no males allowed ) but I am fine with exceptions

the point is the usual; at our board a creative member have to justify in a story or in a picture, a fictional environment, where men aren't allowed, or at least irrelevant, or easily defeatable, defeteable at the point that they aren't considered adversaires, in an environment where women and girls compete just among themselves .
Our feminist- dominated ( "western") world provides countless possibilities, and a general confirmation that the scenario's presented at our board aren't "the future", but the planet where currently we are living in...
tirepanted3
Posts: 1934
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 11:40 am

Re: Of tranquility and darts...

Post by tirepanted3 »

I agree with Esercito about male characters - my stories are set in the real world, but in such a way that male characters only exist as background elements. I like them to make cameos now and then, to remind people that this is not an all-female reality, but not to have an important role in the story. (The closest I ever came was the President in "The Spy in Sunglasses," and I don't think he even got a line.)

I did not notice the Florida connection... but then, I've always been terrible at reading maps. :D
rufusluciusivan
Posts: 1225
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:08 pm

Re: Of tranquility and darts...

Post by rufusluciusivan »

I see your points. Personally, I don't mind introducing one from time to time in a secondary role (Dimitri, Thorn, Hieron, Morgan, Max...). It wouldn't feel realistic to not have one pop up from time to time, and there was already actually one since the very first story. I don't think having a few male characters in a USB story is necessarily a bad thing, as long as their inclusion follows two golden rules: they shall never interfere with (or worst take part in) Uniform Stealing fun and they shall always remain in a secondary role. However, I don't think I'd like to completely drop them. As I said, the universe from the entire series comes from a writing project that was recycled to become the playground of Uniform Stealing stories. Most of the male characters that are featured in the stories were actually created long before I chose to turn their world into a world of Uniform Stealing, and I guess that a part of me wants to see them appear in this version of their story (probably the only one that will ever exist). You could say that if I forbid myself from featuring them, it would take away a motivation for writing.

Though it doesn't mean that I can't see the point. ;) I realize in hindsight that Max became too proeminent in the latest installments, and I think that I can see why he started to bother while previously male characters rarely posed a problem. Usually, male characters were used as quest givers; they were only featured at key moment clearly detached from the Uniform Stealings: beginnings, mission briefings during key moments or endings (tellingly, the only other time it truly posed a problem was when Thorn directly interfered in the middle of the plot of Rescue Operation. Leaving only Selena free proved to be a mistake, as it meant that the only other character she could interact with was Max. Hopefully, the story will take a turn allowing me to bench him once again... The roster of (free) antagonists is slowly filling up again... ;)
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