by Van © 2015
		Chapter 6

Meanwhile, back at Bibliophile Books...

---

"You did what?" Finley demanded.

"I told Agatha to deliver Catherine's special order," Edwina said.  "What's the big deal?"

They were alone in the store and it was already locked up tight for the evening.  The alarm system was armed and the after-hours lighting set, illuminating the display windows as well as the interior of the store.  The downtown pedestrian traffic beyond the panes of glass and lowered security screens had dropped to nothing, as usual.

Finley stared at her Assistant Manager for several seconds before answering.  The redhead's face was tired from pretending to frown at Agatha all day, but she soldiered on.  And was it Finley's imagination, or was Edwina's show of innocence just a little too contrived?  And was that a ghost of a mischievous smile threatening to curl the blonde's lips?

"Does the phrase 'too much of a good thing' ring any bells?" Finley said.

"I don't know what you mean," Edwina responded, and now the smile was definitely gaining ground.

"We agreed to introduce Agatha to our little collective secret," Finley sighed, "but I'm in charge of her initiation into the Nancy Drew Book Club."

"You mean you outsourced it to Catherine and Karli," Edwina said, and now she was smiling.

Finley rolled her eyes.  "And you don't think that Chibi's egging things on?  You don't think the girls took things to a new level just last night?"

Edwina's smile wavered.  "Well..."

"Too much is never enough for our Chibi," Finley sighed, "and now you throw the pair of them to the wolves.  It's too much, too soon.  Agatha will probably run down the street screaming.  Or worse yet, quit.  Then I'll have to hire another new clerk."

Edwina frowned.  "I don't think—"

"No," Finley interrupted, "you don't think."  She examined her friend from head to toe, noting her sensible pumps, stockings, skirt, blouse, her neat blond ponytail, and her glasses.  Finley, herself, was similarly dressed, as usual, although her ginger locks were much too short for a ponytail.  "I think it's time for another unscheduled robbery drill."

Edwina's smile faltered, then returned.  "I don't see how there's any need to—"

"Quiet!" Finley barked.  "What do we do in the event of a robbery?"

Edwina sighed and rolled her eyes.  "We cooperate with the robbers.  No amount of cash-on-hand is worth a trip to the hospital, or worse."  She paused to clean her glasses with a white hankie.  "Actually, I did a spreadsheet model comparing various cash levels verses the expected medical expenses from getting roughed up by robbers as covered by our insurance plan.  It was a minor factor in my recommendation to upgrade the credit card interface for the new registers so we could reduce our daily cash held.  Also—"

"Shut it," Finley barked, and now she was the one struggling to suppress a smile.  "Hands up!  Consider yourself captured."

Edwina raised her hands, as ordered, and Finley rolled her eyes, again.  "Metaphorically."  She nodded towards the windows.  "What if somebody sees you?"

Edwina smiled sheepishly as she lowered her hands.  "Sorry."

Finley pointed towards the back of the store.  "You know where to go," she muttered.

Edwina heaved a Tragic Sigh, turned and trudged towards the work area and the stairs leading down to the basement.  Her back to her boss (and fellow club member) she was finally able to let her full smile blossom.

Actually, the staircase behind the nondescript door in the back of the workroom led down to the basement and up to Finley's apartment above the store, but the upwards stairs were behind a second, heavier door across a small landing, and the door had a discrete sign that read "PRIVATE" and was secured with a deadbolt lock.

The basement was what you'd expect to find underneath a downtown store: red brick walls, tiny windows dirty to the point of near opacity and protected by anti-burglar bars, steel support columns, the usual utilities, also dust and cobwebs.  There was a little clutter in the form of a set of four bookshelf end-cap units Finley thought she might someday decide to put back into use... or not.

"Strip," Finley ordered when they reached the bottom of the stairs.  Requiring Edwina to remove her clothes was a concession to practicality, not part of the "robbery drill."  They didn't automatically assume that hypothetical robbers would require the sales staff to strip, but the basement was dusty, very dusty.

"If you'd only schedule these unscheduled drills," Edwina complained as she unbuttoned her blouse, "I could bring a change of clothing."

Finley's only reply was a wry smirk.  She handed Edwina a clothes hanger, then crossed her arms across her chest and watched Edwina remove her blouse and skirt, hang them from the hanger, and hang the hanger from a convenient nail.  "Pantyhose," Finley ordered.

Edwina rolled her eyes, then peeled down her pantyhose, stepped out of her pumps, removed the hose completely, and stepped back into her pumps.  Her costume was now reduced to her sensible black shoes—a pair of plain, white, brief-style panties—a white, slightly less plain, under-wire bra—and her glasses.

"Hanes?"

Edwina blushed, slightly.  Finley was inquiring as to her preferred brand of unmentionables.  "Yeah, Hanes."

Still smiling, Finley gestured across the basement.  "Man your favorite post, and now you can put your hands up."

Edwina raised her hands and casually strolled to the steel support column farthest from the stairs.  The column in question was about eight inches in diameter and was painted a rather depressing shade of gray.  Edwina placed her back and nylon-clad rump against the cool, smooth steel, and crossed her wrists behind the column.

Meanwhile, Finley had walked to one of the end-cap units, opened a clear plastic bag, and pulled out four milky-white, heavy-duty, plastic cable-ties, each about 24 inches in length.

"Nooo," Edwina whined.  "Use the rope.  I hate those things."

"And why should naughty girls who are being punished be allowed to play with the things they like?" Finley teased, then pointed to the floor in front of the column.  "Sit."

Edwina stared down at the concrete with a heartbreaking pout.  "It's dirty."

"I ought to make you roll on the floor for two minutes," Finley purred.  "Sit."

Edwina heaved a heartfelt sigh, then settled her rump on the floor and crossed her wrists behind the post, again.  The concrete was indeed dirty, also gritty and cold... or at least cool.

Finley knelt behind the column and the "naughty girl" and tightened a cable-tie around Edwina's wrists.  A shiver of dread (or something) rippled along Edwina's spine as the plastic teeth rattled and slid through the locking tab.  Finley then tightened a second cable-tie, also around Edwina's wrists, but 90-degrees to the first.  The blond captive's wrists were now crossed to stay.

"You're a big ol' meanie," Edwina sighed.  The cable-ties were tight, but she knew she'd be okay if she didn't get carried away with the struggling.

Meanwhile, Finley had crossed Edwina's ankles and used two cable-ties to bind them together in the same manner as her wrists.  She then climbed to her feet and stood in front of her "victim."  Edwina's legs were tucked to one side, her ankles crossed and bound, and her wrists bound behind the column.  She was wearing nothing but her underwear, glasses, and an expression of distress worthy of any damsel in the long history of damsels-in-distress.  Edwina was adorable.

"Meanie," Edwina groused.

Finley's response was to turn, stroll to the end-cap unit, and return with a roll of silver duct-tape.

Edwina watched as Finley pulled strip after seven-inch strip of tape from the roll, tacking each silvery rectangle by one corner to the steel column, just above Edwina's head.  It was obvious what was coming, but what Edwina didn't expect was for her smiling, red-haired captor to slide the roll of tape up her left arm like a bracelet, reach under her skirt, pull down her panties, then step free.  The panties in question were more-or-less identical to Edwina's.  "Don't you dare!" Edwina objected, tugging on her bound wrists.  "Fin-ley!  Mrrrpfh!"

Still smiling the same quirky, infuriating smile, Finley had stuffed her panties into Edwina's mouth!  And now, she was plastering strip after strip of duct-tape over said mouth, covering Edwina's lower face from ear to ear and from her flaring nostrils to just under her chin.

"Mrrrrrf!"

"Yes, yes, I know," Finley chuckled.  "I'm a big ol' meanie.  I really am."  She returned the roll of duct-tape to the end-cap unit, then strolled to the foot of the stairs.  She flipped a switch, turning off the overhead lights, then stooped and plugged an extension cord into an electrical outlet.  The cord powered a pair of small work-lights clamped to the joists above Edwina.  The lights were fitted with heat-lamp bulbs and were now the only light in the basement.  They shone down on Edwina like a pair of red-orange spotlights.  Eventually, they'd transfer enough radiant energy to make Edwina start sweating.  This was bad (the actions of a "big ol' meanie"), but the alternative, abandoning the nearly naked captive in the cold basement, was worse.

"Don't worry," Finley said as she mounted the stairs.  "When the store doesn't open in the morning, I'm sure one of our loyal customers will call the cops... eventually."  And with that (and still smiling), she abandoned Edwina in her inescapable bondage.

I really am a big ol' meanie, Finley thought as she entered her apartment.  She'd decided not to cook but to order take-out, but couldn't decide between pizza, Chinese, or that Turkish kebab place two blocks away.  She turned on her TV and navigated the menu to one of the alternative source inputs Chibi, their resident IT expert, had arranged for her beloved boss.  The red-shifted image of Edwina, bound to the basement column in her underwear and gagged with Finley's panties and several strips of duct-tape, filled the screen.  The WiFi link between the tiny camera clamped to the joists, Finley's home router, and the TV was functioning perfectly.  Edwina weakly squirmed in her bonds.  Finley liked the way the long, stiff ends of the cable-ties shook as Edwina struggled.  A pity there's no sound, Finley mused.

Finley had decided she was in the mood for kebabs.  The problem was, Edwina wasn't a big fan of what she called "over-spiced, lamb-flavored charcoal briquettes."  Too bad, Finley thought.  Naughty girls should appreciate not being put to bed without any supper.  In any case, it was still a little early to place an order.  Edwina wasn't through languishing.  Finley picked up her phone, anyway.  She had another call to make.

Meanwhile, back at Sinister Stirling Mansion...

---

Agatha sat on the settee in Catherine's parlor in uncomfortable silence.  Chibi sat in a nearby wing-chair, also silent, but much more at ease.  Catherine, their hostess, sat in her straight chair, but that was hardly a matter of choice as she was bound to said chair by several yards of tight, cinched, well-placed strands of white nylon rope.  She was also naked, meaning Catherine.  Not Agatha or Chibi.  They were fully clothed.  But not Catherine.  She was naked.  Agatha shifted in her seat, meaning squirmed nervously in her seat.  Chibi did not.  Neither did Catherine.

Also, Catherine was gagged with a strip of Elastoplast tape.  Hence the silence.  It would be rude for Agatha and Chibi to make smalltalk while their hostess was unable to participate... not that Agatha could think of anything more profound to discuss than the weather, and "Nice day for it, don't you think?" would be sooo lame.  Anyway, Chibi was too busy leering at Catherine's tan, perfect, helpless body and enjoying Agatha's blushing embarrassment to talk.  Hence the silence.

At one point, the telephone base station on a nearby table began warbling.  Agatha glanced at Catherine, but before she could ask permission to pick up the handset, the sound stopped in mid-ring.  Agatha deduced that Karli had taken the call in the kitchen.

So...  Fidgeting.  Silence.

And speaking of embarrassment, Agatha was surprised to find she wasn't in a petrified state of mind-numbing paralysis.  Heart beating like crazy, again?  Yes.  Blushing?  Yes.  Boobs bobbing as she breathed a little more rapidly and deeply than usual.  Maybe.  Sweating?  Yes.  Panic attack?  No.  Go figure.

Just then the side door swung open and Karli reappeared, carrying a complete tea service on a silver tray.  "That was Finley on the phone," she announced as she set the tray on the side-table next to Catherine.  "To make a long story short, Chibi, you're now sharing the doghouse with Agatha."

"What did I do?" Chibi demanded.

Karli shrugged as she poured tea into a cup.  "Take it up with your boss.  I'm sure you're guilty of something."  She added a dash of milk to the tea, stirred it with a small spoon, then balanced the saucer and cup atop Catherine's bound knees.  "Also, Agatha," The Shieldmaiden continued, "you're off limits for the evening.  No rope bondage."

"What?" Agatha gasped.  "Why?  I mean, good."  Her cheeks was now bright crimson.  "Uh... what?"

"I think 'no rope bondage' is pretty self-explanatory," Karli purred.  "As the newest member of the Nancy Drew Book Club, it's too early for such things.  We need to complete your initiation, hazing, and instruction."

Chibi grinned at her astonished BFF.  "It seems to me like rope bondage is hazing.  It was when I joined, anyway."

Agatha's lips curled in an appreciative smile.  "Nancy Drew Book Club.  Cool."  But the smile quickly morphed into a frown and she turned and blinked in Chibi's direction.  "Wait!  You're a member?"

"Obvi," Chibi giggled.  "Member in good standing since... forever."

"Yes, yes, fascinating," Karli chuckled as she poured a second cup of tea and handed it to Agatha.  She then focused her smile on Chibi.  "Strip."

Chibi rolled her eyes (and Agatha blinked several more times).  "It figures," Chibi sighed, then unlaced her sneakers and kicked them off.  She then stood, unzipped and pulled down her jeans, stepped free, pulled her Usagi Yojimbo t-shirt over her head, pulled her sports bra over her head, and finally, pulled down and removed her panties.

Agatha noted that her BFF's underwear were licensed Wonder Woman® products, by the way.  The bra was red with the winged WW logo and the panties were blue, spangled with white stars.  Cool!

Meanwhile, Karli removed the saucer and cup from Catherine's knees, then indicated her Mistress' lap with a grand gesture.  "Sit," she ordered.

"Moi?" Chibi asked, the very picture of innocence.

Karli nodded.  "Boob-to-boob."

Chibi winked at her blushing BFF, then padded to Catherine's chair and carefully settled her weight (what there was of it) on Catherine's lap with her legs wrapped around Catherine's waist and the chair-back, as best she could, and her hands on Catherine's shoulders.  "Hi," she said to their hostess.

Catherine's blue eyes smiled back at Chibi, and continued to do so as Karli stepped behind the chair, lifted the first of several neat coils of rope from the floor, and began lashing Chibi in place.

Agatha watched—and nearly burned her tongue on her tea—as Karli lashed Chibi's ankles and knees to the chair-back, tied her wrists together and to the back of the chair, then tightened loops of rope around the chair and both captive's upper bodies.  They really are boob-to-boob, Agatha realized.  They were also face-to-face.

Karli smiled at Agatha.  "Why don't you come help me prepare dinner," she suggested.

"Uh..."  Agatha set her cup and saucer on a side-table, then stood and straightened the front of her sailor-suit.  "Okay."  She watched as Karli peeled back about an inch of one corner of Catherine's tape-gag, then folded the Elastoplast back on itself, making a small tab.  She then planted a kiss on Catherine's forehead, Chibi's smiling lips, then strolled towards the side door.

Agatha hurried to join Karli.  "They'll be okay, won't they?" she said in a whisper.

Karli smiled.  "Once Chibi manages to peel the tape from Catherine's lips so they can suck face?  Sure."

"S-suck face?" Agatha squealed.  "Oh!"  Karli had placed her arm across Agatha's shoulders and was leading her from the parlor.  Agatha's last view of the prisoners before the door swung closed was of Chibi taking the edge of Catherine's tape-gag between her incisors and starting to tug.

"We're having grilled chicken salad," Karli explained as they entered the kitchen.  "Are you up to slicing some olives and cherry tomatoes, or are you too nervous?"

"I'm fine," Agatha huffed as Kari opened the oven and carefully removed a sizzling dish of chicken thighs.  By the marks on their sides, they'd already been grilled on the stovetop.

"I'll let these rest a while before slicing them up," Karli explained, then started pulling things from the refrigerator: a head of lettuce, a small tub of mixed olives, a bundle of scallions, more bundles of various fresh herbs, the aforementioned tomatoes, etc.

"Ya know," Agatha said quietly, "you're supposed to ask someone if they want to join your book club before kidnapping them and ripping off their clothes."

Karli smiled.  "May I remind you that you followed Finley to our last meeting and volunteered to participate."

Agatha's response was a blush and what Karli considered to be her most adorable pout to date.  "Volunteered," the petite brunette muttered.  "Hardly."

"Yes, you were hardly a challenge," Karli agreed, then started tearing leaves of lettuce from the head and dropping then in a colander.  "Everything else is already rinsed," she explained.

Agatha organized the remaining vegetable ingredients, Karli gave her a cutting board, a very sharp knife, and a small bowl, and she started doing her part in the preparation.

"The olives are already pitted," Karli said.

Agatha nodded.  "You're really not gonna tie me up?" she asked (casually, very casually).

Karli grinned.  "Not tonight," she confirmed.

"Good."  Agatha was still blushing, but only a little.

"Don't act so disappointed," Karli teased.

Agatha rolled her eyes (and her blush deepened).  "Stop it," she huffed, then concentrated on slicing the tiny tomatoes into perfect halves.

Both in her personal life and in business, Finley had found attention to detail and perseverance to be very important, and that also extended to being a "Big Ol' Meanie."

After letting Edwina languish in the basement for a little more than an hour, Finley returned and released her from the column.  That is, she used a small pair of wire cutters to sever the cable-ties binding the bespectacled blonde's wrists behind her back; however, before Edwina realized what was happening or could stop her, Finley rolled her friend onto her stomach on the dusty concrete and began binding her wrists together with a length of stout cord.  Belatedly, Edwina began squirming and fighting.

In the course of the previous hour, the heat-lamps still glowing overhead had raised quite a bit of sweat on Edwina's nearly naked body, and her efforts to evade recapture quickly served to collect and spread quite a bit of dust and dirt, smudging her skin and slightly damp underwear.  "Mrrrrpfh!"  The complaints she forced through Finley's panties and the duct-tape sealing her lips were ignored as Finley tightened more cord around her upper arms, just above her elbows.

Finley was doing a superb job binding her prisoner.  She truly was a Mistress of Bondage.  (Either that or Edwina's struggles were purposefully ineffective and were merely for show, but that hardly seems likely.)  "Mrrrf!"

"Hush," Finley chuckled as she finished binding Edwina's upper arms to her torso, passing strands of cord above and below her soiled bra and sweaty breasts.  She then severed the cable-ties binding the glowering, tape-gagged blonde's crossed ankles and lifted her to her feet.  Edwina nearly tripped on her black pumps, so Finley stooped, plucked them from Edwina's soon-to-be-bare feet, and tossed them away.  "Now you won't stumble on the stairs," she purred.

No, I'll just grind the dirt into my feet as we walk, Edwina thought.

Finley led her prisoner up the stairs to her apartment and plunked Edwina down on the carpet in the middle of the living room so that she was sitting cross-legged.  She then tied Edwina's ankles together, looped cord behind her head and forced her to lean forward, then tied a final knot.  "I've always liked the shrimp-tie," Finley said as she stood before her captive, her hands on her hips and a quirky, infuriating smile on her lips.

Edwina lifted her tape-gagged head and glared at her captor through her glasses.  She did not like the shrimp-tie, unless it was someone else bound in a permanent cross-legged crunch.

Finley continued smiling at her helpless, bound and gagged friend.  Edwina's skin was still shining with sweat and she was smudged with basement dirt.  Her bra and panties were also damp and soiled and her gagged-face smudged, as well.  Several long, blond strands had escaped her ponytail, and they were the only thing about the wiggling, squirming prisoner that were in any way escaping.  Finally, the soles of her feet were black with dirt and her toes dirty.  In Finley's humble opinion, Edwina had never been more beautiful.

Edwina glared at Finley.

Finley smiled at Edwina.

"Well," Finley said as she picked up her phone, "if you'll excuse me, I have to place a call for some takeout."

Edwina watched as Finley tapped out a number and strolled away.  She couldn't hear everything her captor was saying, but at one point she thought she heard Finley say "two kebab plates."

Edwina stared daggers at Finley's back.  I hate kebabs.

Agatha enjoyed a good long shower.  Why?  Well, she'd put in a hard day of clerking at Bibliophile Books, the evening had been stressful (meaning arousing), Catherine had insisted she spend the night, Chibi as well, so Agatha needed a shower.  Probably, everybody needed a shower.

Dinner had been delicious... and strange.  Catherine and Chibi were untied from the chair in the parlor and the meal was served in the dining room, but both former prisoners remained naked!  That is, they all sat at the table and enjoyed Karli's superbly seasoned grilled chicken salad (with white wine) but only Karli and Agatha were dressed, Karli in her usual sneakers, jeans, and blouse, and Agatha in her sneakers and borrowed anklets and sailor-suit/schoolgirl uniform.

There was the usual small talk.  Chibi let slip that a new clerk would be joining the store staff tomorrow and Catherine and Karli agreed that was very nice.  Agatha also agreed.  She was curious about the new clerk, of course, but there were... distractions.

For one thing, there were Catherine's breasts.  Make that two things, Agatha thought as she took a sip of wine.  They were very nice breasts, as she'd noted earlier.  Chibi also had breasts, and they were equally nice, in their own way.  Also, Catherine's skin was smooth and firm and tan.  Ditto for Chibi, except the tan part.  Like Agatha, Chibi was somewhat pale, especially in comparison to their hostess, but she did have very nice skin.

Agatha noticed that Karli had noticed her noticing Catherine and Chibi's breasts, skin, and everything.  The smile on the blonde's beautiful face caused Agatha to blush, yet again.  I wonder if too much blushing can cause skin damage, she worried.

Anyway, the meal over and cleanup complete, Catherine made the sleep-over announcement and suggested (ordered) Agatha to take the first shower—and Agatha had done so, wondering all the while why she didn't assert herself and insist that she had to go home.  For one thing, mail had to be accumulating in her mailbox, not having been checked for two nights, and for another thing... who was Catherine to give her orders?  It wasn't like before, when Agatha was kidnapped and bound and gagged and at Catherine's mercy, with the equally beautiful and gorgeous Shieldmaiden at Catherine's beck and call and together they could do anything they wanted to poor, helpless Agatha.  Finley had called and declared it a rope-free night!  So why should Agatha stay?

Agatha pondered that question for an eternity (meaning about five seconds), then made her way to the second floor bathroom, removed her clothes, and took her shower, as ordered.  It was Chibi that made up her mind.  Agatha decided she had to stay and protect her BFF.  Otherwise, Karli might tie her to Catherine, again, and poor, innocent Chibi would have to suck face with their hostess all night.  Anyway, that was Agatha's excuse and she decided to stick to it.

Soon after Agatha was luxuriating under the hot water, someone entered the bathroom.  "Eeek!  Hello?"

"It's only me," Catherine's voice announced.  "I'm just collecting your clothing."

"Huh?" Agatha inquired, but Catherine was already gone.  Agatha peeked around the shower curtain, and despite her lack of glasses, could see that her clothes, Hello Kitty® panties and pink bra included, had, indeed, vanished.  Agatha sighed and wondered if Catherine was taking her borrowed undies to soak in the laundry, like before, and she'd be forced to go commando in the morning, also like before.

Agatha completed her shower and the rest of her preparations for bed, wrapped the damp towel around her torso, opened the bathroom door—"Oh!"—and found Catherine waiting for her in the hall.  Her hostess had donned a very nice robe but was otherwise unclothed.  Her feet were bare.  Naked, wearing a robe, or fully clothed, Agatha sighed, she's a goddess.

"Your room is this way," Catherine purred, took Agatha by the hand, and led her down the hallway.

Agatha's cheeks were burning and her heart hammering, again.  Was she going to spend the night with the goddess?  Was she going to get to suck face with Catherine?  That would be... horrible?  Hardly.

Anyway, their destination was Karli's room, not Catherine's.

Agatha watched as Catherine turned a skeleton key in the door's lock, opened the door, and gently pushed her across the threshold.  The room was dark but for the Wonder Woman nightlight glowing on the bedside table.  There was something on the bed, itself, under the covers, but before Agatha could make out any details, two things happened.  (1) Catherine grabbed the top of Agatha's towel and pulled it from her body.  "Hey!"  And (2) Catherine closed and locked the door.

"Goodnight, Munchkin," Catherine called from the hallway.

"Catherine!" Agatha complained, leaning down and peering through the keyhole.  Catherine had taken the key with her.  "Uh... goodnight."  Suddenly, Agatha heard a rustling sound behind her back.  The bed! she realized, and quickly turned.  Whatever was on the bed, under the covers, it was moving.

Agathe tiptoed across the room, gazed down at the squirming lump for a couple of seconds, then took hold of the bedspread and top-sheet with one trembling hand and... threw back the covers!

"Wow!"

It wasn't the most profound thing Agatha might have said, but it certainly was appropriate.  The lump on the bed was Karli—and she was naked—and she was tied up—and she was tape-gagged.

"Wow."

Karli's arms were folded behind her back and neat, tight strands of white nylon rope pinned her upper arms to her sides, passing above and below her naked breasts, yoked her shoulders, and (apparently, obviously) bound her wrists behind her back and against her spine.  Also, each of her ankles were tied to their respective upper thighs.  In other words, her knees were bent and her legs reduced to a pair of flopping flippers.  The blond captive gazed up at Agatha with her big, blue, gorgeous eyes, the outline of her lips visible on the strip of Elastoplast covering most of her lower face.  The light in the bedroom was dim, but still more than enough to reveal every graceful curve, well-toned muscle, and rope-induced dimple of Karli's magnificent body.

"And she's all mine," Agatha whispered under her breath, then realized she'd spoken aloud and her blush intensified.  The Munchkin gazed down at the helpless Shieldmaiden for several seconds, then joined her on the bed.  With delicate care, she teased a corner of Karli's tape-gag free, then peeled the strip from her lips, noting (and enjoying) the way the adhesive surrendered its grip with great reluctance, stretching the skin of Karli's face.

"Catherine does fast work," Agatha said in a near whisper.

"Chibi," Karli said with a grin.

"Huh?"  Agatha combed a few errant strands of Karli's long, blond hair from her face.  She noticed her fingers were no longer trembling, but she was still nervous.

"The box-tie and frog-tie are courtesy of Chibi," Karli clarified.

"She's good with the rope," Agatha sighed.

"Aren't you glad your cute little body is off limits for the evening?" Karli chuckled.

Agatha almost nodded in agreement, but managed to stop herself in time.  Slowly, her lips curled in an as yet uncatalogued wry smirk.  This was a new situation and uncharted territory, if you didn't count her last sleepover at Sinister Stirling Mansion, when she'd been the one tied up and they'd... snuggled.  Agatha gently cupped Karli's left breast.  Lightning didn't strike, so she gave the tan, firm, fleshy globe a squeeze.  "It's different," she sighed.

"What?" Karli whispered.

"Pressed against my body," Agatha explained, "as opposed to in my hand.  Your breast, I mean."

Karli smiled.

"Uh... I'm going to kiss you, okay?" Agatha asked.

"You have my permission," Karli said gravely.

Their lips met... parted... then met again, and this time the kiss was deep and long, with tongue.  Agatha's right hand was still squeezing Karli's left breast, and the nipple—all four of their nipples, in fact—were hard and erect.  A thrill rippled between Agatha's legs, and she realized she was a little wet, like last night, when Chibi started doing things to her... down there.

The kiss continued, as did the gentle squeeze.  Soon, Agatha knew it would be time for her hand to slide down Karli's smooth, tan, firm stomach, through her honey-blond pubic bush, and to her pussy.  She hoped she could remember all the things Chibi had done to her pussy—to Agatha's pussy—last night, but wasn't entirely sure where and how her BFF had used her educated fingers to ring her proverbial chimes.  Agatha had been too busy listening to the bells to notice, so to speak.

I'll just have to do the best I can, Agatha decided, gave Karli's left nipple a playful tweak, and let her hand slide.