Back In The Game Pt. 04

"Come on in, guys." greeted Sasha, swinging the door open. The response, however, was almost dismissive.

"Hey, Sosh." returned Kya, already looking past her host and into the apartment. She slipped past and beelined to the kitchen table where Jason was conversing with Caitlyn. They both turned to greet her but she beat them to it. "I want you to stay home this weekend." she said sternly, eye contact indicating Jason was her subject.

The subject in question blinked once, before smiling. "Hey Kya. Good to see you! How was your day?"

It was Kya's turn to blink, expecting a different response. "It... was... fine." she recovered. "Nothing crazy. Not too busy." She paused. "I want you to stay home this weekend." She then repeated.

"Good to hear." replied Jason, his expression still affable. "And, no. Not a chance."

"Just wait a week." pressed Kya. "I have a few shifts this weekend. I can go with you next week."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to go. This weekend or next. And who told you, anyway?" He rolled his eyes, answering his own question. "Never mind. It was Grandma."

"I... don't, really. No" Kya admitted with a scowl. "But yes, your Grandma called. She's worried about you going up there alone. I am too."

"What's going on?" Sasha whispered to Farrah as she closed the door behind her.

"I do not know." Farrah whispered in reply. "She was very quiet after she picked me up."

"Big Boy can take care of himself." said Jason. His tone was still light, though it seemed to be a little work to keep it that way. "I went up alone last year, and everything was fine."

"Stuff... has happened since last year." returned Kya slowly. "We would feel better if you had some company."

"Nice to be concerned over, I suppose." sigh Jason, visibly working not to frown. "I have, however, been planning this for weeks, and am kind of looking forward to it."

"Just one more week..." pleaded Kya.

"What are we talking about?" interrupted Sasha, taking her seat at the table.

Jason shifted his gaze to meet hers. " Oh, It's opening weekend for fishing. I plan on camping out on the lake. Catching some fish. Got a site on some private property a couple hours from here. Used to go every year with my Grandpa, but my two grandmothers think I should wait for company."

Kya scowled and stuck out her tongue. "I'll go with you next weekend."

"You are not a happy camper." replied Jason, a half grin returning.

"No, but I'll..." Kya started with an eye roll, but was interrupted before she could finish.

"Camping, like in the woods, in a tent, sitting around a fire, camping?" asked Sasha, seemingly with a touch of awe. "And what do you do with the fish?"

"Only two things to do with fish." replied a bemused Jason. "Eat them and watch them swim. And once they're out of the water, there's one less thing."

"That sounds so cool!" said Sasha. "I've never been camping. Or fishing. I stayed in a tent in a friend's back yard once, but she got scared and we ended up in the house by eleven thirty. We were nine."

"Not really an option, up there." said Jason. "Which, I grant you, is part of the reason my watchers are so nervous. But the weather forecast looks clear."

"Do you have a boat?" Sasha asked.

"We did, when Grandpa was still alive." said Jason. "I have a standing offer to borrow a canoe from some of his family up there, but I'm satisfied with the dock, usually."

"Why don't you go with him?" Caitlyn put it. Her tone was a touch off, as if something were bothering her. "Since you're... free this weekend. That would solve Kya's problem too. She hates camping."

"I do." sighed Kya.

"Well... I mean... Could I?" stammered Sasha. "Would that be all right?"

"Sure." replied Jason. "And I guess it would solve several issues. If Caity really doesn't mind loaning you out."

"'Caity' has a family thing this weekend." said Caitlyn, somewhat flatly. "And has been asked, specifically, not to bring her girlfriend."

"I'm not with your family." put in Sasha, soothingly. "I'm with you."

"Ah." said Jason. "I see. Well, yeah. Seems like a good idea then. Acceptable, Kya?"

"Acceptable." agreed Kya, with a smirk. "Be sure to tell your 'other grandmother'."

"All right, then." Jason turned to Sasha. "Plan is to leave Friday afternoon, early enough that we don't have to set up the tent in the dark."

"All right!" said Sasha. "What do I need to bring?"

Jason thought for a moment. "Let's see... My tent'll sleep four, so that's covered. I got a spare sleeping bag, and extra fish poles, if you want to fish..."

"If that's all right? You'll have to... teach me."

"We'll have to get you a license, then." said Jason. "Couple of bucks and five minutes at a sporting goods store or something. With any luck, we won't need too much food, but we'll have a a little extra, just in case the fish are uncooperative. Pack some warm clothes. Sweats or something to sleep in. Long sleeves. Weather's supposed to be nice, but it'll be chilly at night."

"Do you even have any sleeves?" Caitlyn finally cracked a grin.

"Think I have one." quipped Sasha. "Gas?"

"It's been established I was going anyway." Jason smirked at Kya. "So you ride for free."

"Great! Ooo, I'm excited now! Camping! Fishing!" said Sasha. "I can hardly wait."

"Yeah, tell me that again after your first night sleeping on the ground." grumbled Kya. "Seriously, though. Thanks, Sasha. For keeping an eye on this doofus, and getting me out of sleeping outdoors."

"I can't wait!" Sasha repeated, gleefully.

* * *

Kya twisted in her chains. She was not quite stretched; her feet were flat on the floor, but her arms were pulled over her head. It would be a trick to pick her way out of this one. She had several tools on her, of course, but the closest ones to her hands was in her shirt collar, and she couldn't quite reach it.

And who was going to come help her? The room around her was built from heavy wood, with a single oil lamp. And she could feel the not very subtle motion of a ship on water. With her heavy armor, Maisey tended to avoid any liquid she wasn't pouring in her mouth and Cait wasn't much better. She was going to have to get herself out of this, but even if she got herself out of these chains, then out of this metal cell, what was she supposed to do? It wasn't impossible to hide on a ship until it eventually got close enough to land for a swim, but it was improbable.

There was no window wherever she was, so her sense of time was somewhat skewed. A few people would come in a few times a day, all females so far, let her down, feed her and watch her like a hawk until they strung her up again. Those breaks might seem like a good time to retrieve one of her lock picks, but between being watched, and hung back up, she didn't want to risk it. Besides, where would she go?

She seemed safe enough for now anyway. Aside from the confinement, she wasn't being too mistreated. She could occasionally hear men further off on the ship, but only women had ever entered her room. She tried to talk to them. To learn whatever she could, but those that took care of her, stayed silent. She'd assumed they were pirates, but they were very disciplined if that were the case.

It had been three days, at her count, assuming three feedings meant a day, when something changed. She heard frantic activity above her, shouting and running around, before the ship lurched violently, as something collided with it. Then, what was almost certainly combat. Whatever ship she was on, it was being assaulted.

Accordingly, she redoubled her efforts to get free. What were the odds that these pirates, or whoever they were, were being attack by friendlies. Even if it was the Navy, the last Naval commander she'd come across had been kind of a prick. If she were going to have to deal with them, her current position was less than ideal.

She thought she was making progress, but not fast enough. The fighting was getting closer. It sounded to be on her level now. She was pushed up on her tip toes, stretching her fingers to reach her collar, when someone collided with the outer door to her prison. Whoever it was began pounding, shouting and trying to get in, sounding terrified. The was a final scream and a wet sounding slurp. Someone had just died out side her room.

She froze as she heard heavy footstep, and someone tried the outer door. Locked. Kya let out a breath, relieved, before something slammed heavily against the door, bursting it open, and flooding the room with bright, white light, dazzling her. Shit. Chained up and now blind, At least her cage was still locked. It'd give her a moment to...

"Here she is! Been looking for you for days, and we find you just hangin' around. Figures."

"Wait, Maisey!?" Kya blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. "Is that you? What the hell is going on?"

"We're here to rescue you, duh." Maisey returned. "I'd be pissed you made me chase you out on the water, but I guess it's not entirely your fault."

"I don't think so." mumbled Kya, finally clearing her view enough to see a fully armored Maisey filling the doorway. There was a magical light blazing on her shoulder. Partially obscured behind her was a second, much shorter and stockier armored shape. "Hey, Cait. Am I glad to see you guys. What the hell happened? I just woke up in this cell. I have no idea how these pirates even caught me."

"Not pirates." Maisey said with an eye roll. "Remember that Navy prick that was trying to get in your pants? Guess his dick was too small to take no for an answer. He must have drugged you to get even. This is a Navy ship."

"That asshole!" fumed Kya. "I hate admitting you were right, but I guess we *should have killed him. Wait 'til I get my hands on that prick!"

"You'll have to fight the sharks." laughed Maisey. "I kicked his ass overboard first chance I got."

"Saves me the trouble, then." huffed Kya. "But wait. If the Navy took me, how did you chase me down?"

"Yeah, about that..." chuckled Maisey. "Remember Captain Cassandra? She was thrilled to help..."

"Captain Cassandra? Cassandra the Red!?" Kya choked. "The most wanted pirate for a thousand miles!?"

"That's the one." grinned Maisey sheepishly. "She didn't like that Navy prick either. Last I saw, she was chumming the water. That's why he was the only one I kicked overboard."

"And she just agreed to help you?" Kya looked skeptical.

"Well, no." Maisey admitted. "There was some... negotiation involved. But we took care of... most... of it."

"Most of it?" sighed Kya.

"Yeah. It was the ride out here that was expensive." said Maisey. "All she wanted to help attack was this ship. But the ride... I've been, uh... tied to her bed for two days."

"On and off." put in Caitlyn. "She let's us take turns."

"And I assume you want a ride back to shore..." added Maisey with a grin.

Kya rolled her eyes. "Of course I do." This was not the worst case scenario. She was going to get out of this. Alive. And while Cassandra the Red was a ruthless pirate, she had proven at least a little honorable in the past. And she was quite beautiful. "Fine. Get me out of here and I'll go thank her. Very personally."

Caitlyn stepped around Maisey and, with a swing of her hammer, smashed the padlock off the cell door. "That's the spirit! Hear that, Maise? More breaks for us!"

* * *

"Extra sleeping bag. Check. Extra chair. Check. Four fish poles. Check."

"First aid kit?" Grandma put in.

"You can see it from where you're standing." sighed Jason. "Check."

"Never hurts to double check the really important things." returned his grandmother. She lowered her voice. "And the pistol?"

"We need a..." Sasha caught herself and lowered her voice, "ahem, a gun?"

"In case we catch a really big fish." quipped Jason. "No, bears are not unheard of up there. The bang should scare one off. Also, having a female sleeping in an unsecured tent has limited potential to draw unwanted attention. Not expecting trouble, but it's good to be prepared for it." He turned to his grandma. "In the glove box, unloaded. Permit is in my wallet. Double check."

His Grandma rolled her eyes. "He takes after his Grandfather, for good and ill." She nudged Caitlyn's shoulder, standing next to her. "Thanks for sending someone to keep an eye on him for me."

"Don't thank me." replied Caitlyn. "I doubt I could have stopped her if I wanted to."

"It was your idea." grinned Sasha.

"And you jumped on it." Caitlyn grinned back.

"Well, all the same. I appreciate it." said Grandma. "I know he can take care of himself, but it never hurts to have back up either. Now, you kids drive carefully and have fun. See you on Sunday." She pulled Jason down for a peck on the cheek, before she turned and left the garage, heading back in the house.

"Your Grandma's pretty cool." said Sasha, once the door closed.

"I know, but thanks for waiting until she went in." agreed Jason. "Don't want it to go to her head."

"And that's a nice truck."

"Was my Grandpa's." replied Jason. "I inherited it. Really just took over license an insurance. Most of it's use is what you see right now. Fishing trips." He took one last look before closing the tailgate, and top cover. Then he handed Sasha a key on a loop of string. "I keep it locked once we park. This will get you in and home if you misplace me. Try not to do that, please."

'Oh, uh, gotcha." Sasha took the key. "We ready then?"

"Whenever you are." confirmed Jason. "Be sure to give your sweetheart a smooch good bye. Thanks for sending her along, Caity. Grandma and Kya feel better, and the company should be good."

"Oh, should be?" smirked Sasha.

"This will be our first extended interaction outside of game stuff." Jason grinned back. "We could be oil and water. You don't know. Besides, I haven't given you a fish cleaning lesson yet. Who knows how that'll go." He moved around and slid into the drivers seat.

"I'm am both looking forward to and dreading that." sighed Sasha, locking eyes with Caitlyn.

"Makes you feel any better," said Caitlyn, slipping her arms around Sasha, "I'll miss you the whole time. Fish guts or not, you'll be having a better time than me."

"Well, with that attitude..." laughed Sasha. "Try to be civil and show everyone my picture if they ask if you're seeing anyone." She paused. "Maybe not the private ones. Don't want them to think I'm corrupting you."

"No, I want them to think the other way around." grinned Caitlyn. "Speaking of which...." She lowered her voice, "Tell me how it goes."

"Oh, uh..."Sasha stammered. "I haven't brought it up... yet."

"Okay, well, you can. You have my expressed permission." said Caitlyn. "I'd bet he won't judge. And I trust you. Both of you." She paused. "Plus, better him than me. Not sure I'd be ready for that. Yet."

"We'll have to make a deal." smirked Sasha. "You go skinny dipping and I let you tie me down."

"Pfft, don't tease me, Babe." Caitlyn grinned back. "Let's see how *you do this weekend. Then we'll talk."

Sasha leaned forward kissing her shorter partner on the lips. "Good point. Let's not put the cart before the horse." She broke away, heading for the passenger side door. "See you Sunday, Baby, and try to at least not be miserable tomorrow."

"Have fun!" returned Caitlyn. "And try to do at least one thing I wouldn't do."

* * *

"I don't like how clean this tunnel is." put in Kya. "No rat crap. Or rats. No debris. Not even any dust."

"I agree that there should be something." added Farrah. "It is just bare stone bricks. And The Lady Dark said that we were not the first people that she sent here. But once we passed the entrance, there has been no sign of any others.".

Sasha paused, keeping her magical light facing forward down the square-ish passage. It was quite large, ten feat wide, by about eight feet high, stretching forward into darkness. "So what does that mean?" she asked. "Clean tunnel. They got a maid?"

"Maybe. But probably not a cute girl in a frilly dress." put in Caitlyn from the back. "Anything that cleans dungeons would see us as a mess."

'Maybe they just run water through it sometimes." suggested Sasha. "That'd wash anything out, right?"

"There are no drains that I can detect." said Farrah.

"And even if there were," added Kya, "who are 'they' who run the water? Something is going on here."

"Okay, okay." surrendered Sasha. "I only thought of it because of that wet, slurpy sound I'm hearing. I guess it sounds too... slurpy to be water."

"What 'slurpy' sound?!" Kya cocked her head trying to listen. "Farrah, do you hear..? Oh shit! I can hear it now! Where's it coming from?"

"Ahead of us." Farrah replied, nocking her bow. She didn't know why Kya was suddenly nervous, just that she was.

"I'm looking ahead of us," said Sasha, hefting her axe. "I have a light, and I don't see... Wait. Something just, I don't know, reflected? There's something moving..."

Kya peered ahead into the darkness, trying to catch sight of whatever it was. Her vision in low light should be better than Sasha's, but she couldn't make anything out. "Back up, Sosh..." She warned.

"Why?" countered Sasha. "If there's trouble it'll have to go through me. And there it is!"

Something wobbled at the edge of Sasha's light. But even with the illumination, it was difficult to make out. The only obvious sign was a liquid like reflection on it's leading face. Whatever it was, was mostly transparent, but filled the entire passage.

"A gelatinous cube!" Kya announced. "Sasha, back up! Farrah, arrows! All of them! Cait--"

"How am I suppose to 'axe' it any questions if I back up?" Sasha quipped, raising her weapon over her head.

"Wait!" Kya shouted. "It's--"

But whatever she meant to say came too late. The barbarian stepped forward and brought her axe down against the leading edge of the cube. She left what looked like a catastrophic gash as she did, the weapon easily cleaving the soft mass of the creature. Too easily, as it turned out. The entire axe sank into the cube, being enveloped along with Sasha's hands.

"Neurgh!?" Sasha froze in place as the gel contacted her skin. Then, very slowly, the immobilized barbarian started to be drawn further into the slimy creature.

"I was hoping to avoid that!" sang Kya. "Caity, what ever damage you got! I'll see about the tank." The Bard stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Sasha's waist, trying the extricate her from the ooze.

"You heard her, Farrah." said Caitlyn. "Fire away!" The tiefling extended her arm, and three magical darts shot forth, striking the cube. Each impact caused a brief flash, lighting up the clear monster and revealing a few floating skeletons inside. "Mystery solved. There's the other party."

"That is kind of gross." put in Farrah. Her target filled the whole tunnel, but she had to aim carefully to avoid Sasha and Kya. Still, her hits were punching deep holes in the wall of slime.

"That's it! Keep chipping away!" encouraged Kya. She strained against the pull of the cube on Sasha, not really making any progress.

"Neurgh!" squawked Sasha.

"I'm trying!" countered Kya. "This thing really... sucks. And if it moves forward, we're both screwed."

"Might want to let go and stab it a few times." suggested Caitlyn. The faster it goes down the sooner we get her out."

"You got a point." agreed Kya. However, as she relaxed the tension on her companion, they lost precious inches, brushing her arms across the surface of the cube. "Crap! M-mmmph!" Her lip were sealed as she too, stiffened in place.

"Damn it!" Caitlyn cursed, even as she extended her arm to launch three more magic missiles. "Farrah, I have a terrible idea. Keep shooting, and if this thing drops, drag us out of the slime. It's acidic, if I remember right."

"Mm-hm!" agreed Kya.

"Us!?" Farrah's next arrow pierced deep into the liquid creature. "What are you going to to do?!"

"Ha! Hold my beer and watch this!" Caitlyn muttered a brief spell as she darted forward and plunged her arms into the cube's edge. Her body immediately locked up, but the spell was already cast. There was a spark, and a torrent of magical flame erupted from her frozen hands, inside the blocky slime. The bright glare was only slightly muted by the creatures transparent mass as it tore through it's body and burst out it's back. It did not, however, 'drop', continuing to writhe and draw the paralyzed party members into itself. "Nungh!" shrieked Caitlyn. "Arra! Arra!"

She might have been trying to say Farrah. Or maybe arrow. Either way, the Ranger got the message. She fired another arrow, and moved to draw yet another. But the first struck the beast right between Caitlyn and Sasha, punching into the cube and exploding out the gaping, steaming hole in it's opposite side. The thing deflated like a punctured balloon, spilling it's victims to the floor. "I think it is defeated." gasped Farrah. "I think we are safe."

'Mm-mm!" argued Kya. "Mm-mm!"

"Ahih!" agreed Caitlyn. "Ahih!"

"Oh my, the acid!" remembered Farrah. "I will pull you clear!" She tossed her bow back and away from the mess, before gingerly grabbimg Kya's slimy foot. The bard's arms were still locked around Sasha's waist, so she was actually dragging both of them, but the floor was nicely lubricated, so the slight ranger had little trouble hauling them to dryer ground. "That... does tingle quite a bit." she observed, shaking her hands clean of goo as she returned for Caitlyn.

"Uh-huh." agreed Sasha.

Dragging a single companion proved easier than dragging two and soon Caitlyn was clear as well. "Kya, do you know how long this condition will last?" asked Farrah, moving to retrieve her bow.

"Mm-hm." confirmed the frozen Bard.

"Oh, good, and how long... oh." Farrah cut herself off, realizing the futility of her question. "Um, should I be worried?"

"Mm-mm." sighed Kya. "Mmph hm mm... Mmph!" She finished with a frustrated grunt, failing to convey more than a basic 'no'."

"Okay, I will just wait a few moments then." The Ranger looked back and forth down the tunnel, listening and scanning for any threats. "Um, your, um, clothing is very... damaged." She could be assumed to be talking to any or all of them.

In unison, her companions wordlessly groaned.

* * *

"I will admit to being a little nervous," began Sasha, "But this has been great so far!' She sat in a folding chair next to Jason by a crackling fire. It wasn't quite fully dark yet, but it was close "That sleeping bag was warm last night. I caught some fish! I didn't throw up when you cut them open. And they were delicious."

"You were a picture of fortitude." grinned Jason. "Any others I've brought up her have no desire to see where what they're eating comes from."

"And those fish were, like, the biggest you ever saw, right?"

"Oh, yes." agreed Jason seriously. "We were lucky to have survived. And I'll back you up. Fisherman's code. Fish stories aside, they were pretty nice for a hook and bobber. Baby's first pole, essentially. And just the right size for frying."

"And that jog this morning was awesome." Sasha went on. "It was so quiet, and dark. And that fucking deer scared the shit out of me! We ran right up on it!"

"Heh, yeah. It surprised me a little too." grinned Jason. "They're usually a little jumpier than that."

"Anyway, I'm having a lot of fun." Sasha paused. "Are you... gonna do this again this summer?"

"I was hoping to." replied Jason. "I was getting a little nervous at how edgy Kya and Grandma were getting, so if you want to keep doing this, I'm sure multiple people would appreciate it." He grinned at her. "And I can confirm now, you are, in fact, good company."

"Damn right I am!" said Sasha. "And, yeah, I want to do this again. Maybe I can graduate to the 'big girl' pole. And learn how to clean my own fish. Not sure I want to, but I feel like I should."

"I'll show you if you like." said Jason. "But you already impressed me by baiting your own hook. Kya and Maise didn't actually fish very often, but when they did, I got to do that part."

"Yeah, I... was embarrassed to ask you to do it for me so I sucked it up." admitted Sasha. "If they didn't fish, then what did they do?"

"Complained and filled out bikinis." smirked Jason. "Both things they were very good at. Maisey only came because this was where her boyfriend was, and Kya, to spend time with Maise."

"Oh, I see." grinned Sasha. "But since you mentioned it, is there any place to swim around here?"

"Oh, sure. I mean you can just jump off that little dock if you like. And there was that little cove we ran by this morning. There's even sort of a beach there. I guess it's a regular spot in the summer months."

"Yeah..." said Sasha slowly. "Would you... want to go swimming?"

"Well, I have." replied Jason. "Water might be a bit chilly right now, but that's not too bad. I didn't bring my trunks, however."

"And I didn't bring a suit." Sasha pressed on, a little shakily. "Want to go... anyway?" She saw Jason's eyes shift toward her and she plowed forward. "I asked Caity if it was all right to ask you. She said it was fine. I'm not... hitting on you or anything. It's just... you know, doing something like that would be more fun... and probably less scary with... you know, company and... It's just us." She took a breath. "Maybe... maybe forget I said anything."

Jason faced the fire. "I didn't say no." He said. "Have to set some guidelines. Like look all we want but keep our hands to ourselves? I don't want to piss off Caity, you understand."

"N-no. No, I don't either." stammered Sasha. "When I mentioned it to her, she said better him doing it than me. And that she trusts us. But, I told you I was kind of an exhibitionist. And she isn't, as much."

"She threw me under the bus." smirked Jason.

"I suppose she did, but you would be getting to see her girlfriend... naked."

"There is that." Jason agreed with a shrug. "Well, if you decide you want to give it a go, I'll back you up. My girlfriend kind of beat the shyness out of me. Got a few towels in the truck, and there are a few precautions I'd like to take."

"Oh, shit." breathed Sasha. "Okay, yeah. Please. Let's do this. I'm... fucking wired now."She stood up. "Precautions? You think we'll get caught?" She sounded nervous, but there was a grin on her face.

"Always a chance, I suppose." replied Jason, also standing. "Less chance, this late in the day and this time of year. And the cove is pretty secluded." He moved to the truck and opened a door. "We didn't get caught last time and that was during the day and in the middle of summer."

"Okay." said Sasha a little breathlessly. "Okay. Let's do it then. How far to the-- Wait up. Last time!?"

"Oh, yeah." Jason pulled out a pair of towels and a gym bag, before closed the door. "Skinny dipping was on Maisey's bucket list. So we took a day trip to go..."He made some sarcastic air quotes, "fishing. It was kind of stressful, if I'm honest. Making sure to keep an eye on her, watching for trouble, and, at the same time, not having pants. The nearest hospital is a little ways off if there was a problem. But it was fine. She had a good time."

"The more I hear, the more I think I would have liked her." said Sasha. She paused, studying his face for a moment. "Uh, you... want a hug before the touch embargo."

Jason let out a breath. "Yeah, I'll take one." he said evenly. "I've learned never to turn down a hug..."

* * *

"They're just... scarecrows." said Sasha, kicking her fallen opponent apart. "Scarecrows in weird leather armor."

"That's not armor." chuckled Caitlyn. "Those are gimp suits. I suppose they're a little protective. But the average living person would be limited by no face holes for seeing and, you know, breathing."

"I guess it is a little thin for armor." observed Sasha. "But hey, maybe we can MacGuyver a bikini top for you with the leather. They might not let you back into town with your boobs out like that." Caitlyn had come off for the worst after their run in with the gelatinous cube, Sasha and Kya's clothing being a little more rugged. Kya only had to replace a couple of laces on her own leather armor.

"Yeah, shut up." mumbled Caitlyn. "They'd let me in, but probably not back out."

"They would at least want to thoroughly search you for contraband." agreed Kya. "And there's the door Dark told us to look for." The Bard grinned at Sasha. "Gonna let me try to pick this one, or should I just stand back?"

Sasha threw up her hands. "All right! All right. I'll let you do it. That door looks pretty heavy anyway. Me and Farrah will cover the passage while you work."

"Her way is faster." grinned Caitlyn.

"Oh sure, as long as the door's not rigged." said Kya, returning the grin. "Slow us way down if our tank fell in a pit trap or something." She moved in carefully to crouch in front of the heavy door. "Hey, Sosh!" she called. "Pull a torch! I need the light for a second." She waited for Sasha to get a torch lit before recasting the light cantrip onto herself. "All right, what do we got..." she mumbled to herself. "Heavy lock, but pretty old. Shouldn't be a problem and... yep, there's a trap switch in the frame."

"Nice catch." said Caitlyn. "What's it do?"

"Can't tell right off. The mechanism must be in the wall. Or floor." replied Caitlyn. "That's just the trigger. Give me a second. I want to work out what's going to happen before I start messing with it." Kya let her eyes drift around the frame. "Not seeing any nozzles or launch tubes." She lowered her gaze to the floor before immediately scuttling backward, away from the portal. "Something on the floor, right in front. A slightly offset rectangle. About where a barbarian would stand to kick it down."

"Yeah, yeah..." grumbled Sasha from further down the passage..

"All right, Caity." Kya went on. "Since that's also about where I'd have to sit to try to disable the switch, I'm going to pop the lock. Then we'll back up and you open it with mage hand. Otherwise if I slip while poking it, I'm sitting right on the trap."

"Gotcha." The tiefling agreed. "I'll wait 'til you're clear."

Kya shuffled back to the door. She avoided standing on the suspect section of floor, just in case, so working on the lock was a bit awkward, but it was large and old. She made quick work of it. She gingerly stood and crept away, moving a good ten feet back, with Caitlyn joining her. "You may fire when ready, Cait." Kya said.

Caitlyn didn't respond, instead just casting her cantrip. With in seconds, the door was pushed inward, provoking a light, metallic 'ting'. The area of floor Kya had indicated dropped, though from the sound. it didn't go far. Almost immediately, panels slid from the front and back to refill the cavity with an stoney thud. "Hmm, that doesn't look so bad..." observed Caitlyn.

Kya crept carefully forward. "No, but it would have sucked for whoever set it off." She said after taking a look. There were two holes along the centerline of the panel, with some diagonal lines leading away form them towards the door. "Anyone missing that trigger would have probably ended up with their feet stuck in the floor. Those lines there were probably edges to funnel your ankles to the right place. Even you might have been a long term resident, Hoof Girl."

Caitlyn stepped over and hovered one of her cloven feet over an aperture. It looked like a very tight fit. "I think you're right. I'd have been stuck in the floor with my tits out. Thank you for seeing that."

"Your welcome." replied Kya. "But it would have been Sasha anyway. She was gonna kick it down, remember? And it would have only been one of her feet. The other would have been kicking. Still just as stuck though."

"I get it." agreed Sasha, walking up with Farrah. "Listen to my trap buddy. So this is the vault or whatever we're looking for?"

"The room anyway." said Kya. "The door's pretty light for a 'vault'. We're looking for a pair of metal rings a couple of feet across. Magical. Anything else we find we can keep, but she doesn't think there'll be much worth our time." She snuffed the light one her own shoulder, and reached back to return it to Sasha's. "Step carefully inside. I got a Detect Magic I can light up so we'll know where to look."

And what do these rings do?" asked Sasha, snuffing her torch.

"She didn't say." replied Caitlyn. "She is paying us though. Wasn't sure she would after the discount to my grimoire. Could you ID them, K?"

"I have neither the spell or the gold for that." replied Kya. "We'll just have to trust the drow dominatrix not to be doing anything nefarious."

"You say that as if we should not." put in Farrah.

"Bad stereotype." said Kya. She incanted a spell, causing her eyes to light up blue. "All right, here we go. Sasha first. I'll be right behind you, looking over your shoulder."

"Put your hand on my back so I know where you are." said Sasha. "Don't want to catch you on a back swing." The Barbarian took two strides in to the room and swiveled her shoulders to cast the light around. It wasn't a huge room, perhaps twenty feet square. It wasn't empty, but there was nothing obviously recognizable. The piles of debris scattered about might have been partially disintegrated wooden furniture. "A fix 'er upper." quipped Sasha.

"No thanks. The driveway's to long." added Kya, referring to the tunnels they had to navigate to get this far. "All right, let me look." She leaned past Sasha, scanning the room. "Okay, two auras. One in that pile on that wall." She gesture to her left. "One straight ahead. Sosh, take Caity to the left and have a look. Farrah and I will go straight."

"You got it." confirmed Sasha. She waited until Caitlyn caught up and headed straight for the indicated debris pile. The pair made their way quickly, with Sasha gently siding her axe into the refuse and shuffling it around. Almost immediately, there was a decent 'clonk'.

"Cover me, Barbie Doll. I'm going in." said Caitlyn with a smirk.

"Ugh." Sasha groaned. "Don't call me that please." Though she might have been suppressing a grin.

Caitlyn crept in closer. "You saying you're not a doll?" Since her invisible, telekinetic mage hand was still active, the sorceress didn't have to physically rifle through the small pile of wooden fragments. In seconds, she was magically extracting a lacquered wooden box. It looked old and dusty, but the coating had kept in in one piece. "Looks promising." With the extra hand. She spun the box until she spotted a latch an popped it open from a safe distance.

"That's what we're looking for, right?" asked Sasha. "Two mini hula hoops?"

"Fits The Lady's description." agreed Caitlyn.

"So you go both of them over there?" put in Kya from a short distance away. "Then what do I have over here?" With her detection spell still going, Kya was able to go right to the aura she could see and push a few chunks of wood out of the way. "Huh." She crouched and picked the object in question up, provoking a metallic rattle. "Looks like we get a magic bonus. Sasha, bring the light over when you can."

"What do we got?" asked Caitlyn. She was busy storing the pair of hoops for transport.

"Cuffs attached to a collar by a chain." replied Kya. "There are markings, but they're hard to make out. And there's a key tied to one of the links. Good to have. Especially for magic chains."

"What do they do?" asked Sasha, shining her light over the device.

"No idea." replied Kya. "So we put them away until we get the identified, I guess."

"Shame." purred Caitlyn, strolling over. "That sounds like a--"

"Whoa!" upon Caitlyn's arrival, the markings on the collar and shackles lit up, making them much easier to examine. "Something just happened!" Looking to the newest obvious variable, Kya slowly moved the restraints away from Caitlyn. The glow diminished. Closer and it intensified. "Weird. Maybe it likes tieflings."

"Or boobs, more likely." suggested Sasha.

* * *

"It was just as well, we agreed to keep a little distance." grinned Sasha. "That water was cold enough, I might have put an eye out with my nipples."

"I bet." laughed Kya. She glanced at Jason. "How about him? I suppose the cold had the opposite effect. Shrinkage?"

"It was still the biggest one I ever saw in person." replied Sasha. "And the smallest. Sorry man. Data point of one."

"Can't argue with the truth." said Jason. "That water *was cold."

"Yeah it was." agreed Sasha. "But it was a rush. The whole trip was amazing." She poked Kya. "Sleeping on the ground wasn't the best part, but it wasn't bad."

"Better you than me." returned Kya.

"Yeah, that was going around this weekend." Jason gave Caitlyn a half grin.

"I know. And thanks for that." said Caitlyn. "But, just think. Now that she's broken the ice, how long until I get talked into it?"

"I will not make you do anything you don't want to." declared Sasha. "Yeah, I personally had a blast, but I can understand not wanting to get naked outside. I might have been terrified if I wasn't so excited."

"You're very quiet, Farrah." Kya nudged the girl gently. "What do you think?"

"Oh, uh..." Farrah stammered a bit. "I think you were very bold. Very cool. I would be too afraid to do anything like that."

"Well, thank you, Farrah." said Sasha. "But if I'm honest, I would have been too scared without Jason backing me up."

"Oh." Farrah let out a short giggle. "I think, for me, that might have made things worse." She glanced quickly over to Jason. "I mean no offense."

"None taken." replied Jason with a half smile. "Pushing limits a little is how we advance, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a healthy sense of caution."

"Oh, speaking of caution, that was the best part!" said Sasha. "When we went into the water, he put our clothes in a gym bag and tied it to a tree with a bike lock. Even if we were caught, no one could steal our clothes."

"Healthy caution." repeated Jason. "I didn't care to walk back to camp cold, naked and in the dark, if something happened."

"Made me feel better." admitted Sasha.

"I think, sometimes, that I might be too cautious." admitted Farrah. "I wish I could be so bold."

"Baby steps." said Sasha. "I was painfully shy freshman year. I had to work to get over it."

What did you do?" asked Farrah.

"I tried being overly outgoing, even when I didn't want to." said Sasha. "That backfired more than once, but I did make a few friends. I got into sports and exercise, which got me into showing off a little. Which is what landed me naked in a lake at ten o'clock at night." She paused, looking at Farrah. "I got an idea. I used to do it in school. It would drive some people nuts. Might help a bit."

"What is it?"

Sasha got up and moved around the table to Farrah. Leaning down, she began to whisper in her ear.

Farrah's cheeks colored as she listened. "Oh. I see. I believe I understand. That would not be so... bad." She looked to Sasha when the other woman straightened up. "Do you think I should do that now?"

"Nothing but friends here." replied Sasha. "Good a time as any."

"Very well." said Farrah, standing. "If you all will pardon me for a moment." She picked up her bag and started toward the bathroom.

Caitlyn waited until the door closed. "What did you tell her?" she asked in a low voice.

"Junior year in high school, someone started a rumor that I didn't wear panties." replied Sasha, equally low. "So I ran with it. Most people would never know, but a lot of people were thinking about it. So I told her to go take off her underwear. Or don't. We'll never know, but she'll know we're all gonna be wondering when she comes back."

"To get her used to being embarrassed, even if it's for no reason?" asked Kya.

"One way to look at it I guess." said Sasha. "More about dealing with other people's perceptions. We're now all obviously going to be thinking about Farrah's underwear right in front of her."

"At least she wore slacks today." said Kya. "A skirt might have been a little too exciting."

At that point, the bathroom door opened and the person in question emerged, She moved to her chair and sat down, setting her bag to one side.

"So, Farrah." said Sasha. "Did you actually do it?"

Farrah's cheeks were practically glowing, but she grinned slightly. "I... will never tell." She replied.

"That's my girl!" encouraged Sasha.

* * *

"Oh, there is Mi-- I mean, Vosna." said Farrah. "I would like to say hello."

"Who's..." Sasha began. "Oh, your puppy friend, right?"

The small group's return to Lady Dark had been successful. She had been so pleased at their retrieval of the artifact, she'd loaned them a room in her complex to use while under her employ. It had the added benefit of giving them easy access to her club.

The gnome turned at the sound of her name. "Oh, hey. Farrah right?" She seemed in quite a bit better shape than last time. She was fully dressed for one. And unrestrained. Her arms were occupied, however. In her hands was a small tray, on which sat a woman's head, surrounded by a mane of blonde hair.

"Whoa, what the hell?!" yelped Sasha.

"Oh my!" exclaimed Farrah. "That is you friend, Sofie, correct? What happened?"

"Oh, d-don't mind me." The head said, opening her eyes. "They're just having a little f-fun at my expense."

Having an apparently disembodied head move and speak did startle the group, provoking several curses, and forcing a gasp even from the normally stoic Farrah. Kya however, recovered quickly and immediately spotted the answer.

"I knew it!" The bard exclaimed. "Check it out. Fastened around the edge of the tray. Look familiar? That's one of the hoops we recovered. They're Ring Gates! Mini linked portals! No wonder she didn't want to tell us what we were looking for. Those are sought after artifacts." She rolled her eyes. "And it looks like they're being used as a sex toy."

"S-so it's you I have to thank for thissss predicament." mumbled Sofie's head with a weak smile. "D-dark wanted us t-to help her give it a t-test run. I didn't expect it to end up so p-public."

"You're fine." put in Vosna with a smirk. "All your... embarrassing parts... are hidden." She turned to Farrah. "Took me hours to get my clothes back after our walk. I got no sympathy."

"You made that.. uff, b-bet yourself." countered Sofie's head. "You knew what you were getting-- Yieep!" Sofie yelped as her eyes suddenly popped wide before her face clenched. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Dark must still be in there, huh?" put in Vosna with a grin.

"Are you all right?" inquired Farrah.

'Oh, yeah." replied Sofie. "Whoever is back in the room with my body is, uh, taking a few liberties. Somebody just caned me, I think. And those are Backus's hands, I'm pretty sure."

Sasha reached over and rapped on the slab of wood Sofie's neck disappeared into, seemingly on the other side of the hoop. "How the hells does this even work?"

"They hung one of your rings on a pillory and had me put my head through before locking it up." explained Sofie. "Then the gave this ring to Vos and told her to go for a walk." She pointed with her chin at her 'tray'. " Then--Oh! Oh bluh-bloody hells..! Vos, muh-maybe you c-could take me, uh, b-back..?"

"They locked the door behind us." Vosna replied. "You're kinda stuck until they let you go."

"Are you being hurt again?" asked Farrah.

"Just a guess, Farrah," put in Caitlyn with a smirk, "but that sounds like the opposite of hurt."

Sofie shot a half hearted scowl at the tiefling. "Maybe just... uhf, the hallway... uhf, then. Just get me... uhf, out of this... uhf room."

"What's the difference?" asked Vosna with a grin.

"You know.. huff, exactly what I... huff, mean, you little, Augh!" Sofie's face contorted again, likely from another unseen lash. "Fuck! Vos... huff, Please!"

"Little what?" smirked Vosna.

"When I get... huff, out of this... huff, I'm going to... huff, stuff your... huff, little gnome ass... huff, through this... huff, thing and hang it.. huff, on a wall like... huff, a piece of... huff, art."

"I could learn to appreciate that kind of art." added Sasha.

"Invite us to the showing?" asked Caitlyn.

"Nice to be appreciated." said Vosna with an eye roll.

In the mean time, Sofie's breathing became more rapid and gasping. "Ffffuck... Vos, cover my mouth..." She hissed.

"What's that now?" inquired Vosna.

"P-please, Vos!" whined Sofie. "Cover my mouth! Hand gag me or whatever! Or I'm going to have a screaming, fucking orgasm in front of the whole club! Vos, please!"

"Happens all the time." smirked Vosna. "You wouldn't be the first. Anyway, my hands are full. With you."

Kya however, rolled her eyes and stepped forward. "You're gonna owe me for this." she grinned, before clamping a hand over the head's mouth, using the other to support the back.

"Oh!" Sofie started. "Oh, thummph!" Once her lips were sealed, she stopped resisting whatever was happening to her body beyond the gate an relaxed, letting her eyes roll back. The noise she produced was muffled considerably by Kya's hand, though she still drew some attention, and even a little applause. After a moment, what they could see of her went limp, being solely supported but the Bard's hands.

"Eh, you're a softy." grinned Vosna. "But thanks for lookin' out for my girl."