Wow, I haven't updated this blog in a while, huh? Well, that has to be rectified post-haste, so here's one of two stories I worked on this past season, specifically a collab with a friend from DeviantArt and Discord! The other will be up shortly as well, so keep an eye out for that, too!
Original text:
This is a long-overdue collaborative fanfic I wrote alongside my good friend, @WernchOfTheTeam - whom I offer her my deepest apologies for being so late on finishing this up! Hopefully the result is enough to make up for it. Anyway, Jack-O Valentine from Guilty Gear is one of Wernch's favorite fictional characters and a very lovely choice of ticklee, but while I'm not familiar with the franchise as a whole - about the only familiarity I have with it being Ninomae Ina'nis' gameplay practice streams - it was ironically me rather than Wernch who suggested a fic with Jack-O, and in particular a scenario based on the infamous memetic crouch of hers that made the rounds on Twitter and elsewhere last year. What can I say, I'm an opportunist when it comes to potential tickle scenarios! XD There's a bunch of foot fetish pics I know of based on that pose including at least one with Jack-O herself, but not anything related to tickles, so I just had to fix that! Wernch loved the idea, and we eventually managed to get a story done with her getting tickled by Sin, Elphelt, and Ramlethal. I at first wanted to use StarPermafrost's work linked above as the cover illustration, but couldn't get the permission to, so ultimately I commissioned the wonderful @NekoEmerald to create a custom pic just for this story. Wernch and Neko both did a wonderful job on their respective ends, and I seriously can't thank them both enough. Go check out and support their work, will you? :)
Hope you enjoy this, Wernch, and I hope I can get the chance to write with you again in the future!
Want to commission a story like this? Send me a note, Discord message, or e-mail, and I'd be happy to discuss ideas with you - as long as you take a look at my commission rules first, of course! :)
Cover illustration: [COMMISSION] Jack-O's Crouch With A Twist by @NekoEmerald
Guilty Gear -Strive- (c) Arc System Works
DeviantArt version: https://www.deviantart.com/skaeadaimonion/art/Guilty-Gear-Jack-O-s-Ticklish-Challenge-MFF-F-910441309
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Jack-O's Ticklish Challenge
by Skaea and WernchOfTheTeam
Contains: FFM/F tickling, concentrating on foot tickling but with some upper-body tickling. SFW.
Word Count: 4,440
Cover Illustration by @NekoEmerald
The afternoon sun filtered through the windows of Illyria Castle, filling each room with light colored by many a translucent curtain. This landmark of the capital of the United Kingdoms of Illyria also happened to be the home of more than a few fabled figures who had taken part in the defeat of I-No. For one such figure, however, this borderline decadent utopia would never truly feel like a proper home — though to be fair, there was no place in the world that could.
Many thoughts rushed through the head of Jack-O Valentine. The redhead clad in white, halo overhead, was cycling through many different thoughts about what had happened to her and everyone else at this moment, but the feeling that she couldn’t truly belong came to her more often than the rest of them. It had been a couple of months since the defeat of I-No at the white house, and both before and after that, so much had happened to her in this weird “life” she had. Even her origin was extraordinary, having been created by That Man to be some sort of human vessel for Aria — and as he had used fragments of Aria’s memory in the process, this would make Jack-O a sort of half-Aria.
As she reflected on the fact that Aria was still within her, her mind now turned to how it wasn’t going to awaken like she had previously thought. After being awakened by I No, she had gone on to form a bit of a truce with Sol and That Man to stop Ariel from ending humanity. She did end up fusing with Aria’s soul and restoring her, but still Aria wouldn’t awaken.
Her legs spread wide apart, her chest on the floor of her room with a large book in front of her, Jack-O paid her current surroundings little heed as she remembered that her companions had still tried to awaken her consciousness. She had tried putting her halo back on, thinking it would work, but still, it hadn’t. She had done it for Sol because she’d thought all he wanted was to have Aria back, but it was then that she found out that Sol loved her because of herself, and not because she was Aria. That, to her and to the world as a whole, was pivotal. Stopping her from sacrificing herself to defeat I-No had given her what she had wanted all along: a second chance.
Jack-O smiled at this, thinking about how the retired Sol was now known as Frederick. Now they happily lived together at Iseo, though they occasionally made visits to Ky and his family, as well as the other Valentines. She did technically have to force Frederick to do it, and he would always cave in.
For the time being, she was currently in a guestroom staying in Illyria Castle while Ky and Sol were off doing something. Most likely beating each other up, she thought aloud. Her thoughts then turned to his family: his wife Dizzy, their son Sin, and the other Valentines, Ramlethal and Elphelt. In spite of everything, the group had treated her with nothing but kindness, which was all she had ever wanted. She had a family, a loving home, everything. And yet… something still felt incomplete. But what?
After a while, three of the other residents walked into the guest room where the redhead had resigned herself to. She already had these three on her mind, incidentally. Elphelt, Ramlethal and Sin all paused to look down at her as soon as they’d entered.
“Uhhh Jack? Hello?” Sin examined the redhead crouching on the floor.
“Oh, hey, Sin,” Jack-O replied, barely turning her head to acknowledge him. The fact that she was barefooted, her high-heeled shoes lay off to the side, only briefly crossed his mind.
“You seem… bothered. Aren’t you going to use the bed?”
She shrugged. “Eh? Haven’t had a reason to use it. How come?”
“Common courtesy, maybe?” said Ramlethal, raising an eyebrow. “Surely you can just lie down on your back like a normal person, can you?”
To the chagrin of the other, Jack-O was in her usual crouch, her butt in the air, back curved down and resting her head on the top of her hands. Well, one of them, anyway. The other was busy flipping the pages of this fascinating book called an encyclopedia that Sol had given her a while ago. She had learned about so many things just by reading it! For Jack-O it was a much-needed distraction… for the moment.
“She sure is flexible, I’ll give her that.” Elphelt stepped into the room as well, examining its occupant’s posture. “Has anyone tried to smack you when you did that?”
“May. Once. Last I checked, they’re still concussed.”
The other three exchanged amused snickers.
“So, when did you guys get here?” Jack-O asked, glancing behind her.
“We were looking for you, actually,” said Sin, stretching idly. “We haven’t seen you since you arrived.”
“We’ve been searching all day, and you know it’s very tiring,” Ramlethal added in her typical monotone voice.
“We probably should’ve checked this room much earlier.” Elphelt giggled to herself, and then examined Jack-O again. “Have you been in this pose this whole time?”
“Wait, you mean you wanted me to use the bed?” Jack-O snarked, before returning to her book. “Maybe later. I just like keeping my joints from locking up, that’s all.”
“You don’t say,” said Ramlethal. “I’ve seen many try to replicate it around Illyria. I don’t think they know she was where it originated from. I’m just not sure why so many find it so hard to do.”
“What can I say,” Jack-O replied with an attempt at a teasing smirk over her shoulder. “I’ve had a lot of practice. You don’t get this limber in just a day.”
“Well, many have tried. None have succeeded.” Sin couldn’t help but chuckle. But then he noticed the tone of Jack-O’s voice. “Uh, miss Valentine? Is something wrong?”
“Wait, something’s wrong?” asked Elphelt.
“I suppose, yes,” replied Ramlethal. “She sounds… troubled. Jack-O, you don’t have to hide anything from us. We’re your family. If you need us for anything, just say the word.”
Jack-O sighed, before turning her head a little to respond. “I guess I’m still on the fence about Sol and me. I’ve stopped wearing my halo and have been trying to put Aria behind me but why don’t I still feel like I’m good enough despite everything. I guess that’s what I’m trying to figure out.”
The three others stood in silence trying to figure out what to say. It was Elphelt who broke said silence.
“Well, I think you two make such a lovely couple. Oh, if only I had a husband. If Sol was my husband, he’d probably be the type to always punch holes in the wall and—” Before she could continue Sin gave her a small smack on the back of the head, “What I’m surrey she’s saying is that even though the old man may not seem like it he loves you for you I mean he did save you after all.” Sin gave a smile as Rametheal nodded like a dog.
“Ummm… Say, Jack-O, have you been in that position this whole time?” asked Elphlet, having quickly recovered from her smack. “Sounds like you’ve had a lot of practice with it!”
“I can imagine,” Sin agreed with a pensive look on his face. Of course, they were talking about the pose she was in, but also the fact that it had gotten quite popular as of late. “It started with the guards around the castle, and then spread from there,” he thought aloud. “I think the infirmary has seen a few more cases of sprained hips since you moved in.”
Elphelt giggled at that. “Sure is a sight to see nonetheless,” the bride-dressed Valentine said as she then gave Jack-O a poke on the side. “Maybe if—”
“EEP!” Jack-O yelped and almost fell out of her pose, before catching herself; her toes were already pointed forward, so digging them into the floor a bit did wonders for her traction. She glanced around just in time to notice the three people that stood before her sporting intrigued expressions.
Curious, Elphelt then began to lightly poke Jack-O’s ribs. At least she was better prepared this time. She closed her eyes and held it in, quivering a little. “Mmmmmph! Hehehe Mmmmmhh!” Despite the distraction, she still held her pose, trying to look like she couldn’t care less. At the sight of this, Sin adopted a thoughtful look on his face.
A few seconds later, Elphelt stopped her poking, chuckling to herself. “Ticklish, are you?”
“Eek!” Jack-O blushed and looked away, obviously flustered. She thought only Sol had known about that particular trait of hers’ — they’d spent a lot of quality time together, in close proximity and closer contact, so of course, he’d get pretty handsy with her on occasion, a rarity for the usually stoic and aloof Flame of Corruption. But whenever he brushed his hand against her side or his foot against hers, she’d yelp and cringe and giggle. She’d made him promise to keep this a secret, but it was only a matter of time before someone else would find out…
“Uh… nope?” Jack-O giggled nervously, trying to flex her toes but finding them still pressed against the floor.
Sin took a seat behind her left foot, rubbing his chin. With his free hand, he reached forward and started wiggling a finger into the taut, smooth arch.
“YEHEHEHEHEEEH! Eeeee! H-heyyyy! Okay okay, I’m ticklish! Just d-don’t tell anyone, okaAAAAHAHAHAHA! Q-QUIT IT, RAMENTHAHAHAL!”
The third visitor had stepped over to her other foot, and was now tracing a toenail in circles around her sole.
“Ooh, just two nails on your feet and you’re already about to crack?” Elphelt laughed. “You’re in trouble now, looks like…”
“N-no way! I c-can hold it, just you wahahahatch!” Jack-O tensed her body in place, managing not to collapse onto the floor as the tickles continued.
“Let’s have a bet, then!” Sin exclaimed happily with a grin forming on his face. The three girls looked at the blonde boy, Jack-O panting a little as the tickling stopped for the moment. “It seems you are good at holding that pose, and it also appears you are quite ticklish as well.”
Elphelt put the pieces in her head within about a second, giggling again. Ramlethal, on the other hand, simply watched the blonde talk, while not understanding completely, but becoming more and more interested. He did teach her so much already, after all.
Jack-O was blushing greatly, since like Elphelt she fully understood where this was going. “W-wait, you don’t mean—?!”
“So how about this,” Sin answered with a smile, reaching into his pocket and fishing out a stopwatch he’d brought with him — the same one he’d often use to time his matches during the tournament he’d participated in. “Would you be okay with us tickling you while you hold that pose, say for maybe ten minutes? Just to see if it’d help you feel better?”
Jack-O thought about it for a moment. She didn’t want to admit it, but the pokes Elphelt had given her did make feel something, and it was something she actually quite liked and wanted more of. Even if she did lose, she still would like to feel it again. Perhaps she could ask Sol about it next time they got together?
As it was, she nodded and smiled with determination. Even if she just wanted to fully feel tickling, she still wanted to try to win this. “I accept. And if you want to know, my arches are my absolute worst spot. Try to focus on those if you wanna topple me~!”
Sin smiled mischievously. “I’m sure you’ll be eating your words before long…”
The two of them glanced at Jack-O’s feet again. She certainly had nice-looking soles: long, size 13, and slender with an oval-shaped heel, a smooth curved arch, and long toes with oval shaped tips. A glance around her feet showed that her nails were painted a deep dark red. The soles were also a bit rosey from being in her heels all day, but maintaining that pose left them without a single crease or wrinkle.
“So, just withstand the tickles and I’ll get some money? Hmm, and perhaps I can have some candy, too?” Jack-O asked with a flustered look and a pout. “Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if I didn’t get anything, seeing as I could always swipe something from the kitchens later tonight…”
“Sure sure sure, but a bet’s a bet,” Sin replied, shrugging. “We’ll save you some, but only if you withstand the test.” After motioning for the others to get into position, he moved over to crouch behind Jack’s right foot while Elphlet sat before the left one. “Ready?”
“This will be child’s play,” Jack-O smirked. “Let’s rock!”
Sin set his stopwatch to ten minutes, and the challenge began. Sin and Elphelt poked their index fingers into each of the redhead’s soft soles, Sin stroking his finger up from the ball of her foot to the top of the heel, and Elphelt poking her outstretched arches and digging her finger into the tender skin of the foot she’d chosen.
“Mmmmmmmhhh!” Jack-O closed her eyes and puffed her cheeks, her face of determination turning rosey and puffed. She risked a glance at Ramlethal, who was still trying to make sense of what was going on.
“Why don’t you join us, Ramlethal?” asked Elphelt, who had begun tracing two fingers up and down Jack-O’s sole.
“Sure, just poke her sides a bit,” Sin replied, spidering his fingers across the other foot.
“Mffffff! H-heyyyy, no fahahahair!” Jack-O started giggling uncontrollably.
Ramlethal then walked over to the side and then began to poke around the sides of the redhead before her, and the latter promptly lost her composure. “EHHHHHEHEHEHE YOU GUYYYYS! AHAHHAHA!” she yelled, having begun to let it all out as soon as Ramlethal had started poking the sides of her stomach as well as around her ribs.
“Now that’s more like it,” Sin smiled. He then wiggled his fingers down to the ball of her sole, and once again began to think. Then he stopped and stood up. “Keep her busy, I’ll be back,” he said before turning to Jack-O. “Don’t lose now — we are just getting started.” With a chuckle, he promptly left the room.
Ramlethal’s pokes soon turned into squeezes, the tan skinned woman beginning to enjoy herself with a small smile. Jack-O was smiling much harder, though. “AHAHAHHAHA I WON’T LOSEHEHEH AHAHA! JUST YOU WAAHAHAHAIT AHAHAHAH!”
Elphelt, looking quite unconcerned, started scratching both of Jack-O’s arches, shifting her position to easily reach the foot that Sin had left for her as well as the one she’d been already working on. “It would be a shame to leave this foot unattended,” she said with a laugh, her fingers raked up and down the silky long arches of the foot in question. “Tickle Tickle Tickle! You like this?” she asked, giggling a bit in a teasing tone.
Still squeezing Jack-O’s ribs, Ramlethal decided to follow Elphelt’s example, “Yes Yes Tickle Tickle do you enjoy this?” She teased, smiling.
Elphelt flinched a little, shivering, her tickling action briefly slowing down. “Ramlethal, don’t mind me saying this, but your smile is still quite scary…”
“HEHEHHEHEeeheheeh a little b-bihihit, I guehehehess!” Jack-O agreed through her laughter, her face slightly flushed.
“Wait, seriously?” Elphlet kept tickling her, but slowed down a bit. “Very well, we shall provide more.” With that, she then skittered her fingers on the sides of Jack-O’s stomach and up to her ribs. Elphlet, meanwhile, shrugged with a smiile before digging her nails deeper into Jack-O’s soles, her skin so soft and smooth it was like gliding her fingertips upon a satin cloth.
“EEEHHEHEHEHEHEE HEHEH I WON’T LOHOHOHOSE!” Jack-O cried out, quivering in place. “EHEHE IT TICKLES SO MUUUUCHHHH! WAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!”
It was then that Sin finally re-entered the room. “I’m back. Wow, she’s still holding out, huh?”
“I’M T-TRYIHIHING TOHOHO!” Jack-O turned her head, cheeks turning redder by the second, to notice that he was cradling some unidentified objects in his arms. “HAHAHA WHAT DO YOU HAVE THERE?! EHEHEHE AHHHHAHAHAHA-!!?”
The handsome blonde waved Elphelt aside, letting her tickle one of Jack-O’s arches still. Then he sat behind her other foot and laid out what he had in his arms. “I’ve brought some tools to make this challenge even harder,” he said with a smile. “Be ready!”
Jack-O wouldn’t learn of it (the hard way) until mere moments later, but Sin had gone around the castle taking whatever he could find — a feather quill, a feather duster, a hairbrush and a toothbrush from the communal bathroom, and a fork from the kitchen. He decided to start off with a classic, picking up the feather quill and stroking it across her arches.
“EHHHEHEHEHAHAHA WHAT IS THAT?! AHAHAH EEEEEE!!!” Jack-O’s foot twitched a bit as her laughter increased. She could tell there was more in store though as she saw Elphelt make a move, too. Reaching over for the tools as well, the gray-haired girl picked up the tooth brush, grinning with mischievous intent.
“Looks like things just got a little bit tougher for you, Jack-O. Scrub-a-dub dub!” With that, Elphelt started to brush the ball of the foot she’d already been tormenting. The redhead let out an adorable, high-pitched squeal, her rump and calves quaking as she struggled not to lose traction.
Sin smiled at the sight of it, stroking the top of the red head’s foot. “Just a couple of tools to provide more of a challenge,” he said as he moved his quill behind Jack-O’s foot to slide the bristles between the tops of her slender toes. “Thought you might like it. If you can hold on despite all this, We’ll double the candy payment.”
Jack-O’s eyes gleamed for a moment. She thought she could take anything from the three of them, and the offer of extra sweets was just too good to pass up. “AHAHAHA, CH-CHALLENGE AHAHA-ACCEPTEHEHEHED!”
Still stroking her fingers along Jack-O’s sides, Ramlethal glanced at the other two. Sin met her eyes for a moment, and got up a moment later.
“Let’s switch up,” he said to her. “Here, take my place and just do what you were doing, but with her foot instead.”
Ramlethal nodded, and exchanged positions with Sin, who started tickling Jack-O’s ribs and sides with greater intensity than the previous poking. “Tickle tickle, Jackie,” he teased with a wink.
Ramlethal, meanwhile, examined Jack-O’s foot for a moment. Then she picked up the fork from the tool pile, before poking it into her arch and then raked the implement up and down the redhead’s exposed, taut sole.
“EEEEEEHEHEHEEEE! W-WHAT IS THAHAHAHAT?! AHAHAHAHAHAHAIEEEEEE!” Tears began leaking from the corners of Jack-O’s eyes as her laughter redoubled.
“That would be a fork, Jack-O,” Elphelt giggled. then placed it down and picked up a duster and began to dust her arches. “And this is a duster, hehe!” she giggled.
“EHEHEHEEEEE! I… HHH… I C-CAN TAAAAKE IIIIIT! AHAHAHAHAHA!!” Jack-O howled, still determined as ever even as the tickling got worse and worse.
“Don’t worry Jack, just a couple more minutes to go,” Sin encouraged. “You are almost there!” He smiled as he reached under her, and then reached under to tickle the exposed area of Jack-O’s waist that she had left unzipped.
“AHAHAHHAA! HEEEEYYYY!” Jack-O shrieked. “W-WATCH IT DOWN THEEEEEEREEEHEHEHEAHAHAHA!”
Sin sighed and rolled his eyes, and slid his fingers up towards her navel. “Don’t worry, I’m staying away from the gramps zone,” he chuckled, taking note of Elphelt blushing at the thought.
Ramlethal, for her part, continued to stroke the fork around the taut arch in front of her. “This is fun,” she said with a rare smile on her face.
“Heh, it looks like your smile is getting better, sis!” Elphelt said happily, still having her fun with Jack-O’s other foot.
Sin couldn’t help but smirk at the sight as well. A moment later, however, he realized that Jack-O was still holding out. But there was one final tool to use — or rather, two.
“Switch with me, Elphelt,” he said suddenly.
The white-robed girl raised an eyebrow. “Huh? But I’ve been having so much fun! What gives?”
“Just trust me on this one,” he replied with a wink.
She pouted, but decided to trust his judgment. Soon, Sin and Elphelt had switched places, the latter poking around below Jack-O’s chest area.
“Wow, Sister, they are so big!” she teased happily. “No wonder you’re able to attract people so well. A certain someone included!”
“YOU THIHIHIHINK?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA WHAAHAHAHA OH GEHEHEHEHEEEZ!” Jack-O cried out.
“She’s one to talk,” Sin whispered to himself, remarking on how huge Elphelt’s own chest was. He checked his stopwatch and smiled. “Just a couple more minutes and you win,” he said aloud.
“EEEHEHEHEHEEE, BRING IHIHIHIT!” Jack-O replied, grinning with determined intent.
But Sin wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, either. With a devilish grin, he decided, then and there, to bring out his final weapon.
“AHAHAHAHA LOOKS LIKE I’LL — AHHHHHHHHHH!!!” Jack-O let out a loud screech, having only too late realized that Sin had decided to blow raspberries on her stretched-out arch.
“PFFFT! You have made me use my last resort, Jack-O… PFFFFFT!” Sin was chuckling in earnest between blowing onto her tender arch.
Ramlethal paused for a while, catching onto what was going on, and then leaned her head in and lightly nibbled Jack-O’s arches with her sharp little teeth.
“GAAAAAHAHHAHA! THIS TICKLES THE WOHOHOHORST! EHEHEHEHEEEEE!!” the hapless Valentine shrieked at the top of her lungs, tears running down her cheeks.
Not to be outdone, Elphlet zipped Jack-O’s shirt down a bit until her belly was exposed enough. “I’m not missing out on this,” she giggled. Before her sister could protest, she slid herself under her belly like a car mechanic, and started blowing raspberries upon her now exposed belly.
“AAAAHHHHHHHH!” Jack-O’s eyes widened and watered as she cried and screamed at the top of her lungs. “AHAAHHAHAHAHA EEEEEEEE! EEHEHEHEHEE OH MY GOHOHOHOSH!!!”
Even while starting to tire a little, Sin then blew more and more raspberries as fast as he could, not caring that he was almost out of breath, still determined to the bitter end to make his challenger topple over. Until….
BEEP!
“Time’s up, it seems,” Sin said finally. He checked the stopwatch just to be sure and let out an exasperated breath, realizing that it had indeed been a full ten minutes. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he took one look at Jack-O. To his astonishment, she was still in the exact same crouch as before! What was this woman made of?!
Elphelt and Ramlethal kept up their tickling, too absorbed in it to care about the time limit. Sin clapped his hands to get their attention. “Girls, I said time’s up!”
“AHAHAHAHAHAHA WHAT WAS THAT?! AHAHAH TIME’S WHAHAHAHAT?!” Jack-O cried, her legs quivering.
Sin sighed, shaking his head with a look of amusement. “I said, time’s up. She won. You can stop now.”
Ramlethal and Elphelt groaned in dismay, but stopped regardless. And not a moment too soon — as soon as they did, Jack-O’s strength finally gave out, and she fell flat on her face with her feet slipping out from under her. “I… WIN…” she panted.
“MMPH! MMMMHHH!” Elphelt’s voice was muffled under her. She couldn’t even draw breath to blow one final raspberry, but her lips vibrating against Jack-O’s stomach made her squeak and roll over onto her back, still chortling and gasping for breath.
“Well…” said Sin, partly disappointed with himself and partly impressed at his friend’s stamina and conviction. “Congratulations, Jack-O. You win all that money. And the candy,” he added with a chuckle.
“I can’t believe it… I… actually did it…” Jack-O panted, still too winded from ten minutes of having to hold a tough position while tickled to near breaking point. “But I… I almost lost my mind throughout the whole thing! Never again, okay?”
The blonde boy sighed and sat up, accepting his defeat. “I’ll remember that. But I can’t promise the same for those two over there,” he added, nodding towards the other two visitors.
“Awww,” Elphelt said with a disappointed pout. “Well, next time, we’ll get her good.” She nudged Ram, who nodded in agreement.
Jack-O stared up at the ceiling, not focusing on anything in particular. “Heh, I was just kidding about the ‘never again’ part, actually. I mean… I wouldn’t mind doing this again. It was actually kind of fun.” She let out a few giggles, but then sat up and turned her head to look at the three with a suddenly stern expression. “But don’t assume you three can just ambush anyone with cute feet as you please. At least I don’t find it creepy, but who knows if I’m the exception?”
The four of them exchanged looks, but a second later, they all exchanged a laugh, even Ramlethal. “I’d suggest you watch your back regardless,” she said a moment later. “We promise to keep this a secret, but you never know who else will find out.”
“And who knows? We might invite you to another tickle session in the future,” added Elphelt, winking. “Perhaps we could even bring Sol in as well, if you want.”
“Looking forward to it,” Jack-O replied.
On that pleasant note, the other three left Jack-O in peace, making sure to shut the door behind her. After a moment’s pondering, she set the book she’d been reading back on the floor and resumed poring through it, with the exact same spread-legged pose as before — though this time, she made sure to be facing toward the door instead of away from it. Just in case.
To her simultaneous chagrin and amusement, though, she found she couldn’t concentrate on the book in front of her, and not just because of the candy she’d been promised. It hadn’t been lost on her that Ramlethal went barefoot as well, and if Jack-O herself could be subjected to a ticklish challenge out of the blue, the same could be said for anyone with an exposed weakness. And although Elphelt wore boots, they’d no doubt be easy to remove, and the feet inside were likely even softer than Jack-O’s own.
Jack-O couldn’t help but smile devilishly as she began to scheme. Revenge would soon be hers!
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