Crystal's Ticklish Boast

"You know what?" Crystal said, grinning through a veil of lightning blue hair.

"What?" Hayley asked, bemused.

"I've been thinking."

"As have I," said Hayley. "I've been wondering - like, really wondering, why is it I always end up like this whenever we play your Pokemon games."

Crystal giggled. "Silly Hayley," she said. "You know why you end up like this."

Crystal and her friend Hayley were locked away in Crystal's dimly lit bedroom. The bed side lamps were both on, the main light switched off and the curtains were closed. Food and drink had been and gone and then, as planned days ago, an intense game-playing battle had been fought with the inevitable conclusion having been reached (a win for Crystal). After which, all that had remained to do was to carry out the forfeit.

"So," asked Hayley, "what specifically have you been thinking about?"

"This thing we have," said Crystal, "Where we play and my computer gaming superiority results in an inevitable victory, which then ends up with me helplessly tickling you. Which I get to do every time I whoop your butt. That's what I've been thinking about."

And that - the tying up and mercilessly tickling Hayley part, had been the highlight of the evening for Crystal. Of course, the evening's activities had all been meticulously planned and with hours of preparation put into it to ensure there was no chance of anyone disturbing them or getting in the way of their fun. At the moment and following the conclusion of the games, the fun had been strictly travelling in one direction - Crystal's direction.

"Oh, great," said Hayley and twitched nervously. "Yes? What about it?"

"I keep thinking it will get boring."

"Perish the thought," muttered Hayley.

"But it never does," Crystal smiled devilishly.

It didn't look like showing any signs of changing any time soon.

"And I don't think it ever will," said Crystal.

Hayley wanted to say something to challenge her, but she just didn't have the strength or the breath to do so. She was breathing hard and fast, her cheeks puffed out flushed with colour from her exertions, which for the last half hour consisted of struggling helplessly and laughing hysterically under the wickedly sweet and endless, torturous touches of Crystal. Her sides and belly ached more than a little. She lay across the top of Crystal's bed with her bare feet, bound at the ankles, resting in Crystal's lap - the place from which Crystal had launched her devastating attack.

"Good news, eh?" Crystal asked.

"Brilliant," drawled Hayley.

"Well, you will suck at computer games," said Crystal.

"You got lucky," Hayley said, catching a deep breath. "That's all."

"Really?" said Crystal with a soft chuckle in her throat. "Lucky, is it?"

"Yes."

"I don't remember any luck involved when I hammered you over and over again in those Pokemon games," said Crystal. "I just remember me playing an awesome game, time after time after time."

"You play a good game," Hayley admitted. "I'll give you that, Crystal."

"I always do."

"So, can you let me go now?"

Hayley tried to pull her legs back but Crystal shook her head. "Uh huh," she said. "You lost ten games in a row, sweetie. I think I have at least another half hour on your feet, sides and belly before I can let you go."

"But you almost killed me back there!" Hayley protested.

Crystal tittered with a mischievous. "I don't remember you complaining," she said.

Hayley shook her head and wiggled her bound hands and feet. "It's not as if I could do anything about it, could I?"

Crystal giggled. "And I don't remember you trying to pull away when you were screaming with ticklish delight, all helpless as a little tickle-loving bug, while Mr Fluffy here gave your soles sweet and tender tickly kisses." Crystal twirled the white feather in her fingers - the same feather that had been so tenderly torturing Hayley's feet. "I actually remember you enjoying it somewhat."

Hayley blushed and bit her bottom lip. She could still almost feel the feather on her feet and Crystal's wickedly sweet teases. "You give good tickles," she muttered sheepishly.

Crystal chuckled. "Aw, sweetie," she said. "I'm thrilled to hear you say that."

"You are?"

"Oh, yes," said Crystal. "Because now I can settle back and tickle you silly, knowing you
love it and that you appreciate the fact that I am the best tickler there has ever been!"

"Best ever?!"

Crystal nodded. "Can you name one other as good as me?" she asked.

"I'm a little scared to answer," Hayley said, grinning.

Crystal swished the feather once more across the top of Hayley's toes. "You shouldn't be scared," she said, drawing a giggle from her friend. "You just need to tell me what I all ready know - that I am the best tickler in the world - without exception."

Hayley wriggled uselessly but whether by ill luck or secret desire, her feet remained snugly nestled in Crystal's lap. "If I say it, will you let me go?"

"Of course I will," Crystal said.

"Good."

"Once I've finished tickling the crap out of you."

"No, Crystal, wait..."

"Heeeere comes the tickles!"

Before Hayley could utter another word of disagreement, the feather in Crystal's hand swept down from the tips of her toes and swished up and down Hayley's arches. The effect was immediate and as explosively reactive as her very tickle had been.

"Noooo hoooo aah haa ha hahahahahaha! Crystaaaalaahahahahahahaaaa!!"

"Say it!"

"Eee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee ha ha ha ha ha ahahahahaeeehehehehahahahaa! You're killing me! AHahehehaha h ahahahahehah aha hahahahaah!"

"Who's the best tickler?"

"You!" Hayley shrieked, shaking her head from side to side. "You are eehheehee heeehehahahahaha ahahheehehehehaha! Ahahahehe heeehehehaha hahahahahaheheh ehehahahaaa! You, it's youhoo ahahahehehehahahahahahahaaaaaa!"

"Yes, I am, aren't I?"

Crystal giggled triumphantly and instead of letting Hayley go, she dropped the feather and put all the nails of both her hands to work, scratching light and fast up and down Hayley's helpless, wiggling feet. She let the thrilling laughter of her friend wash over her, content that her fun would continue for a little longer. It was a good victory.

"No one tickles better than I do!"

Crystal continued her wicked tickling barrage, blissfully unaware that her boast had traveled a lot further than she could ever have imagined.

* * * * *

A week later Crystal had the strangest of visitors and she found that her boast had not gone unnoticed.

She was sitting in her bedroom, taking the time to race through her favourite computer game - again. Even on the toughest setting, the games she played hardly seemed to give her pause for thought, but it still gave her a thrill to get the best of it. It was almost as thrilling of getting the better of her sweet-heart or her best friend. She loved besting challenges. But on this particular evening, Crystal was going to be presented with a challenge unlike anything else she had ever encountered.

It all started when her mobile phone rang suddenly with a ring tone of someone laughing sweetly. Crystal froze, staring at the phone - she didn't have such a ring tone. Biting her lip curiously, she reached over and picked up the phone to see who was calling but the number was unknown. The laughing from the ring tone was sweet and hung pleasantly in her ears, but Crystal wanted to know who was calling and how they had got her number.

Crystal took the call. "Hello?"

"Hello, Crystal." The voice on the other end of the phone was deep and rich but pleasant enough.

"Who is this?"

"You don't know me, yet, but I would like to change that."

"Yeah...whatever...I'm hanging up now."

"Best tickler in the world."

Crystal frowned and froze as she was about to hang up. "What did you say?"

"Isn't that what you told Hayley, mm? Didn't you make her tell you that while you had her feet in your lap? While you made her dance sweetly under your fingers?"

Memories of last week's tickle session made Crystal grin. "Yes, I did, but how did you know what?"

"You've made quite the boast, Crystal."

"One I'm equal to, I assure you," said Crystal.

"Really? The Best tickler in the world?" mused the voice with a knowing, almost smug tone.

"The very best."

"That's one heck of a boast you made and ordinarily it would go without notice amongst most people. Unfortunately for you, Crystal, such things like that boast always end up in my ear sooner or later."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," said the voice. "You see, boasts like the one that you made, boasts about tickling in particular, are of a great and personal interest to me. And claiming that you're the Best Tickler in the World is a boast that, professionally speaking, I can't let go unanswered."

Crystal hopped onto her bed, intrigued and not in the least bit alarmed. She pushed the hair from out of her face, a flush of excitement touching her features. "Professionally speaking?" she said, tittering. "What does that mean...you tickle people for your job?"

"Something like that," said the voice.

"Sounds like a sweet job."

"The sweetest."

Crystal sighed, thinking about it. "So, what do you want with me?"

"I'm calling you because of your boast. I want to prove you wrong."

"And how do you figure on doing that?"

"I want tickle you, Crystal," said the voice.

Crystal blushed. "R-really?"

"To prove to you that there are those who are better at tickling than you." The voice turned a little sweeter. "I want you to giggle for me, to let go of your senses and revel in the ticklish treats I'm going to give. And I want you to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there's always a better tickler."

"You think you're a better tickler than I am?"

"I do."

Crystal leaned forward, sensing a challenge. "Who are you?"

"My name is Feathers."

"Sweet name," said Crystal.

"It is more a statement of what I am than who I am, but I think it is appropriate."

"Fair enough," she said. "But that won't save you if you think you can win a tickle fight with me."

"Have you never heard of me before?"

"No."

"I'm a growing name in the tickle world."

Crystal smiled. "We'll see," she said.

"Search for me on the internet at the following locations," said Feathers and then he gave her a list of sites. "Once you know who I am, once you know what I am, if you still want to take this challenge on, then send an email to the address on the first web site."

"Why would I want to check on you?"

"Safety. And you need to know what you're dealing with."

"That's...sweet of you."

"I look forward to your response."

The line went dead and Crystal discarded her phone. She snatched up her laptop and quickly set about investigating the websites Feathers had given her. She raced through them, grinning and giggling at what she saw. All of the sites were tickle-related and gave her a shiver to see - they were sweet and thrilling to her eyes. The first site, the one with the email address, was just an ordinary plain site entitled 'Feathers Realm'. After an hour of searching, Crystal had made up her mind. She sent an email stating the following:

Hey Feathers, sweet site! You are so on!! I'm going to tickle you into a blue pile of blushes! Crystal xx

Crystal had barely enough time to put her laptop down before Feathers appeared, like magic, in her bedroom. He was tall and broad with skin the colour of a near-midnight sky. His face had strong cheek bones and eyes that burned a soft red, but the smile on his face was broad and kind and promised something quite out of this world. He had tentacles curled at his back.

"Hey, Feathers," Crystal said.

"Hi Crystal."

"I hope you're ready for giggles, sweetie," said Crystal, "because your feet and sides aren't going to know what has hit them."

* * * * *

For several long moments, the two ticklers just stood staring at one another, eyeing up the opposition so to speak. The room was silent, holding its breath as this symbolic stand-off took place. It the mutual stare of respect and quiet plan-forming. It was the calm before the storm.

"Cool room," said Feathers and broke it.

"Thanks."

"Ooh.....cool collection of games!" he said, catching sight of her game collection.

"I'm pretty proud of it," Crystal said with a nod.

"Whoa, is that the latest Tales game?"

"Yes. And I've completed it."

Feathers' features lit up. "Really?" he said. "How do you get past--"

"Let's not get distracted," said Crystal.

"Of course," said Feathers, composing himself. "Sorry. Easily distracted. We're here to do one thing."

"Tickling!"

Feathers nodded. "Tickling!"

Despite his appearance, Crystal didn't find the daemon at all scary; his appearance was out of the ordinary, sure, but there was nothing overly terrifying about him. He actually seemed quite...nice. It wouldn't save him, but she had to give him that much. Yet, the thought of being lost in his tickly embrace did keep a smile on her face. She wondered what it would be like to be at the mercy of a tickle daemon.

"So," said Crystal. "How do you want to do this?"

Feathers sat on the edge of her bed. "Tradition dictates," he said, "we just start tickling each other and the first one to crack is the loser."

Crystal grinned. "Sounds very dignified."

"Mm."

"You know it won't end like that," she said.

"I know. What about ticklish spots?"

Crystal looked the daemon up and down. "Feet, tummy, sides and pits," she said. "Keep to the regular and well established tickly hot spots."

"Agreed," said Feathers. "Tools?"

"Feathers, fingers, tongues and...tentacles, I guess."

The daemon chuckled. "Fair enough," he said. "And what is the magic word?"

Crystal grinned. "I submit?"

"Agreed. Nice choice."

"It's one I've used before."

Feathers grinned. "You sound confident."

"I am," she said. "Though, I've never tickled a tickle daemon into submission before."

"Well then, shall we get started?"

Crystal nodded eagerly and patted the edge of the bed. "You know, I've had an idea," she said. "I've got a better idea of how we should start."

Feathers sat down. "Oh?"

"Mm," said Crystal, her eyes narrowing. "Why don't you do be a good little daemon and put your likkle feet in my lap?"

The daemon's eyes widened. "W-what did you say?"

"I saw your sites," said Crystal. "I saw the stories and writing and....I saw something else; you like being teased with tickle talk and having those big blue feet of yours tickled."

A new look of vulnerability appeared in the daemon's face. He looked down. "Darn...I have to get that changed."

Crystal giggled. "I think it's sweet," she said. "You're just a big blue daemon who just wuvs to have his toes tickled. But people just seem to pass you by, don't they? Poor thing. But it's all right, cos Crystal knows your secret."

"I don't remember agreeing on tickle talk."

"The truly world class ticklers....know when to use it and when not to, And now is one of those times when it is an absolute necessity." Crystal wiggled her nails slowly. "Now, are you going to be a good little daemon?"

"I'm not going to make it easy for you."

Crystal giggled and lightning fast, she slid off of the bed and knelt on the floor. She locked an arm around the daemon's right ankle, putting her back against the bed so he couldn't see her. He didn't struggle, for which she gave him credit, but she could feel the anticipation in him. He wiggled his toes with a nervousness she had seen before.
She lifted her free hand and wiggled her fingers slowly, so he could see it, and then lowered her hand slowly down out of his sight and then under his foot. Her fingers brushed under her toes with a cautious grace, barely touching at first but moving fast enough to get the desired reaction. Feathers' leg jolted at the first touch but she kept hold of it, tightening her arm and kept her fingers wiggling.

"Mmnn mmhmmmm...." Feathers clamped his mouth shut.

"Tickle, tickle, tickle..."

Crystal drew her wiggling fingers from under his toes and slid them down the centre of his arch, scratching with deliberate pressure. The wiggling of his leg and the curling, uncurling of his toes erupted suddenly into life. "Ooh, does this tickle, mm?" she cooed. "Tickle, tickle, daemon!"

"Nooooo," said Feathers, trying to hold it back. "It doesn't teeeheeeeeeaaa tickle..."

The daemon clenched his fists, unable to see what Crystal was doing and thus unable to prepare for it. The light and sharp scratching down his foot sent sparkling jolts of ticklish feeling through him and instantly he could feel the giggles and spurts of laughter wake in his belly.

Crystal, not at all convinced and still looking for his sweet spot, danced the tips of her fingers across his foot to his ankle and scraped around the back of his heel. She'd seen such touches have belly shaking results before. She wiggled brushed as lightly as she could, feeling and listening for his reaction.

"Eeheeheeeheheeeee!" The sound rippled from between Feathers' lips, quite helplessly, The touches on his heel and around his ankle, while not enough to break his control, were sufficiently sweet to draw the little sounds of tickled laughter. "Eeehehehehehehahahaaa!"

"Aw, the first little giggles are always the sweetest," she said. "Like a reward for my efforts. But we're just getting started, so let's see if we work up a storm."

"Noooo!"

"Kitchy kitchy koooo!"

Crystal scritched and scratched her fingers back under his heel stepped them delicately onto his arch. For a single moment Feathers' foot and entire body went still, as if all of his senses were holding their breath, then as her fingers wiggled and stroked there a more thrilling reaction over took him.

"NeeheeAAAAAaaaha!" he cried out, letting out a loud burst of laughter.

"Ooh good," said Crystal, "Soft spot!"

"Nooononononono! Nooot theereeeheheeere!" Feathers tried to gather enough strength to speak useless. The tickling on his arches was impossible to resist and it all came bubbling out. "Ahaha hah a hahaha ahahahehe hehHhahHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Nahahahahahaaaat the arches, ahahaaa!"

"Oh yes, such super teeklish arches!"

Sensing her opportunity to end this challenge before it had even started, Crystal lay on her side and locked her legs around the daemon's ankles, pinning them together so she could use both of her hands. Feathers, too busy laughing at the tickling on his arch, could only watch as she expertly set herself up for a double whammy of foot tickling.
Crystal flashed all ten wiggling fingers at him, showing him exactly what he was about to get, then with a determined furrow of mischief, she put her digits to sweet work. Palms to the floor, she wiggled and stroked up and down the trapped arches of the daemon's feet.

"Tickle tickle, sweetie!"

"Nahahahahahaha aahahahehehe hahahahaahoooo hahahahahehehehahahahahahaahaaaa!"

"Aw, does this little daemon have tickly arches?" Crystal giggled. "Tickle tickle!"

"Gahahahahaaaahaaaaa!" Feathers shook his head from side to side. "You're ahahahehehehehaaa going toooohooahaa hahahehe hehahahahahah do better than thaaahahahahaht!"

"As you wish."

Crystal doubled the speed of her wiggling fingers, stirring them into a frenzy of sharp and fleeting passes up and down. The skin of the daemon was oddly soft and every little touch sent a new jolt through him, a reaction that was met only by the sounds he was making.

"Aaa ha haha hahah ahee he hee hee ehee heheeehaahaaha! Ahaheheh ehehehehe hahahahah ha haha ahahahaa ha hahah ahahaha ahaa ha haha hahahah ahah ahahaaa ah ahah ahahaaa!"

It was a sound that put a massive smile on Crystal's face and told her that victory was only a matter of moments away. "Come on, sweetie," she teased, "Just say it, who's the best tickler?"

"Meeeeehhehehahahahahahahahha!!"

"Still fighting it, huh?"

At that moment, his body shaking with laughter, Feathers lurched suddenly forward and took both of her hands gently in one of his own. He pulled her wiggling fingers slowly from his arches, something he did with mixed feelings.

"Too much?" Crystal asked, grinning delightedly. "You know, if you just admit I'm the best tickler in the world, I can tickle you for hours. You can lie back and let the world's best tickler show you how it's done. Isn't that a lovely idea?"

Feathers grinned, catching his breath. "Sounds wonderful," he said.

"Then you know what you have to say."

Feathers shook his head. "But as sweet an offer as that is," he said. "I think there is something else you have to worry about."

"Like what?"

"Like...it's my turn now," he said. "And I've got your hands."

Crystal's eyes went wide as she tried in vain to pull away, but the daemon's gentle and irresistible grip was impossible to break free of.

"I'm going to hold you here Crystal, gently pinning your arms with one of my hands, and tickle you till you give in with the other," said Feathers. "Doesn't that sound nicer?"

"No!"

Feathers picked up a long and fluffy looking feather and twirled it before Crystal's eyes, a confident and telling gleam in her eyes. It was look that told her all the was going to do. He tittered softly, teasingly, before lifting her arms above her head, revealing her armpits and lower sides.

"Where would like it?" asked Feathers.

Crystal struggled anew, but still to no avail.

"Why don't I take an educated guess."

Feathers waited just for a few moment, long enough for Crystal to draw in a deep breath, then he lowered the feather to her left side. He looked her in the eyes, smiling, then swished its tip lightly up and down her bare side in little movements, short and delicate flickering touches.

"Tickle...tickle...Crystal..."

Crystal held her laughter for a moment but the flickering feathery kisses worked quickly to unravel her and with a sweet helplessness, the giggles started to trickle from between her lips.

"EEeeehehehehehehe," giggled Crystal, twisting a little from side to side to try and dodge the feather. But its little kisses followed her every twitch. "Eeehehehehehahahaha ahahahaha aha. "hahahahaha!"

"That's it," teased the daemon. "Try and get way...tickle, tickle, tickle!"

"SHhuhuuuut up!"

The daemon swished the feather with a lazy grace up and down her left bare side, twirling lightly on her hip, then drawing it exquisitely along her stomach before flickering on the other side. It was a light and unavoidable touch, flaring nerves all over her.

"Neeeheheheheheee" she cried, biting her lip, "Haha ha haha ahahaha haaahahaa haahahahahahah hhahahaha hahahaha ahahahaahahahahaaaaaa!"

Crystal tried to control her laughter but the touch on her sides was stopping her from catching even a moment. She twisted and tried to get away.

"No point fighting," said Feathers. "Why not just relax and give in?"

"You won't beat me!"

Feathers chuckled. The tentacles at his back uncurled slowly and the bottom pair edged forward, one wrapping gently about each of her wrists. They held her still and allowed his other hand to untangle the knot her legs had made about his ankles. Then it went to her left side and digged gently, tickling in unison with the feather on her right.

"Nahahaaaahahaaaaahahahaaaaa!" she cried out with new energy. "Baahahahahahehehehahaahaa! No ooaohahahahahahhehahahahah hahahahahehe hehe hahahahahahah!"

"There we go," cooed Feathers. "Tickle, tickle, kitchy kooo!"

"Gahaha heh ehe heh hahahahahahaha hooooahahah ahah ahahahehe hehehehahahahahahahah!"

"Who's the best tickler?"

Crystal didn't answer, shaking from side to side, laughing loudly and helplessly.

"It's all right, you need some more help."

Crystal watched as a third tentacle looped gently about her ankles and put her feet in his lap. He lowered her back and let go of her arms, her legs at such an angle that she could only rest back on her hands. She couldn't raise a hand to stop him. She glared with laughter filled eyes and he picked a feather in his other hand and his lower tentacles tickled her belly.

"No," she gasped, "NooahaHHHahaHAHhaHAHAHAHAH!"

"Just sit there and relax," said Feathers, smiling. "Let a world class tickler show you how."

And with that final smile, the daemon started swishing the large, fluffy looking feathers up and down the soles of her feet. The touches were long and luxurious, the tickle of unhurried and well trained tickler. They swished light and fast, touching her toes, her ankles and heels, travelling everywhere to deliver their exquisite touch. Added to this, were the gently and unrelenting belly and side tickles from his tentacles.

"Bwaaa haah ahah ahahahhah ahaha haha ahahahahahahahaaaaaa!" Crystal erupted."Hahahahahe eeeheheheheee aaahahaahee! Not both, ahheeheheheehehaaahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa!"

"I know, I know, but you know how to end it!"

"Never!"

The daemon lifted her feet a little higher. "Never?"

"No!"

"Well, never is a very long time..."

The daemon licked the tops of her toes, resigning the feathers to swishing on her arches. Back and forth he licked, slow and tender, but the effect was devastating.

"Noooooo! AHahahahahahahaha haha! Gaaahahaha haha haaahahaah eeehehehehahah ahaa haaa hahahahahahooooeeeeehhahahahah Aeeje hee hehehehahah hrehehehhaahaaha Ahahehehehahah oooehehehehehhahahahahahahahahaaahahahaha!"

"I know you like this," he said, licking each toe softly.

Crystal blushed furiously but couldn't speak. She looked at the daemon.

"It's all right," he said and started licking between her toes. "You take your time...I'll just keep licking and tickling until you're ready."

Crystal fell back, laughing and giddy, helpless in the hands an exquisite tickler...