Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. >The Resort Ambassador by ReaderMan Rickshaw with Sarah and Sam (Chapter 19.5) I tightened my grip on the handles of the rickshaw, while looking around just outside of the marketing building. My sunglasses had blinders, limiting my peripheral view but I was grateful to have them as I leaned forward, pulling hard. On second thought, the blinders had a benefit -" namely, I would see less people witnessing me wearing just this partially transparent, super short, barely there shirt, with cutoff sleeves. I looked more like a slave than a -~Resort Ambassador -(TM) as the words on my back suggested. I felt the weight of Sarah and Sam as I pulled. They still hadn -(TM)t said a word, and my anxiety was eating a hole in my stomach. We were picking up speed. This was supposed to be a leashed walk but somehow -" thanks to Sam -" I was pulling a rickshaw instead. I wasn -(TM)t sure if that was an improvement. Down the rough narrow alley-like street, was a stocky bald shopkeeper sweeping near a garbage bin. He didn -(TM)t look our way as we approached him. A block or so past him was Main Street. Instead of looking down to see how extreme my exposure was, I lifted my chin -" preferring not to know. The constant jangle on my collar, never let me forget that Sarah had me on a leash and that I was about to pay a price -" a large price -" for my principles. But I didn -(TM)t care, or so I kept telling myself. Travis was would be back and I was looking forward to telling him the good news. I would endure whatever Sarah felt she had to do to me. Still, this whole situation was grossly unfair. As we approached the man, I kept my head up, looking on down the alley as we neared Main Street. The dance of my hem was tickling my thighs and driving me crazy, reminding me just how short it was. This situation reminded me of Lookout Point. A little thrill went through me every time I thought back to that public walkway by the ocean. This was similar -" more intense, but having the shirt made it somewhat bearable. I couldn -(TM)t help but to return a polite smile to the man as we passed. The breeze through my legs felt so very naughty and was increasing the blood flow to my face, among other areas. This was crazy! My heart was beating more than it should have given the amount of effort. Main Street was just ahead, and although I was wearing something, people would be able to see my naked body through the shirt when close. The thought was mind blowing, but then I was an ambassador for a nude resort, right? I had an official reason for being like this. I -(TM)m supposed to emanate body positivity and confidence. Regardless, I was relieved to have the shirt, as opposed to nothing. This cover gave me a reason to be there, and the words on the back were gold. However, losing the shirt would be mortifying, especially while pulling the rickshaw. It would be like those high-res online images of me completely nude, pulling Becca in a rickshaw, straining to pull her in the sand. Except my landing strip was now gone, and this was a busy shopping area, far from the beach, where the rickshaw would draw eyes. I gritted my teeth in frustration, even ponygirls wore more clothes than this! -I think that fellow is still watching, - Sarah said. -No shit. Emi -(TM)s probably flashing him with how often that shirt flips up. - -I think you are right. - I tried to ignore their conversation, hoping that Sam wouldn -(TM)t agitate Sarah too much. Hoping that what they said wasn -(TM)t really true, or -" knowing what the shirt was like -" at least not too much. -She -(TM)s quite the sight -- isn -(TM)t she Sam? - -Uhh -- what? Yeah, so? She -(TM)s a runner. - -Yes. A runner, - Sarah said with some amusement in her voice. -With runner -(TM)s legs. - I could feel their eyes on my ass. It was distracting. Sam grunted. -Look, Sarah, wouldn -(TM)t it be more humane to start out along the beach? - she said, sounding annoyed. I silently agreed with Sam, as I kept my eyes on the street ahead of us. It was like Sam could sense my anxiety. -The plan is to start off with a snack. - -A snack? - Sam asked, sounding confused. -Cloud Nine! - Sarah said cheerfully. -~Oh please, not Cloud Nine -(TM), I thought as I slowed, finally entering Main Street. Sarah nudged me to the right and I turned, pulling them along the busy street, passing the parked cars on the side. The street was wide enough for both cars and rickshaws, so it was fairly safe. Still, I was apprehensive about being out here in the open, wondering how much I was actually revealing as I ran. -Alright, - Sam said. -Cut the bullshit Sarah. Why are you messing with us? - A young couple stepped out of an ice cream shop, briefly forgetting their cones as I passed them. Thankfully a parked car was between us as I passed. -You have it all wrong, Sam. - -Are you trying to start a war? - -I -(TM)m -- Look, I -(TM)m just trying to do my job. - -I fucking love wars. - Oh shit. Sam was getting worked up. -That -(TM)s not what I -(TM)m looking for, Sam. I want the opposite of that. - -You see these combat boots? - -Don -(TM)t threaten me, Sam. - -Or what? You will take Emi -(TM)s shirt? That -(TM)s why you brought me along, isn -(TM)t it? You think you can use that against me? - Nooo -- don -(TM)t give her ideas! Sarah laughed. -You want me to take her shirt? - -I -(TM)m warning you Sarah. - -Emi -- - Sarah said with a gruff voice. I needed to do something, fast. -Owwwie! - I cried out, bringing the cart to a halt while hopping around on one foot. -Cramp Cramp! - I said, doing the best fake cramp of my life. They both got out and helped me, placing their hands on my shoulders. They really didn -(TM)t know how to help with a cramp. -I -(TM)ll be okay, just give me a minute, - I said. -It -(TM)s been a while since I -(TM)ve been running, and I didn -(TM)t warm up properly. - -It -(TM)s fine, - Sam said. -Get in the back and I -(TM)ll pull for a while. - Sarah didn -(TM)t look happy. -Sam, you can get in the back as well, you little runt. I -(TM)ll pull the rickshaw. You -(TM)re too worked up. Probably get us all killed. - Sam scowled at her, but we were both surprised by Sarah -(TM)s gesture. Sam glanced at me and I nodded, motioning for her to let Sarah have her way. Sam helped me limp to the rickshaw. I didn -(TM)t like her angle of view while she helped me up into the seat. -Fuck, Sam, - Sarah said, runnig her fingers through her hair and looking around worriedly. -This was all your idea -" and Brandy -(TM)s. Now Emi is injured. You fucking people. - Sam sputtered. -Say what? How is this my -- - -You wanted the rickshaw! Just shut up and help her. Massage her leg or something, - Sarah said angrily, grabbing the handles. -Injured? It -(TM)s just a cramp, - I mumbled, too soft for anyone to hear. -Ahh -- give me your leg? - Sam asked, looking awkward. I didn -(TM)t want to, but I had to continue the ruse. It would be much worse if they sensed I was faking it. Fortunately, I had a lot of experience with these. -Ahh -- ouch, - I said, as I lifted a leg into her lap. Oh, my legs in this position -" not good! I quickly lifted my second leg up and adjusted the hem, feeling heat in my face for the brief flash. Hopefully, no one in the street had noticed -" or Sam for that matter. I was less exposed with both of my legs in her lap. Sam looked bewildered, unsure about where to begin. Sarah looked back. -Don -(TM)t be a pussy, Sam. Take responsibility! - I didn -(TM)t like how Sarah was insinuating this was Sam -(TM)s fault. -It -(TM)s okay Sam, just squeeze my calf a little, - I said, trying to reassure her. I squeezed her arm briefly as an example. Looking at my leg as if it were a problem, Sam started squeezing my leg. It was too soft and gentle to be of any use. And it was kind of funny as she started to have an intense expression on her face. She was probably blaming herself. I felt bad. -Ohh -- that feels good, - I said, leaning my head back and stretching my leg out a bit more. I had to sell it, so they wouldn -(TM)t get suspicious and I wanted Sam to feel like she was being useful. Sarah started pulling us forward down the street. -This is not exactly what I had planned, but this is just as well. Sam, keep up the good work. It -(TM)s the least you can do. I -(TM)ll grab us something tasty at Cloud Nine. Then we can talk. - The massage was nice as we rolled down the street. Sam was getting into it. I continued to jump with little ouches or smile warmly with happy noises. I should win an Oscar. But I had to be careful and adjust my hem a few times. I didn -(TM)t want Sam to get the wrong idea here. After a while, Sam leaned over to my ear. The position was a little too close and intimate, considering what we were doing. -Don -(TM)t trust a word she says, okay? - I just looked at her, feeling uncomfortable as I was the one being deceptive. But I didn -(TM)t regret saving my own ass, literally. -Let -(TM)s hear her out, Sam. - Sam grunted. -What? Are you kidding me? - -We were wrong about her before, - I reminded her. -But -- - -You know, I can hear you guys. - Sarah looked back. -Hah! You two look like lovers! - Sam dropped my legs like a hot potato. -Quiet you mutt, or I -(TM)ll leash you up, - She bellowed at Sarah. Sarah laughed. -Whatever gets you off, Sam. - I smiled, causing Sam to direct her scowl at me. She looked at my leg, my feet back on the floor of the rickshaw. I realized she was wondering if she -(TM)d hurt me by dropping my leg. -It -(TM)s good. It really helped! - Her face was unreadable and so I looked the other way, to the street. Watching the shops, parked cars, and people, go by. I was beginning to enjoy the ride a little. I kept my hands in my lap, holding down the front of my shirt. Sarah was a good runner, and kept a good pace. I was glad it was her and not me, but I had to admit, the thrilling sensation of running in this shirt, pulling a rickshaw without the ability to touch or fix my hem was something I would certainly not forget. As we passed the blocks, getting closer and closer to Cloud Nine and my apartment, I couldn -(TM)t help but to think of Ben. That time he leashed me and took me to Main Street had resulted in me ending up on the front page of the newspaper, causing Brandy and everyone to misunderstand. But I couldn -(TM)t really blame him, I was the one how had gone along with it all. Still, all the alcohol that night and the shock of the mailgirl app project had me aching for a distraction. Main Street was the ultimate distraction, especially when you -(TM)re naked. My fear started to rise as Sarah pulled over into a parking spot just past the place where Jill had collared me. It felt like such a long time ago, but it was just this morning. Was Sarah going to take my shirt? I wasn -(TM)t looking forward to seeing Jill again. Sarah stopped, dropped the handles and turned around. Sam leaned back in the rickshaw, folding her arms behind her head. -I -(TM)ll have a latte and two Eastern Mountains. - Sarah looked annoyed. -We are eating here. Emi, outside or inside? - I was surprised that she was letting me choose. Was it a trick question? Was she going to remove my shirt? Where would it be best to -- -Too slow, outside it is. More privacy. But in front of the window, - she said, grinning. -See?! That -(TM)s what I -(TM)m talking about, - Sam said angrily. -She just wants to humiliate you. - -Dial it down Sam, - Sarah said, losing her smile. -I -(TM)m just playing around. It -(TM)s not like she -(TM)s overly worried. She insisted on training the guys naked. I was totally against it but -~Nine -(TM) here insisted. Plus SHE signed up for this stupid project and then SHE was on the front page, leashed and naked on Main Street with one of MY devs! - Sam sat up in the rickshaw, looking furious. -Do you even know what -(TM)s going on?! - I touched Sam -(TM)s arm and shook my head subtly, motioning for Sam to shut up. Looking curious, Sarah watched us closely. Stunned, Sam just sat there deeply annoyed that I wanted her to keep quiet about my community service. She looked as if she were about to boil over. I touched her arm gently. -Sam, it -(TM)s okay -- - -Don -(TM)t worry Sam, at least she -(TM)s clothed -" at the moment. It -(TM)s not like she hasn -(TM)t been at Cloud Nine naked before, or so I -(TM)ve heard, - Sarah smirked. Sam was surprised. -I don -(TM)t believe it, - she said looking at me. -I, ahh -- Brandy this morning -- It -(TM)s a long story. - Sam was watching me closely. -She made me strip and then -- - Sarah didn -(TM)t like Sam -(TM)s expression. -Grab a seat outside girls. The treats are on me. - Sarah walked away. Sam looked scary, her face was red and twitching. It took me a minute to calm her down. After that I started to get out of the rickshaw. Sam touched my shoulder. -Hold on, your leg. I -(TM)ll get out first and help you down. - -Ohh -- don -(TM)t worry. I -(TM)m fine, - I said to deaf ears as she jumped out and ran to my side. Turning around I climbed down, again not liking the view she was getting. On the pavement, she looked distracted but then reached for me, taking a hold of my leash. This didn -(TM)t seem like her I thought as she led me to a table outside the windows where Sarah had pointed. She sat down gruffly, dropping the leash, folding her arms, and looking agitated. I sat down across from her, placing the dangling leash in my lap. I was worried. -Sam, you have to promise that you won -(TM)t say anything. You know as well as I, that if they knew, I would have less control. At least now they think I might walk out on the deal if they go too far. I mean, I might anyway, but don -(TM)t take that one piece of leverage away from me, okay? - Sam nodded. She wasn -(TM)t happy about this, but I could see in her eyes that she understood. A minute later Sarah came out with two Asian Mountains, a Main Street and two Jump Ropes on a big tray. Obviously the Main Street was for me, the pastry was similar to a Long John and looked somewhat like a piece of a busy street. Sam looked at the platter, confused. -No drinks? - -Jill will bring our lattes, - Sarah said, sitting down in her chair, looking back and forth between us. -I bet you can -(TM)t guess why I brought you two here. - Sam picked up her pastry and held it below her mouth. -To pay Emi back for making your devs so productive? Because Emi -(TM)s amazing and you want to bring her down a notch? Because you -(TM)re a sadistic bitch? - she said bluntly, as she stuffed her mouth with part of a mountain. I winced, feeling what Sam was feeling, but it didn -(TM)t seem wise to prod Sarah like that. -Sam, let -(TM)s let her talk. - Sam looked at me like I was crazy. -Again, you have it all wrong Sam. But let me explain without any interruptions, Nine. You are on the clock, remember? Let -(TM)s do this correctly. - Sarah had basically just told me not to talk, unless asked. -So you just shut Emi out. Do you even grasp the fundamental elements of a con-ver-sation? - Sam said bitterly. I couldn -(TM)t help but agree with Sam. This was totally one sided. -Look, this isn -(TM)t easy for me either. I have a lot to say, and I kinda feel bad about how things went this morning. - -Woah! - Sam slapped my shoulder and looked at me. -See that? The bitch feels bad. Maybe she -(TM)s not as stupid as she looks. What -(TM)s next, an apology? - -Look, I -(TM)m trying to apologize here. Can -(TM)t you see that? - Sarah -(TM)s agitation was clearly growing. -Look, powderpuff, you have to SAY DA WORDS, - Sam said, before partially choking on another bite of her mountain. She stuck her finger deep in her mouth and scooped out some food and wiped it on her plate. -When are these fucking drinks coming? - she coughed. -As I have already said, Sam, the lattes are on the way. - -You mean, just like your apology? Everything is so late around here, - Sam said, grinding away at Sarah -(TM)s patience. Sarah glanced at Sam with growing irritation. I smiled politely. -Mmm -- - I said, showing my appreciation for my -~Main Street -(TM) long john. But keeping my eyes down submissively, when Sarah snapped her head my way. Oh crap, I shouldn -(TM)t have said anything. -We should call the manager, - Sam said, looking serious. -Since Sarah can -(TM)t seem to apologize, maybe he can do it for her. - Sam looked quite angry, but I wondered if she was also half enjoying this. She was really pushing Sarah and that was scaring me. Sarah turned her head, and looked down at the table, almost apologetically. She glanced at my shirt. -Nine -- - -Finally! - Sam blurted, looking just past Sarah, at the door. Sarah didn -(TM)t look happy, but hesitated at the sound of the door opening, glancing over her shoulder. Jill strutted in with our lattes and froze upon seeing me. Her face lit up as her eyes devoured my transparent RA slave shirt and the collar and leash. Why was I embarrassed and trying to resist the urge to look down? I looked up and her eyes locked on me, reeling me in. -Nine! You can -(TM)t get enough of this place. Did you miss me? - She smiled. Sarah looked confused, but then said. -Oh right, you saw her this morning. - -Boy did I ever see her, - Jill grinned. -I think many people saw her. She was impossible to miss! She -(TM)s famous, you know. - -Ahh, yes. I know, - Sarah said, smiling politely with Jill, waiting for the waitress to leave. Jill wasn -(TM)t going anywhere. -I can -(TM)t believe you got Nine to come back here today. I thought only Brandy had that kind of power over her, - Jill said, looking over at me again. -Unless you missed me? - This was awkward for me, what was she imagining? Sarah shifted in her seat. -You know Brandy? Well -- ahh, I -(TM)m in charge now, - she said, looking at her nails briefly. Then she awkwardly took a sip of her latte, trying to act cool. Jill puffed her chest out. -Brandy is a regular here. And she bestowed upon me the greatest honor. I was the one who first put the collar on her. And locked it, - she said proudly. Sarah looked at Jill, trying to hide her surprise. Sam looked just as surprised. -Yes, that -(TM)s right. Brandy ordered Nine to tell me to put it on and lock it. It was fucking hot. Oh sorry, pardon my language, - Jill said, looking enviously at Sarah. Sarah seemed to like the attention. -Yeah, I lock her up all the time. It -(TM)s no big deal, - she said, nonchalantly. -Wow! That -(TM)s awesome. You are so lucky. May I hold her leash for a moment? - Sam sat up and I put my hand on her shoulder. She slumped back down, grimacing. Sarah seemed to be warming up to Jill. -I don -(TM)t know. She -(TM)s on the clock right now, you see. - -Oh, you mean -- Brandy mentioned that -" testing the mailgirl app. So fucking hot! But why is she wearing clothing? - This girl was driving me crazy. I put my hand on Sam -(TM)s shoulder as a preemptive measure. She groaned and looked at me, pleadingly, like she was ready to explode. Jill put her hands on her hips. -Can I ask her to do something? - -Sorry, Jill. Only I have that power today. - Jill looked disappointed. -But I have never seen mailgirl positions -" in real life I mean. - Sarah chuckled. -We are kind of busy today. - -But isn -(TM)t the idea to promote her cause? Maybe I should ask Brandy next time. She wouldn -(TM)t hesitate. - -Look, I agree. It would probably be good, but -- - Jill -(TM)s face lit up. -God I envy your power. - Sam looked fascinated at the exchange, shaking her head in disbelief. -It -(TM)s not all roses and cream cheese, - Sarah said, gesturing at Sam. -Some people like to give me a hard time about it. - Sam finally smiled as she took a bite of her mountain. -That -(TM)s horrible! You should be rewarded for your efforts! It -(TM)s not easy training a girl to be submissive like that. It can be a real challenge sometimes. - -No shit! I almost had to fire someone for not inspecting her properly and repeatedly misusing her correct name. - -Inspecting her? - -You know, checking her grooming and such. She -(TM)s all up on her toes, chest out, legs spread -- - Jill -(TM)s eyes widened dramatically. She was practically salivating just picturing it, as she stared into the distance, and then focused back on me. She literally looked like she wanted to eat me. -That -(TM)s so fucking hot. To have a -" celebrity mailgirl, at your beck and call. - She almost stumbled, holding onto a chair to keep herself upright. I was getting a strong vibe from this woman, and it was giving me a cocktail of strange emotions that I couldn -(TM)t understand, it was frightening, hot and embarrassing all at the same time. Mainly because I could see where this was leading, and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. Sarah ran her fingers through her hair. -Yeah, I guess my job is pretty cool. But let -(TM)s not get too far here with Nine -(TM)s testing duties. Under that shirt is a professional, a brilliant developer who is the director of software development. She -(TM)s a real leader who commands a lot of respect. - Sam and I were surprised to hear Sarah, of all people, complimenting me. -Yeah, but that just makes it all that much hotter, - Jill said, looking at my shirt. Why was she looking at my shirt? Or was she looking through my shirt? I wasn -(TM)t sure what was going on here. Sarah laughed, seemingly agreeing. -Can I just see one quick pose before I go? - -I don -(TM)t know -- I get her to act submissive and do mailgirl poses, and all I get is flak. It -(TM)s not fair really. - -Don -(TM)t worry. It -(TM)s your duty to help her with the role. It -(TM)s probably not easy for her to do this on her own. Please! I -(TM)ll bring you all an extra latte and give you special service from now on. - This woman was driving me crazy and I could see Sam was on edge again. Sarah looked like she was wavering. -You -(TM)re really persistent, aren -(TM)t you? - she smiled. -Isn -(TM)t it for her own good? - -That is true, - Sarah said, turning to look at me, with a wicked grin. Oh shit. I was feeling hot, was I sweating? Sarah leaned back in her chair. -Be a good sport, Nine. Show us your standard waiting pose. Stand up. - Surprisingly, I found myself obeying, standing up on shaky legs. I regretted glancing through the window where I had a captive audience from the table just inside. A couple other tables had people looking my way, as well. Outside, the next table was clear but the other two tables on the other side of the door were occupied. Luckily they didn -(TM)t appear to have noticed us. Sam, however, was watching me like a hawk. I adjusted my sunglasses and assumed the pose that pushed my breasts out as I trembled. My erect nipples were hard to miss, pressing against the see-through shirt. Two huge beacons, dragging everyone -(TM)s eyes to their movements as I tried to control my breathing. Despite the gentle breeze I was feeling warm, and starting to perspire. Jill paused, her eyes devouring me like a delicious pastry. She licked her lips. -Shouldn -(TM)t she take off the shirt? - Shocked, I anxiously glanced at Sarah briefly, wasn -(TM)t standing like this with a transparent shirt enough? I gulped, hoping she wouldn -(TM)t give the order, but I knew she would. I felt betrayed as my body seemed to want this to happen. Was it really going to happen? Sarah smiled, looking around. She looked into the glass and saw a few people watching us. Her smile grew wider. -Fuck -- I hate this job, - she said, an obvious lie. Jill nodded agreeably. Looking so delighted with the progress she was making, that she could barely stand straight. -You are so awesome Sarah! - I tried to not fiddle with the end of the leash in my hands, behind my back, as I felt their gazes upon me. Sarah -(TM)s chest puffed out a little from Jill -(TM)s comment and she took me in with her eyes, studying my shirt, my body, looking at me and I knew this was it. Sure this was a hot situation, people close to the glass could already see I was naked under the shirt. Jill was obviously drowning in arousal at my expense. I could feel the excitement in the air, as people were watching through the glass with anticipation. Despite my growing dread and arousal, something didn -(TM)t feel right. I felt some resistance quickly growing. Some rebel thought started to shake me out of my trance and was pulling me to some clarity. Suddenly I didn -(TM)t want this. Not here in front of my place, I might have neighbors in there watching me. I needed to get out of this. Was it possible? Suddenly I hated myself, for thinking of not living up to my agreement. I was swirling with a cocktail of conflicting emotions, a part of me even felt disappointed that I was resisting my duty, my responsibility to always show body positivity. But I was also angry with Sarah for taking advantage of me. This wasn -(TM)t fair. I felt like I was being bullied. Sam was watching me closely, waiting -- Sarah finished dancing her eyes over my shirt and smiled with Jill. They were both licking their lips. Sarah was nodding. -Nine, I hate to say this -- but -- - She paused for dramatic effect, and she and Jill looked at each other in knowing anticipation. I tried to get control back, but my fear started to spiral out of control. I couldn -(TM)t help myself. I tried to fight it, but I was weak. I took a deep breath and started to regain some control. I could do this. I could do this. But nope, my gut dropped through the floor and for a split second I faltered and mistakenly -- glanced at Sam. Sam slammed the table with an open hand, with all her might. The blow caused plates to bounce and all the latte cups to spill some of their contents. Everyone stared at her in shock, myself included. Sam casually lifted her hand up, turned it over and examined it. -The bugs around here are annoying, - she said, flicking something unseen off her palm. We watched her as she emptied her latte as if chugging a shot of whiskey. -Not bad, but these cups are -" like -" wayyy too small. Can I get another drink there, ahh Jilly? - she said, staring at her name tag. -Uh -- okay? - Jill said, looking at Sarah briefly. -Yeah thanks, but this time I -(TM)m gonna need a double shot, half sweet, extra hot, latte with two shots of maple syrup, nutmeg, cinnamon, but not too much froth. You got all that? - Jill nodded, taking out her notepad. She started scribbling. -Okay then, what did I order? - Jill repeated the complex drink order perfectly. Sam grunted her approval, causing Jill to look relieved. Amazingly, Sarah stayed quiet during all of this. Sam flicked her fingers at Jill to be gone. -And before you come back. - Jill started to leave but stopped, looking back. Sam gestured inside the store. -How about serving a few of your other customers first? I hate to think we are hurting the experience of other patrons around here with all your inappropriate pussyswelling banter with my friend here. I mean, you don -(TM)t want to lose a potential celebrity as a customer, am I right? - Jill nodded and turned and left in a hurry, her tail between her legs. Sarah was not amused. -Sit down, Nine. - Relieved, and so thankful, I could almost have kissed Sam on the spot. I sat down. -Nice move Sam, - Sarah said, looking annoyed. -But maybe you forgot, this is my walk right now, and I have a -- - Sam cut her off. -An apology to get off your chest, yeah I know. We are still waiting for that, powderpuff. - -You think you deserve one after those childish antics? And just because I wear a little makeup -- - -A little? I -(TM)ve seen clowns with less. What are you trying to hide? - Sarah laughed. -Sam, I -(TM)m just doing my job. I know you hate that I -(TM)m in charge of the mailgirl -- - -Her name is Emi. - Sarah squinted at Sam mockingly. -Not any longer it isn -(TM)t. Don -(TM)t push it, Sam. We do have some clout in this situation. I would be surprised if we couldn -(TM)t authorize Nine to get those numbers tattooed on her properly, and her hair removed permanently. Should we include the hair on her head as well? - she laughed. I looked at Sam, fearfully, but then I saw from Sarah -(TM)s face that she was obviously just trying to get a rise out of Sam. It was working. Sam -(TM)s face indicated a darkening mood. -Ma -(TM)am, maybe we should continue the walk. - I muttered meekly, trying to not look anyone in the eyes. I wanted things to de-escalate. -You are right, Nine, even though I didn -(TM)t ask you to speak, we should get going. I -(TM)m not buying anything more for this little runt. Go grab the handles while I think of a punishment for speaking out of turn, yet again. - As we walked to the rickshaw I could see that Sam was starting to lose her cool. She didn -(TM)t show it outwardly, but I could sense it. She was so angry she probably couldn -(TM)t speak. I needed to think of something to keep this train from going completely off the tracks. Sam and Sarah climbed aboard while I grabbed the handles. -Pass me your leash, Nine. And your shirt while you -(TM)re at it. - Still gripping the handles, I looked back in shock, frozen. Sam and I locked eyes. I turned back facing the front, knowing full well that I needed to let go of the handles so that I could remove the shirt. -Hurry up if you don -(TM)t want to lose -~all -(TM) your hair, - Sarah said, chuckling to herself. I knew she was just messing around but wasn -(TM)t sure if Sam knew. Through the handles, I felt the rickshaw shaking oddly. Looking back I saw Sam gripping Sarah -(TM)s shirt in her fists. -Why is it -- that you have so many fucking teeth? - Sam seethed, pulling Sarah -(TM)s face closer. -You know I -(TM)m bigger than you, right? - Sarah said, looking completely unfazed, grinning antagonistically -" grinning, dangerously. -All those fucking teeth. Don -(TM)t worry, powderpuff -" I have a solution in mind, - Sam said, pulling Sarah even closer. Sarah slowly stood up inside the rickshaw, precariously, lifting Sam with her. It looked dangerous as people are not supposed to stand up in a rickshaw. Sam let go with one hand and reached down, she started pulling off one of her combat boots. -One way or the other, powderpuff, my combat boot is going to french kiss your face! - I was becoming alarmed. This wasn -(TM)t Sam. I -(TM)d never seen her this emotional before. This was completely out of hand. If I didn -(TM)t intervene, Sam was going to be in more trouble with the law than I ever was. I wasn -(TM)t going to let that happen. Standing below them, I grabbed hold of Sam -(TM)s boot, just before she shoved it into Sarah -(TM)s face. -Enough Sam! What -(TM)s gotten into you! - -Sorry Emi, but my boot has a date with clown face. Destiny will NOT be denied! - Sam screamed defiantly while hugging her upside down boot hard against her chest. Reaching way up, I had to stretch to keep a grip on the same boot with both hands. Stubbornly, Sam held on while still fisting Sarah -(TM)s shirt. I felt my hem rising up as the three of us struggled. Looking around, I was thankful that we parked the rickshaw just up the street, out of sight of the patrons of the cafe as the parked car behind us blocked their view. Luckily my apartment didn -(TM)t seem to have anyone on the balconies. I felt Sam pull harder, she was impossible to stop and I mooned a car as it passed by. -Let go Sam! - I growled. -Or -- you -- will be fired! - I felt my anger growing. -Right NOW, Sam! - Sam paused, looking down at me from the rickshaw. -I -(TM)m doing this for you -" what the fuck, Emi!? - She grimaced as if I had hit her. Sarah took advantage of the confusion and pushed Sam -" who stumbled backwards in the rickshaw, but Sam kept her grip, taking Sarah with her. Sarah twisted suddenly, and they both almost tumbled out of the rickshaw. They were clutching each other like idiots. Sensing the potential for serious injury -" as they were definitely going to fall head-first -" with all my might, I pushed one handle, pivoting the rickshaw on the spot, causing the two to fall my way. Two heads fell into my arms, but the combined weight was too much and my legs compressed into a squat and all three of us fell in a heap on the pavement, one face on each of my breasts as I continued to hug them, protecting everyone from head injuries. I rolled back, lightly bumping my own head on the pavement. They lifted off my chest, and looked me over, both panicking as I just laid there looking at them, unmoving. I was fine, but letting them worry a little. -Oh shit, Emi -- are you okay?! - Sam said, reaching for my arm. Sarah looked equally petrified. -Emi? - She asked in a small voice. -The curb -- - I said menacingly, as I shook off Sam -(TM)s arm and slowly stood up, while pulling down my hem which had risen up to my belly button. -The curb? - Sarah repeated, confusion in her voice. I rubbed the back of my head, scowling at them both. I had enough of this. -Sit the fuck down on the curb, both of you, - I growled. They looked at each other, hesitating. I couldn -(TM)t contain myself any longer. -Sit down right now!! Or YOU are fired and YOU -- you will be responsible for tanking the app, the project, everything. Do it now!! - I yelled through my clenched teeth. Reluctantly, they both sat down on the curb, watching me apprehensively. I don -(TM)t know what happened, but something clicked in me. Call it the adult in me, or rage, or my position as director of an elite team. Whatever it was, the mailgirl in me was gone. I hadn -(TM)t been this personally upset since Mr Woo back in Seattle. I glared at Sam. -Physical violence?! Disgusting! You embarrass us -" bring the whole team down. Tell me why I shouldn -(TM)t fire you right now! - Sam stuttered. -What? I was -- she was -- for you. I mean -- your hair! Can you even fire me? - The dragon in me was growing. -Sam, she was just screwing with you. Pressing your buttons. How could you fall for it? Where -(TM)s your brain? What did you expect her to do? You have been really pushing her. But this -- this is a new low. If Becca gets wind of it -" forget fired -" she -(TM)ll have you arrested! You know how she feels about violence. - It was true, and Sam knew it. Violence was Becca -(TM)s hard red line. Sam looked scared briefly but then, she growled to herself. Rebelliously folding her arms, she looked both hurt and angry. -If you want me to quit, fuck it then. You let this bitch walk all over you and you expect me to do nothing? - Sam wiped her nose and looked away, hiding her face. I looked at Sarah. -And YOU! What -(TM)s going on? Why did you bring Sam along? And what -(TM)s all this crap about an apology? Why are you toying with her when you know goddamn well that she is just looking out for me! - Sarah looked like she didn -(TM)t know what to say. -I -(TM)m -- ahh, I guess things got a little carried away. - -Carried away?! I almost had my head cracked open on the road! Seriously! Why are you constantly trying to mess with me and my teams? Is it personal? Or are you just trying to destroy the project?! - Sarah scowled, looking up. -Why does everyone always think I -(TM)m the bad guy? Do you know how hard I tried to stop all this kinky crap of yours from getting into the building? How am I supposed to know what you like or hate? It -(TM)s not exactly clear, you know. Do you think I wanted this job!? - I shook my head in irritation. -I asked some questions, be straight with me Sarah, or this all ends now. Just talk to me, what is going on with you? - Sarah looked upset, angry, hurt, offended, and ready to give up -" all at the same time. She glared at me, then looked down at the ground. -You stole my team. They hate me now, and Sam runs around making me look like an ass, - she said, letting it all come out, hiding her face with her fingers. -Emi -- you humiliate me -" every day -" and YOU are the one running around naked! I try to do my job and follow your kinks and you act like this is all MY idea. You -(TM)re the one leading all this -- with your nines -- and leashes. YOU signed the deal. Why is any of this MY fault? I -(TM)m the fucking victim here, not you! People think I -(TM)m some kind of dominatrix now -" so much for professionalism in the office. So what? I try to accept things, go with the flow a little, and that -(TM)s so utterly wrong? What the fuck am I supposed to do? You tell me! - I sighed, realizing this whole thing was quite the ordeal for Sarah. And Sam too for that matter. I stepped forward and squatted in front of them, putting my hands on their shoulders. -I -(TM)m sorry guys. I didn -(TM)t realize how hard this was on the two of you. I was so caught up in my own life changes that I didn -(TM)t see how this was affecting others. Can you guys forgive me? - Sarah wiped her eyes with her forearm and turned her red face away from us. Amazingly, Sam kept her mouth shut and I leaned in and hugged them both. -So what are we doing out here then? - I asked her gently, -I guess I kind of deserved this embarrassing walk after all. - Sarah stared at the road by my feet. -What? No, - she said. -I was a bit upset with Sam and also myself -" about Travis. I was actually hoping to negotiate -- a truce. - -A truce? - Sarah ran her fingers through her hair, awkwardly. -I was hoping you could get Sam off my back and help me to -- well -- to not be -- - she said, looking away again. - -- to not be so hated by my own team. - I was surprised to hear this. I guess I hadn -(TM)t been paying attention to how she and her team were getting along. I must have thought it wasn -(TM)t any of my business and didn -(TM)t give it any thought. I realized that I needed to stop being so inwardly focused. Sam moved, as if about to speak. I pushed her back a little, shaking my head. Her lips were pressed tightly together, she wanted to speak so badly. I leaned into Sarah a little. -That sounds reasonable, - I said gently. -Go on -- - -And I thought I could negotiate something, if I went easy on you -- - I nodded, appreciating her confession. Meanwhile Sam was bucking, and I touched her shoulder again, to calm her down. It was tearing her apart to keep quiet. Sarah continued. -Plus Brandy wanted you to feel comfortable with Main Street and shopping, so that you could function normally in town. So I lined up a few shopkeepers to meet, to help you get used to shopping in just the shirt. - I nodded, taking it all in. -Sarah, you could have just come to me and spoke plainly about this. You don -(TM)t need leverage over us. Everyone getting along is already at the top of my list. I will always help with that kind of thing. - She nodded. I looked over at Sam. -Brandy -(TM)s request almost sounds halfway decent, doesn -(TM)t it? - Sam laughed. -You mean encouraging you to shop half naked? Or turning you into a mailgirl in general? - -The shopping part? - I said, wondering if I was too naive about Brandy. Sam grunted. -I can -(TM)t say much about Brandy, but I -(TM)ll tell you this. Hannah and I looked into her and Hannah noticed that all those images of hundreds of mailgirls were professionally photoshopped. If you look really closely you can see it -(TM)s pretty much the same dozen girls in all of her marketing images. So all that talk about thousands of mailgirls and this big mailgirl community -" all complete BS. And I looked into Jake and Wang, and it appears that he may have already been thinking of making a cruise ship port here. Sarah sat up interested. -Yes, there is more than meets the eye with Brandy. And I -(TM)m not just talking about her kinky office. - -How so? - I asked. Sarah sat up. -Well -- Brandy has some meetings with Wang lined up, and they are all about how the app will be tested. Which seemed odd to me, since the app doesn -(TM)t exist yet. Usually the initial focus of software projects are about the software requirements, the testing comes afterwards. So I guess they want to focus on the marketing side, that dev journal that Brandy keeps going on about. Which I guess is really just all about you Emi. Seems like they feel the success of the marketing hinges on you sharing details about your testing journey somehow. - -That -(TM)s bullshit, - Sam blurted. -On the surface, it looks like they just want to sensationalize mailgirls to sell the app, and are using Emi to do it. But who in their right mind invests that much in a market that doesn -(TM)t exist? - Good questions, I thought, locking eyes with a bike courier briefly as he rode past. Without being too obvious, I checked if my hem was exposing anything. Sam looked at me, as if she -(TM)d suddenly realized something. -Wang -- - -I don -(TM)t really care about the business side, Sam, - I said, cutting her off. -Let -(TM)s just focus on building the app ASAP. And then get the hell out of here, - I said, wondering if Wang had more than one reason to back the project, namely enjoying making me look like the world -(TM)s first mailgirl. And then advertising that publicly to the world. Was she really that petty? Was Brandy here because of Wang? I hoped not, not only for myself, but also for Su-Ning. -Sarah, have you heard anything about Su-Ning? - I asked, thinking this was stuff that she should be aware of. -Ruth told me this morning, that her father passed away yesterday, and that she will be back within a week. - -Oh, no -- I -(TM)m sorry to hear that -- poor Su-Ning and her mother, - I said, feeling bad for my friend. Although I knew it was a likely possibility, I had still been hoping for good news. I also felt bad about being glad that she would return soon. I didn -(TM)t want it to be for that reason. Finally I stood up. -Alright then -- let -(TM)s get this walk over with. You two -- back in the rickshaw. - Sam looked at me like I was crazy -" to be suggesting we continue the walk -" especially after all this. I looked at them expectantly. Hesitatingly, they climbed in and I handed Sarah my leash. She took it, but then handed it to Sam. -Your turn. - I took the handles and waited for the signal to move, glad that Sarah was making an effort to be civil with Sam. Glad that I managed to end that brawl and find out what was really going on with Sarah. Things were finally looking up. It was lifting my spirits. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Sam finally take the leash with two fingers, holding it as if she were offered a rotten potato, scowling. I did a little ponygirl strut and lifted the handles, and shook my butt playfully. Sam scowled, but she seemed to be half playing. -Wait you guys! - Jill said, racing up to us with a lid-covered drink in hand. -Sam, sorry for being late. I hope you like the latte, - she said, breathing heavily. She looked worried, but then she surprised me with a little wink as her eyes traced along the leash back to Sam -(TM)s hand. Sam finally smiled, taking the cup and gripping the leash with a little more confidence. -Where to next ma -(TM)am? - I said cheerfully, adjusting my glasses. -Ahh -- the corner store at the end of the block. - This was it. Time to put my big girl panties on, only I wasn -(TM)t wearing any. I leaned forward, pulling the rickshaw down the street, towards the end of the block. Jill walked back across the street slowly, watching as we left. I tried to keep my eyes forward and focused on my running rhythm. Up ahead, standing outside was a young man, fidgeting with his hands behind his back. He glanced at me a couple of times briefly, making me wonder if he was waiting for me. I also hoped my hem was playing nice as I pulled up alongside him and set down the handles. -Collar, - Sarah commanded. I turned to face her and stepped forward so she could unhook my leash. She -(TM)d certainly gotten back into character quickly, I mused. -Thank you ma -(TM)am, - I said, averting my eyes. -Nice, Nine, now please accompany this gentleman into his fine establishment and buy a couple things, - Sarah said, handing me some cash. -A couple things? - -Figure it out. Off you go, Nine. - I spun away from her, rolling my eyes as I went. But the sight of the young man, barely twenty, made me hesitate. He was close enough to get a proper look at me. I walked up to him and shook his hand. -Hi, I -(TM)m ahh -- Nine, I guess -- - I said, looking back briefly to the rickshaw. Sam was wide-eyed and Sarah was all smiles, she gave me a thumbs up. -I -(TM)m Dee -- It -(TM)s an honor to meet you, - he said, trying to keep his eyes on my face. He was a tad bit heavy, but not by much and had a large chiseled jaw on an honest looking face. His afternoon shadow went well with his frumpy clothing. I didn -(TM)t know what to make of him. -Well Dee, mind if I come in? - I said, fully aware that I was likely showing a lot. But somehow his humble smile relaxed me a little. -Oh -- please do! - he said, hurriedly walking before me to open the door. -Thank you, - I said, as I entered an odd-looking corner store. There were model airplanes hanging from the ceiling, everywhere. Why did that have to be mostly WW2 Japanese Zeros? Everything else seemed fairly normal for a corner store, except for a small section of touristy stuff. He had a laptop open on the counter by his cash register. What to buy -- what to buy -- I thought, trying to ignore my shirt and act like a normal person. I -(TM)ll just grab two things and get out of here. I walked past the refrigerated drinks, and the potato chip stand and a section of auto-sprayed vegetables, then around a row of household items. I grabbed a four-pack of toilet paper and a two-pack of razors -" done. Dee smiled as I walked up to his cash register. -Sarah told me that you are a programmer, - he said in a friendly manner. I put the things in front of him and un-fisted my cash. -Yep, - I said, handing him the money, resisting the strong urge to fold my arms. He took it and put it in the cash register, counting out the change he handed it to me. -I -(TM)ve been trying to learn. But kinda stuck on this javascript problem, - he said, spinning his laptop around to face me. I smiled, wondering if this was a setup. -How long have you been coding? - I asked, wondering if Sarah was trying to make my first visit more comfortable by having some clerk pretend to need help with some code. -A couple months. - -Do you know what a function is? - -Well -- yeah, but it -(TM)s this function that I -(TM)m having trouble with. It -(TM)s not returning what I was expecting, - he said, scrolling down to the middle of the page. I leaned in, taking a quick look. -Why is it so big? You have a lot of nested -~if else -(TM) statements, which makes it hard to understand. If you break it down into a few well named functions, and better named variables, then it will be a lot simpler to read and fix. - -Oh right, yes -- that sounds like a good idea, - he said, not sounding very confident. I could tell that he didn -(TM)t have enough experience to break it down and that he could just barely comprehend what he was doing. -I -(TM)ll do that, thanks, - he said, looking dispirited. -Can I get a bag for this? - -Oh right, yes of course, - he said, reaching down. -And thank you for visiting. You are really brave, - he said, stuffing the toilet paper into the bag. -Brave? - I asked, knowing full well what he meant. So much for avoiding the elephant in the room. -Well -- you know -- that shirt -- - I sighed. -Sorry, I know it -(TM)s a bit much. - -No, I think it -(TM)s great that you are promoting body awareness so openly like that. This island is way too conservative for a resort island. - His words touched me, for some reason. -Oh? Have you ever been to a nudist resort? - -Ahh no, not yet, - he stammered. -You should. It -(TM)s very liberating, - I said, auto-slipping into ambassador mode as I glanced at his javascript function again. -Would you be there? - he asked, sounding nervous. I looked up from his code. -I used to be, but now I -(TM)m an ambassador, promoting Fantasy Resort from the outside, - I said, briefly showing him the back of my shirt. Ahh, I saw the issue with the function. -But it says -~Resort Ambassador -(TM) not -~Fantasy Resort -(TM), - he said. I looked up briefly. -I don -(TM)t handle the marketing, maybe it -(TM)s meant to be more generic, for the whole island. - -Ahh -- and the collar? - -Part of the ACE initiative, - I said, trying to not blush while typing into his computer to fix the bug. It was hard to read the dim screen with my sunglasses. He had a reverse logic issue, better named variables and less condensed logic on each line would have made it more obvious for him. -Oh right, I read about that. The Adult Costume Events, - he said, leaning in to look at what I -(TM)d typed. I ran his code. -Oh man, you fixed it! - -Thank you, - I said, grabbing my bag and opening the door to leave. -No, Thank you! Oh you forgot your razors. - I went back quickly, feeling some heat on my face. He handed me the razors. -Please come again, - he said, in a professional tone. -I -(TM)ll come back if you clean up that code. - -Okay, I -(TM)m on it! - -Then I will see you later, - I said, exiting the store. Sarah watched me as I approached the rickshaw. -What -(TM)s with the smile? - -I finally found some toilet paper, - I said seriously, handing the bag to Sam. -Ooh -- razors, - Sam said, peeking into my bag. -You can call me Ma -(TM)am, - Sarah said, holding out my leash. -Yes Ma -(TM)am, - I said, lifting my chin up as she attached the leash. Then I took the handles and resumed smiling as I planted my feet firmly in the pavement. -Onward! - Sarah Commanded. I felt the weight of Sarah and Sam as I started pulling vigorously. It was a crazy day and I still had my shirt on. But I was feeling somehow better after all that unexpected bonding with Sarah and Sam. This was turning out to be a better run than expected as I brazenly flashed my very public thighs, hopefully not too much more, to people along the sidewalk as we passed the storefronts and parked cars. -So are we about done? Any more stores Ma -(TM)am? - -Yes, Nine. Just one more. You can pull over right here. - I pulled over in front of a half a dozen little shops in a touristy part of Main Street. Putting down the handles, I rubbed my fingers while I looked at them wondering -- -No Nine, not there. Across the street. - Looking across the street was only one store. A very big store. The Central Supermarket for the entire town. I gasped. -Wait -- what? -