Like Mother, Like Daughter in the East

Tale 1

Jade smiled as she tidied away the last of the magazines, and looked round her Kyoto apartment. It was spotless, just in time for her daughter Yoshino to return from her morning tutoring session.

She was so proud of Yoshino, for an eight year old girl she was bright and polite – she had done a fine job of being the single parent to her. Working in the media meant she relied on babysitting a lot, but it was a joy to bring her up.

The twenty seven year old was wearing a pale blue sweater and short black leather skirt, the soft cream suede boots she was wearing coming up to the hem of the skirt. She liked to dress this way, and she knew Yoshino liked to copy her style as well.

Smiling, she picked up the large stuffed bear and looked at the red jumper on it, before she heard the apartment door open and close. “is that you Yoshino,” she called out, and smiled as her daughter said “it is – but there’s someone here to see you mama.”

“Oh – and what does you tutor…” Jade stopped still as Yoshino walked into the main room of the apartment. The young girl was wearing a blue denim jacket over a white t-shirt that had pink letters on the front, a short black skirt, brown suede boots that came up over her knee, and a beige wool cap on her black hair – but it was the man who came in with her that worried Jade.

He was about the same age as her, and wearing a black leather jacket over a blue shirt, jeans, and shoes – but he also had gloves on, and one hand was on her daughter’s shoulder as he said “Well, I hope your mama is ready to play the special game I told you about, little one.”

“She will play, won’t you Mama,” Yoshino said with a smile as she took her jacket and hat off, “you tell her about it while I fetch my teddy.” As she ran off, “Jade quietly said “who are you, and what do you want?”

“I’m a robber, and I’m here to rob you,” he said as he eased the butt of a pistol from the pocket of his jacket, “but I don’t want you to be scared. I read of a man in the West who made his home invasions a game for the family – and we can do the same here. I told you daughter I was going to make sure you both had to keep hugging your teddy bears, quietly – so that is what we are going to do.”

“You promise you will not hurt us,” Jade said, the man nodding as Yoshino came back in carrying her teddy bear. “All right, then – we play the game. What do you want us to do?”

“I want you both to hug your teddies,” the man said as he took a rucksack off his back, “and hold your hands together while you do so. The first thing I need to do for the game is to make sure your hug is a very long one.”

“We’ll do this together,” Jade said, Yoshino smiling and nodding as they both put their arms round the bears. The man smiled as he stood in front of Jade, and then produced a length of rope, using it to secure her wrists tightly together on the other side of the bear.

“Wow – that feels different,” Yoshino said as he secured her wrists as well, and then he produced a longer length of rope, walking behind the young girl before her wound it round her arms, her upper body and the teddy, making sure they were held tightly together as he did so.

Yoshino giggled as he pulled the ropes tight, and then said to her “why don’t you go and sit on the futon there, and your mama will lie on the low couch.”

“Okay,” the young girl said as she walked over and sat down, the man helping Jade to lie on her side before he said “the next part of the game is to make sure you can’t move for a while, so I’m going to use some rope to tie your legs together.”

“Okay,” Yoshino said as he started with her, crossing her ankles before he used some more white rope to secure them tightly together, the suede compressing under the bands as the girl watched. He took the rope between her ankles to make it tighter, and then used a second band to secure her legs together in the same way. Jade could see the brown getting lighter under the bands of rope, before the man rolled up a clean white cloth and looked at her daughter.

“Now, while I make sure your mama cannot get up, I need you to let me put this in your mouth. Your mama will get one as well, and you can try to talk to each other while I pretend to have a look round. Ready?”

“Ready,” Yoshino said as she opened her mouth, Jade watching as the man put the rolled up cloth in, and then walked over to her.

“Are you all right,” she called over, Yoshino turning her head and nodding as she said “hssfhnnmhmmhh.” She then felt the man crossing her won ankles, and felt the roe round her own ankles – the very large stuffed teddy preventing her form been able to see. So she looked over as Yoshino moved her bound legs up and down, humming to herself.

The man then bound her own legs together below her knees, the ropes constricting the soft suede on her legs as well, before she saw him, the rolled up cloth in his hand. She nodded and then opened her mouth, feeling the cloth on her tongue as she closed her lips over it, and saw the edges between Yoshino’s own lips.

“Now, you both stay there for a while,” the man said quietly, both of them nodding as Jade watched Yoshino hugging her bear, and then did the same to her. If they were both going to be there for a while – and she suspected they would be – they may as well play the game…

The man returned a half hour later, nodding as he took a roll of brown packing tape, and covered Jade’s mouth with strips, before doing the same to Yoshino, and then leaving them to try and escape…

Tale 2

“Thank you, Madame – please call again,” Suzu said as she bowed to the couple, watching them as they left the branch of Tiffany’s with their purchases. As the assistant manager of the store, it was her responsibility that day to ensure all went well. It had been a surprise to her, the manager calling in sick, and it meant that her ten year old daughter Suki would have to join her there for an hour before they closed, but he had understood.

The young woman was wearing a white dress shirt, with a black legless leotard underneath, and brown leather boots with a three inch heel that came up over her knees. Her long hair was dyed a reddish brown, the silver drop earrings just visible underneath.

She heard the door to the store open, and smiled as she saw Suki walk in with her rucksack on her back. The young girl had short black hair, like her father, and was wearing a purple long sleeved jersey, the hen of a short black leather skirt just visible underneath, and brown over the knee boots with a leather shoe and suede leg. A brown scarf was wrapped loosely round her neck.

“How was your day, Suki,”

Suki scowled as she said “boring – can I go into the back office and do my homework?”

“Of course,” Suzu said as she took the young girl into the office at the back of the jewellery store, watching as she pushed herself up into the metal office chair and unpacked some books from her rucksack.

“Do you need a drink?”

“Got one,” she said as she held up a water bottle, Suzu nodding as she made her way back into the store and spoke to the young couple that had just come in.

“I think you have made an inspired choice,” she finally said as the girl looked at the ring on her finger. “Is there anything else I can help you with, or shall I arrange for payment.”

“there is one more thing,” the man said as he looked in a shoulder bag je was carrying.

“Oh – and that is?”

“You can put your hands on your head,” the man said as he produced an automatic pistol and aimed t at Suzu, the woman smiling as she went and locked the store door, and moved the indicator to closed.

“Who else is here?”

“My daughter…”

The man nodded to the woman, who went into the office. She could hear Suki saying “what the” before there was silence, the man smiling before he said “put the contents of the trays into this bag” as he handed over a smaller leather satchel. “Do as we say, your daughter comes to no harm.”

Suzu slowly nodded, fearful of what the woman might do to her beloved daughter as she took the satchel and began to tip trays of jewellery, watches and other items into the bag. There were no sounds coming from the rear office, and she was beginning to fear the worst.

Eventually, she placed the satchel on the counter, the displays empty as the man smiled. “Good – urn round, and put your hands behind your back,” was all he said as he reached into his satchel, and produced a long, thin plastic strip.

“My daughter – what has she done to her,” Suzu said quietly as she complied, feeling his hands as he put her hands together, and then the thin strip biting into the flesh of her wrists as it was pulled tight, making a rasping sound as they were forced together.

“Let’s go and find out,” he said as he pushed Suzu through, her eyes widening as she said “Suki…”

“Hlpmhmmhhmm,” Suki said the sounds muffled by the fact her brown scarf had been pulled into her mouth, her lips barely closing over it as it had been tied round her head. Her arms were on the arms of the chair, the wrists held in place by two zip ties, while tow more had been used to secure her ankles together, and well as her legs below the knees, as she twisted round in the chair.

“Sit down,” the woman said as Suzu saw the open safe, sitting herself in the second chair as the man knelt down and used two more zip ties to secure her own ankles and legs together. She then saw him remove the white wool scarf that was wrapped round his neck, as he said “open wide…”

“Suzu? Where are you?”

He walked into the store, looking round and seeing the empty shelves, before he heard the faint muffled calls from the rear of the store, and ran in. They said they would leave her there – but then he saw Suki as well…

Tale 3

“Both of you, kneel in front of the couch there, and put your heads down onto the cushions.”

“Mother, what is happening,” Hikari said as she complied, and turned her head to look at Sunako.

“I do not know, but you need to eb brave,” her mother said as she looked over. She had her light brown hair tied in a knot on her head, and was still wearing the black leather biker jacket she had worn to collect Hikari from her friend’s house. The jacket was over a tight red top with a black collar, the bottom tucked into the waistband of a black leather skirt, the red cloth of her boots coming up over her knees and almost to the hem.

Ten year old Hikari was wearing a black waistcoat over a long white top with thin black stripes, the top just about covering her short denim skirt, and she was also wearing red boots, her ones coming just over her knees as she knelt down. She was scared – the men had surprised them as her mother had opened the door.

There were three of them, wearing dark suits and white shirts, as well as sunglasses and gloves – and their leader was the one who had ordered them to kneel down, while one of them pulled the telephone out of the wall, and the other put a large black bag on the low table.

“who are you,” Sunako said as she saw the man pen the bag, and take a length of white rope out, before he knelt behind her daughter and said quietly “put your hands behind your back.”

“Mother?”

“Do… Do as he says,” Sunako said quietly, “do not try to resist.” Hikari nodded as she slowly took her hands behind her, trying not to cry as the man crossed her wrists, before wrapping the rope tightly around and between her arms to hold them together.

“That hurts,” she whispered as the man then held her arms and made her kneel so that her upper body was straight, before he took a longer length of rope and wrapped it round her body, her waistcoat forced to the side as he pulled it tight and forced her arms into her sides below her elbows. He kept wrapping it round the young girl, making two bands and then securing it behind her, before he turned and smiled at Sunako.

“If you hurt her…”

“We will not,” the leader of the trio said as he knelt next to the woman, “so long as you behave yourself and do exactly what we tell you to do.”

“Mother…”

Sunako turned and watched as the man made her daughter sit on the floor, and then crossed her ankles before he bound them tightly together as well, the rope compressing the soft red leather as it was pulled round. Once he had that tied off, he used a further length to secure her legs below her knees, before he lifted Hikari up and put her over his shoulder.

“Where are you taking her,” she called out as he left the room, and she watched them walk up the staircase.

“Don’t worry, you’ll join her in due course,” the man said quietly. “Slowly, remove your jacket and leave it on the floor, then I want you to lie face down on the couch, and put your own hands behind your back.

“I don’t understand, why are you doing this,” Sunako asked, but she did as she had been ordered, looking over her shoulder as the intruder crossed her wrists behind her back and bound them tightly together with the rope, then crossed her ankles and secured them in the same way, the rope going round and between her limbs, the leather squeaking as he did so.

“We need you to call your husband,” the man said as he forced Sunako to sit up, and bound her legs together below her knees, “and you will tell him we have you and your daughter hostage, and he is to do what we tell him.”

“All right,” Sunako said as she felt the rope round her arms, forcing them into her sides as the bands formed above and below her chest, “just please, don’t hurt my daughter.”

“Then do as we say,” the man whispered as he tied the ropes off, and then went to where she had left her handbag, taking her mobile phone out and searching through the contacts before he dialled a number. He then placed the handset to Sunako’s ear as he looked at her.

“Ai? Listen very carefully, my dear – we are not alone in the house. We are the hostages of three men, and they say they want you to do something for them.”

She listened for a moment, before she said “believe me, I am not playing a joke, they are very real. One of them took Hikari up the stairs, and I cannot hear her.” She twisted in the seat, the lather of her boots squeaking as they rubbed together, and her skirt skidding on the cushion as she looked at the man.

“He wishes to talk to you.”

He nodded as he took the phone away, the second man in the room putting his hand firmly over Sunako’s mouth – and she was surprised to feel something tugging on the skin round her mouth as he pressed something down over her lips.

“Good – do as we ask, and wait for our call,” the man said as he ended the call, looking at Sunako with the brown sticking plaster pressed firmly over her mouth. “Take her to her daughter.”

“Whthshphhnnn,” she mumbled through the fabric as she was lifted over the second man’s shoulder, and carried up to her bedroom – her eyes opening wide as she saw Hikari lying on her side on the bed, rope leading from her ankles to the foot of the bed. She was laid down to face her, her own ankles tied to the foot of the bed, her daughter’s eyes wide over the strip of brown fabric plaster that covered her mouth, as the man stood and watched them…

Tale 4

Natsumi smiled as she watched her daughter dancing to the pop song on the carpet. She took a sip from her glass of wine and then set it down, before she stood up and unfastened the black leather belt that was tied round her waist, holding closed her grey fur coat. Both were removed and laid over the back of the couch before she sat back down, crossing her legs as she smiled at Fuyuko.

“Very well done,” she said as she clapped her hands, her daughter beaming as she bowed. The seven year old was wearing a blue denim waistcoat over a white sweatshirt, as well as pink jeans with the legs tucked into over the knee white leather boots. A pink hat was on her head, covering most of her long brown hair.

“Thank you, thank you,” she said as she clapped and looked at her mother. Natsumi was wearing a black pullover and leather trousers, the legs tucked into a pair f thigh high black leather boots with stiletto heels, the arms of her jumper covered by the black elbow length leather gloves. “I am ready for the concert now.”

“Of course you are, and as your manager I agree,” Natsumi said as she sat forward. “Now, go and get yourself a drink.”

“Okay,” Fuyuko said as she walked off – only for her mother to hear her cry and then to see her carried back in by a tall man, dressed in a blue boiler suit, a balaclava over his head so that only his eyes and mouth showed, and a leather gloved hand over the young girl’s mouth as the other arm held her.

“Don’t make a move,” he growled as he looked at her mother, “just do what I tell you, everyone gets to have a fun time. Tell your daughter not to make any noise.”

“Fuyuko,” Natsumi said quietly, “do not make any noise, and he will let you come to me. Do you understand?” As the little girl nodded, the man let her go and she ran to her mother, Natsumi putting her arms round her as they looked at the man.

“You,” he said as he reached into his pocket, and took out several lengths of rope, putting them down and shaking one loose as he handed it to Natsumi, “tie her wrists together behind her back.”

“Must I?” The man only nodded, as she took Fuyuko’s arms behind her back, and used the rope to tie her wrists together, hands palm to palm. The girl nodded as she felt the rope around and between her arms, before the man said to her “is down, little girl – your mother is going to tie your ankles together now as well.”

“Mummy?”

“It’s all right, Fuyuko,” Natsumi said quietly, “I’ll be gentle.” The little girl watched as her mother doubled the rope over, and then slipped it over her feet, pulling it tight so that her ankles were held together as she took the rope around them in neat bands, and then between her legs to make it tighter.

“One more length,” the man said as he handed Natsumi a third length of rope, “tie her legs together below her knees.” She nodded and secured her daughter as she had been instructed, Fuyuko watching before the man said “Good – now, put your hands together in front of you.”

“What are you doing to my mummy,” Fuyuko asked as she watched the man use another length of cord to bind her mother’s wrists together in front of her, the white bands clearly visible over the black leather gloves as she twisted her fingers. He then took the rope down and tied Natsumi’s ankles together, the rope linking the tow, before he said “don’t move” and left the room.

“Are you all right, Fuyuko,” Natsumi said as she twisted round, the young girl nodding as she tried to move her legs, and the leather squeaked.

“I am mama,” Fuyuko said as she looked up, “do you think the bad man is going to tie us even more?”

“I think he is – be brave,” Natsumi said as the masked man returned with a pair of scissors and a new skein of white rope. Unravelling it, he cut a length off, and then wrapped it around the young girl’s arms, pulling them into her sides as she squirmed round.

He then picked up a white scarf, and tied a double knot in the middle, before he said “open your mouth – I need to keep you quiet.”

She looked at Natsumi, who nodded before she allowed the man to push the knot into her mouth, closing her lips over it as he tied the band tightly round her head. He then released her mother’s ankles from her legs, making her stand up before he laid Fuyuko on her side, her hat on the floor as he put her head on a pillow before he turned the television on, and led her mother out of the room.

Fuyuko struggled on the couch, the ropes moving with her as she tried to speak. The cloth was slowly soaking up the saliva in her mouth, turning grey at the corners of her lips, as she watched the cartoons, hoping the man was not hurting her mother.

It was an hour later when she heard the thumps, and looked to the door to see her mother jumping in. Natsumi now had her hands secured behind her back, ropes holding her arms to her sides above and below her chest, while bands of rope also held her ankles together and her legs below her knees.

She looked at Fuyuko as she made her way slowly over, smiling over the black knotted scarf that was tied in her own mouth, before she allowed herself to sit on the floor next to the couch and moved her head. Fuyuko nodded as she moved over, placing her head next to her mother’s hands as she tried to slip a finger under the cloth band round her head.

It took a while, but eventually Natsumi managed to pull the knot out of her daughter’s mouth, Fuyuko gasping as the wet knot hit her chest. She then nodded as her mother turned round, and she started to pick on the knot holding the rope tight round her wrists…

As Natsumi shook her wrists free, she brought her arms round and managed to remove the ropes round her arms, before she turned and hugged her daughter.

“Well done.”

Both of them looked at the man in the doorway, the balaclava in his hand as Fuyuko said “that was great, daddy – when can we do it again?”

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