Another commission for tonyraccoon featuring a picture and a story!

Queen Turja was tired of butting heads with the rest of the royal family. The constant fights were draining her energy, and there had been yet another skirmish this evening. Turja felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel. She started changing her clothes to go to bed, but could only get her boots off before sighing and flopping face-down on her mattress. She couldn't even muster up the will to get undressed.

Just then, there was a knock at Turja's door. "Turja? It's Li-Li." Turja recognized the voice of her chief bodyguard and personal assistant, Liasu. Turja mumbled something close enough to "Come in" for Liasu to understand. Liasu, a lithe magenta lizard, turned the doorknob and stepped into the room, a look of deep concern on her face.

"Turja," she began, "I'm really worried about you. You've been so depressed lately. It pains me to see you like this."

"I know," said Turja sadly.

"I've tried so many things to cheer you up, and nothing's worked. So I've taken the liberty of hiring a jester."

Turja lifted her head up. "A jester?!" she asked incredulously.

Liasu looked askance and bit her lip. "I know, I know. Your previous experiences with jesters have gone... not so well. But this guy is the real deal. I promise you he will make you laugh."

Liasu was a trusted friend, but Turja was still wary. "Li-Li..." she groaned.

"Please, give him a chance. You wouldn't believe the lengths I had to go to to find this guy."

Turja sighed. "Okay. Send in the jester."

Liasu flashed a wide smile. "Great! You'll thank me for this." Liasu backed out of the room and gestured toward someone out of view to enter.

In walked a lizard of an odd brownish color, dressed in a purple and green jester's costume. "Good evening, Your Majesty," he said. "My name is Tony and I'll be your jester tonight."

"Okay," said Turja skeptically, "but you better not waste my time with sucky jokes."

"Who said anything about jokes?" said Tony with a sly grin. And quick as a blink, Tony leaped onto Turja's bed. In her sluggish state, she was unable to react before he caught her in a leglock and started tickling her fishnet-clad feet.

Turja broke out in shocked laughter as Tony's fingertips skittered over her shapely soles, deftly probing the gaps in the fishnet mesh to get at the bare skin. Turja's energy returned as she felt things she had forgotten she could feel. She giggled and squirmed, instinctively trying to break free of Tony's grasp, but she could not. Her toes alternately spread and scrunched up in response to the overwhelming stimulation to her feet. It was at this point that she sensed something unusual about Tony's fingers. Suddenly, Turja gasped as she noticed that the tail next to her was now... furry? And it had several dark rings encircling it.

"You... (hee-hee...) You're a..."

"Raccoon," said Tony, his true form now revealed.

Turja had no problem with furry creatures, but most of her fellow Zidnorians sure did. If this raccoon were discovered in the Royal Palace, in the queen's bedroom, no less, he'd surely be killed on the spot in a most brutal manner.

"Your friend gave me a charm which allows me to disguise myself as one of you," Tony continued. "Believe me, I know how dangerous it is to be in here tickling you. But the dangerous tickles are the most fun!" And Tony showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Turja chortled, cackled, and guffawed like she hadn't in longer than she could remember. Soon she heard Liasu's voice through the door, softly, but just loud enough to be audible. "If anyone asks, I'll tell them you're watching a funny movie. And don't worry--I'll get Tony out of here safely when he's done."

There was a brief pause.

"Oh. And you're welcome."