Cornered, her scheme foiled, the sinister Mesmara ran into a nearby funhouse. Cuttlewitch, her arch-nemesis, followed her in, placing a “closed” sign at the entrance for good measure.

“It’s over, Mesmara,” Cuttlewitch declared emphatically. “You were able to control Mister Magnanimous, but I’m a different story. So be good and come clean.”

The lights suddenly flipped on, and Cuttlewitch jumped at their own reflection.

“Tch… I should have known I was walking into a house of mirrors… Don’t think you’ve got one over me,” they said, trying to regain their composure.

They struggled to find their way around.

“That’s right,” said Cuttlewitch. “I know a thing or two about hypnosis. It’s my gimmick, too. You won’t catch me… unawares…”

A glint of the pocketwatch on Cuttlewitch’s belt caught their eye, momentarily.

“Ngh… What’s wrong, Mesmara? Lost and alone in here? I’m not here to hurt you. Just come quietly…”

The swirl of Cuttlewitch’s uniform danced around them in the mirrors. They swayed in a daze, and sighed.

“That’s right… the moment you lock eyes with me… it’ll all be over…”

Their knees buckled and they fell to the floor. They caught their pocketwatch swaying back and forth irregularly in a wobbly mirror’s reflection…

Until, after an implacable amount of time, she stood before them.

“Sit up.”

Cuttlewitch obeyed. Mesmara cupped their chin.

“You silly old fish. I didn’t even have to hypnotize you.”

Cuttlewitch was too entranced by Mesmara’s overwhelming presence to respond.

“Mmm…” Mesmara bit her lip and pulled down her tights. “I really must thank you for putting that ‘closed’ sign up. We have the whole funhouse to ourselves.”

She laid down on her back. Cuttlewitch’s eyes followed her down.

“Now be good and put on these hypno-goggles before you eat me out. I want you to see yourself in the mirror. See what you’ve become as you sink deeper for me, pleasing me…”

Cuttlewitch took Mesmara’s goggles, put them on, laid down on their belly, and did as they were told.

~

The two walked out of the funhouse, dressed in their street clothes again.

“Phew! That was fun,” she said. “I don’t follow superheroes or comics that much but that role-play was something else. And that was my first time doing it in public!”

Their face flushed. “Y-yeah. Jeez, and the arcade next door was really crowded…”

“We should do this again sometime, ‘Cuttlewitch,’” she smirked. “I have the feeling this is the start of a beautiful hero-villain relationship.”

Their face turned redder still. “Let’s just get that aftercare cotton candy already!”

“Oh, okay,” she said. “I’ll get you yet, Cuttlewitch!”