Fortune walked into the coffee shop and quickly found a table at the back of the room. She wasn’t exactly sure why she had been called here, but she was never going to turn down Bethany’s invitations, especially because she hadn’t seen her for a few weeks.

Fortune let out a sigh. It was an unfortunate reality of their setup. It wasn’t like the evil Doctor Danger, and the heroic Flextress could make their dates public. So it often meant that plans had to be changed at the last minute. But they were making it work, even if it was something that required constant effort.

After a few minutes, Bethany walked into the store. She quickly made eye contact with Fortune and nodded. Fortune smiled to herself. Bethany looked healthy. She had been slightly worried, as it was rare for Bethany to text her and request a meetup without any context, so Fortune had been worried that this would be Bethany delivering bad news. But she looked pretty happy.

Bethany quickly went to the counter and picked up two cups before making her way over to the table. She put one of the cups down in front of Fortune. “Strong and black,” she said with a grin.

“Very well done!” smiled Fortune as she took a sip of the coffee. It had taken a few weeks, but she had finally brainwashed her coffee order into Bethany. It was a nice rush of power, and it meant that Fortune didn’t have to drink any vanilla, mint, or pomegranate creamer. She had no idea where Bethany got her strange creamers, Fortune hadn’t seen half of them in stores, but whenever she went to Bethany’s apartment, she was presented with a whole shelf of them.

Once she had taken her sip, Fortune put the cup down and looked Bethany in the eyes. “So.” She said gently. “What’s up?”

“Not much,” giggled Bethany. “The usual.” She added as she took a sip of her coffee that was hidden under a mountain of whipped cream and sprinkles.

“But you wanted to talk to me?” Fortune replied. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

“Oh, right.” Nodded Bethany. “That.”

“What is that?” Asked Fortune gently. “Don’t worry. You can tell me anything.”

“Okay,” mumbled Bethany as she rubbed her arm. “This is going to sound dumb.”

“I’ve likely heard worse,” smiled Fortune. “Hit me with it.”

“Are you busy in September?” Bethany asked as she rubbed her arm.

“I don’t think so. Why do you ask?” Asked Fortune as she gave Bethany a quizzical look.

“Okay,” sighed Bethany. “I might have won tickets to a theme park, like for a vacation. And it’s for two. So I wondered if you want to come with me.”

“That seems an odd thing to be worried about!” Chuckled Fortune. “Why were you so shy about it?”

“I don’t know,” mumbled Bethany. “It sounds a little forward, but it’s not something my normal friends like, and my work friends are not into out of work socials.”

Fortune giggled for a few seconds before covering her mouth. “Forward? After what we’ve done together? Do I need to remind you that we met when you broke into my office?”

Bethany chuckled softly and blushed. “Right, yeah. But still. I don’t know. It feels weird to ask!”

“Here,” Fortune nodded as she pulled out her phone and started to tap on it. “I’ll message Sundra and see what my schedule is like. September is usually quieter.”

“Okay,” Nodded Bethany as she continued to sip at her coffee.

“If I agree to this,” Fortune added. “Will I need visas? Flights?”

“All taken care of,” grinned Bethany. “I just have to give your name and a scan of your passport to the contest runner, and they’ll handle everything.”

“Very nice,” smiled Fortune. “Who is running this contest?”

“The company that owns the park. And before you ask, yes. It is legit. This isn’t a weird trap. I’ve done my research.” Giggled Bethany.

“So how did you win? Do something cool?” Asked Fortune.

“Nah, just a prize draw,” smiled Bethany as Fortune’s phone chimed. Fortune picked it up and looked at the screen.

“Perfect. A few clients. But I can shift those without issue,” grinned Fortune. “So I can totally come with you!”

Bethany cheered as a big smile formed on her face. “I’m so happy! I’m already excited!”

“I’m glad,” smiled Fortune. “Just let me know anything I need to prep or bring, okay?”

“Okay!” Bethany smiled as she took another sip of her coffee. Fortune couldn’t deny that seeing Bethany so excited was making her unbelievably happy.

The pair continued to talk for the next few hours until they both slipped back into their working lives. The next few months went by at high-speed. Fortune’s phone was ringing off the hook with new clients basically begging for sessions. Sundra had informed Fortune that this spike in business was likely because a big celebrity had been doing interviews about how great hypnotherapy was. But Fortune didn’t really care. More clients meant more money.

Unfortunately, more clients also meant less time to hang out with Bethany. But it wasn’t a one-sided thing. A small-time villain had decided to organize a crime wave, and this meant that Flextress was on the front line every night, fighting for justice.

However, as September rolled around, the workload slowly started to lighten, giving Fortune time to think about her trip. She had been so busy she hadn’t really asked Bethany about it. In fact, all she knew was that it would require a flight and that she should be ready for lots of walking as well as temperate weather with a slight chance of rain. In the days running up to the vacation, Fortune packed and unpacked her bag several times, trying to decide what she actually needed.

She put outfits into the bag and took them back out again. After several days of repacking, Fortune chuckled to herself. “It is a theme park, not war. I can just buy anything I don’t have there. I’m sure there are stores nearby.” She continued as she put in some more attractive clothes, just in case she and Bethany got time to indulge in each other’s bodies. But as the trip was tomorrow, she knew she couldn’t keep repacking forever.

However, just as Fortune clicked the suitcase shut, she realized something. She had no idea when they were leaving or where she had to go. Fortune quickly grabbed her phone and dialed Bethany’s number, silently begging for her to answer.

“Hey, hey!” Cheered Bethany down the line. “What’s up? Excited? Tomorrow!” She giggled.

“I am!” Smiled Fortune. “I just got done packing, but I realized I don’t know when our flights are.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’ve booked a car to pick me up and then you.” Replied Bethany. “All taken care of.”

“Right. But when is it coming?”

“Oh! Three Am!” Giggled Bethany.

“Well, I better get some sleep and take a shower,” gasped Fortune as she glanced at the clock. “So I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“See you then!” Replied Bethany as Fortune hung up. The rest of the night went by in a blur as Fortune quickly wolfed down some instant ramen, showered, and then tried to get as much sleep as she could. However, before she knew it, her alarm was ringing.

Fortune stretched and grumbled as she quickly went for another shower. She wasn’t exactly sure why she was showering again, considering her last one was only a couple of hours ago. But it was routine, and her half-awake brain couldn’t function on anything more than routine.

Once she was finished in the shower, Fortune got dressed and quickly checked her stuff. Once she was sure she was ready, she put her phone and her ebook reader into her carry-on. Just as she debated making a cup of coffee, her phone buzzed, revealing a message from Bethany declaring that she was outside.

Fortune grabbed her bags and ran out of her apartment, quickly locking the door behind her before dashing down the stairs. Bethany was waiting out front in a cab. Fortune pulled the door open and threw her bags inside before sitting down and putting her belt on.

“Ready?” Asked the driver.

“Yes,” nodded Fortune as she felt a tapping on her arm. She turned around just to see Bethany holding out a paper coffee cup.

“Good morning!” She grinned.

“Gosh, you’re more awake than me,” smiled Fortune as she sipped the coffee.

“I was too excited to sleep!” Nodded Bethany as she giggled. “Got all your stuff?”

“Yep,” nodded Fortune. “Do you have the tickets?”

“I do! All digital!” Grinned Bethany as she waved her phone. “So we’re good to go!”

“Great,” nodded Fortune as she looked out of the cab’s window. Despite Fortune’s worries, the cab expertly avoided traffic, and they soon arrived at the airport. As they checked in and made their way through security, Fortune was impressed by how organized Bethany was. But as she thought that, Fortune corrected herself, Bethany was very organized. It was just that Fortune made her act like an idiot whenever they met up. Flextress was very capable. Submissive Bethany was intentionally ditzy.

Once they arrived in the waiting area, Fortune smiled at Bethany. She was obviously very excited about this trip. In fact, Fortune had never seen her this excited before. “This is going to be fun!” Smiled Fortune.

“Yes!” Grinned Bethany. “I’m so glad you could come with me.”

“I’m glad as well. I could use the vacation,” nodded Fortune as she tipped her head back and closed her eyes. After a while, the flight started to board, and they made their way to their seats. However, as she sat in her chair, Fortune’s tiredness got to her, and she felt herself drifting off. And, just as the plane rose into the sky, she fell into a deep sleep.

“As we prepare for landing,” echoed a voice as Fortune stretched and blinked. She looked around and quickly realized she was still on the plane. She turned to look at Bethany, only to see that the girl was reading a comic book with a small pink cat on the cover.

“I drifted off,” giggled Fortune.

“I saw!” Smiled Bethany. “You didn’t miss much, just another thirty minutes or so.”

“Great,” smiled Fortune as she stretched and looked out of the window, watching as the city came closer and closer into view. As the girls landed, Fortune rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She was still tired but at least felt more energetic now.

As the girls lined up for immigration, Bethany kissed Fortune on the cheek and whispered, “Remember, we’re not villains. We’re normal,” into Fortune’s ear. Fortune giggled and nodded. She doubted if anyone would believe them if they said what their real jobs were. Very rarely could you tell someone you were a supervillain without them laughing at you.

But thankfully, the topic didn’t come up. Bethany was more than prepared, having all of the visa paperwork to hand and quickly answering any and all questions the immigration agent had. And before Fortune had time to think, they were at the baggage claim. As Fortune watched the bags travel the carousel, Bethany looked at her phone.

“So, from here,” she said. “There is a train that takes us to the main station and then a train directly to the park. It will likely be quicker than a cab. Do you want food or anything?”

“I’m okay,” smiled Fortune. “I think if I sit down to eat, I’ll struggle to get back up again.”

“Fair enough,” Bethany chuckled. “I had your snack on the plane, so I’m good.” She said as she grabbed her bag off the belt. “So, we’re heading to the station then. It’s over there!”

Fortune grabbed her bag and followed Bethany through to the airport and towards the station. The train came quickly, and Fortune was able to zone in and out as the train slowly made its way through the city. It was odd for Fortune to be the half-asleep one, but Bethany obviously knew what she was doing, so Fortune was more than happy to let her be the guide.

As they reached the transfer station. Fortune looked around and admired the station. However, before he could get her thoughts together, Bethany pointed at a sign. “Okay! The Dream line is over there!”

“Dream line?” blinked Fortune. “What an odd name for a train.” She said as she followed behind Bethany. But it didn’t matter. Within minutes they were on board another train. This ride was quicker than the first, but they were soon at the next station.

As they stepped out, Fortune’s eyes went wide. This station was a massive Art Deco affair, complete with large murals and stained glass. It was quite unlike anything Fortune had ever seen before.

“Wow,” she gasped as she looked around, blown away by the sheer scale and artistry of the station. However, before she could look for too long, Bethany tapped her on the arm.

“We should head through,” she grinned as Fortune started to move.

“Impressive station!”

“Yeah,” Bethany nodded. “It is part of the park! The Dream Line only comes to this station.” She said as she moved through the station and up a set of stairs.

As they went up the stairs, Fortune spotted that one of the murals featured the small pink cat that had been on Bethany’s comic book. However, as they came out of the station, Fortune realized that it wasn’t just a coincidence.

At the far end of the promenade, she could see a large entranceway. She could see it as it was bright pink and decorated with lots of characters, clouds, and models of candy. The pink cat sat directly above the entrance, her arms out like she was about to duck down and hug you. The text on the sign was written in another shade of pink and proudly declared the entrance to be for “KittyMallow’s Dream World.”

“It is so cute!” Squealed Bethany as she quickly took a picture. A soft and cheery piano piece floated into Fortune’s ear as she continued to take in the sight of the bright pink entranceway. Behind it, she could make out what seemed to be a luminous pink castle as well as a load of pink fairytale buildings.

“How long are we here for?” Asked Fortune as the saccharine made her eyes sting.

“A week!” Cheered Bethany.

“God help me,” mumbled Fortune.

“The hotel is over this way!” Bethany waved as she quickly set off away from the entrance. As they walked around the area, Fortune was able to see more of the park. Every building seemed to be bright pink and cartoon-like.

Eventually, they came to a tall building. At first, it looked normal. However, Fortune quickly spotted the large pink sign on the front of the building. The sign read “Magic Mallow Dreams Resort” in an ornate pink font. Fortune winced a little bit, only to wince again as she stepped inside.

The whole lobby was a mixture of pastel pinks. While it did look modern, there were pictures of that pink cat everywhere, and a lot of the decorations had bows on them as well as being made to have cartoon proportions. Fortune was so in shock that she didn’t even pay attention as Bethany claimed the keys and guided her into the elevator.

As they made their way to the room, Fortune braced herself. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she wasn’t looking forward to the idea of having to say in a pink cotton candy hellscape.

“Okay!” Giggled Bethany as she stopped in front of a door. “Room 677!” She slipped the keycard into the door and pushed it open. Fortune held her breath and stepped inside the room.

However, as she looked around, Fortune let out a sigh of relief. The room was very normal. In fact, it looked like most other hotel rooms. The only thing that tied it into the pink world of the lobby was the brochures on the desk and a little cardboard cutout that sat on the nightstand.

“This is so cute!” Squealed Bethany as she threw her case down and ran to the window. “The park looks so pretty!” She continued, obviously very excited as she pressed her nose against the glass.

“Yeah,” mumbled Fortune as she sighed and dropped her case before sitting on the bed. As she let out a soft sigh, Fortune heard a mumble from the other side of the room.

“Sorry.”

“Huh?” Blinked Fortune as she looked at Bethany.

“This must be really embarrassing for you.” Mumbled Bethany as she looked out of the window. “A grown woman getting excited over this.”

Suddenly a wave of realization washed over Fortune. She had been overly dismissive about Bethany’s interest. “Hey,” replied Fortune as she stood up. “No, no, it’s not. I’m sorry. I’m overtired. I’m happy you invited me.” She said as she wrapped her arms around Bethany’s waist.

“Really?” Mumbled Bethany. “I feel silly dragging you to something so dorky.”

“I’ll admit, I know nothing about this. But I’m happy that you’re happy. Once I get some rest, I’ll be less snippy.” Fortune whispered gently.

“Thanks.” Smiled Bethany. “I don’t know, this just makes me happy.”

“It is okay to have interests. I love the Nathen movies. You know the terrible slapstick comedies?”

“Yeah,” giggled Bethany.

“When he falls into the bucket, and it gets stuck on his head,” Fortune replied. “Gets me every time. Whenever I’m sad. I put those on.”

“This is that for me.” Bethany nodded. “KittyMallow’s world is just nice. Everyone is friendly and gets along. It’s safe.”

“And that is okay,” nodded Fortune. “I’m not going to be grumpy panties. I was just confused and taken aback. It is my fault for not doing research.”

“You got busy,” chuckled Bethany. “It’s okay.”

Fortune gently swayed Bethany as she moved one of her arms off of Bethany’s waist before kissing her neck. “Well, I’m going to make it more than okay,” Fortune continued as she gently moved her hand in front of Bethany’s face and started to sway her finger back and forth.

“Huh?” Mumbled Bethany as her eyes followed the finger. Fortune watched Bethany’s eyes in the mirror. They were already starting to glaze over. Months of training and Bethany’s sleep deprivation made her an easy target. “What are you?” Gurgled Bethany.

“That’s it,” purred Fortune as she continued to sway Bethany and rock her finger. “Just watch the finger. You know what happens when you watch the finger. You know you become fixated. Mesmerized. Entranced. And you know. That the more you look at the finger, the more your mind starts to switch off. The slower and more empty it becomes.”

“Slower,” groaned Bethany as her eyelids started to flutter. Her mouth dropped open slightly as she began to drool a little bit, her body still swaying in time with Fortune’s movements.

“Yes, and what happens when my finger presses into your forehead?” Asked Fortune.

“Turn off,” gurgled Bethany. “Go deep.”

“Good girl!” Smiled Fortune as she continued to rock her finger to and fro, moving it closer and closer to Bethany’s forehead with each passing second. “Yes, that’s it, you can’t take your eyes off it. Can only watch it sway with each and every movement. Just so focused and empty. Only able to watch it swing and sway.”

“Sway,” mumbled Bethany as a thin line of drool ran down her cheek, her body trembling as her eyes rolled up into her head, turning them pearly white.

“Yes, good girl,” smiled Fortune as she started to spiral her finger, getting closer and closer to Bethany’s forehead. After a few seconds of spiraling, she firmly tapped Bethany on the forehead. Bethany’s eyes slammed shut as she slumped back into Fortune’s arms, her whole body going limp as she let out a low, soft moan. Fortune smiled as she gripped Bethany tightly, letting the girl limply rest against her. No matter how many times she did this, she could never get over the rush of power it gave her.

“Repeat,” Fortune said firmly.

“Don’t think. Just do. Doctor Danger tells me what to do.” Groaned Bethany with practiced ease.

“Good girl!” Cooed Fortune as she continued to gently sway the girl. “Such a good girl. Now listen closely to me. Listen very closely to me.” Purred Fortune as she admired Bethany’s limp form in the mirror.

“Listen,” replied Bethany.

“Yes, listen.” Nodded Fortune. “See, I want you to have fun on this trip. Because you having fun makes me happy. Having fun and enjoying yourself is, in effect, serving me. So. For the duration of this trip. I give you permission to be selfish. To drag me around. To so proudly and openly state your wants without shame. Because I want to learn everything about KittyMallow. I want to know everything you love about this. And I want to see you smiling.” Cooed Fortune.

Bethany slowly and drowsily nodded as Fortune continued to talk and purr into her ear. Bethany’s eyes remained rolled up as her chest moved slowly up and down. Her whole body was softly trembling as each of Fortune’s words sunk into her brain.

“Yes.” Smiled Fortune. “You have permission. In fact, you have a direct order. To enjoy yourself. To indulge in every way you want. I want to be dragged and told what we’re doing. You’re in total control of this trip, and you never have to worry or hide the things that make you happy. No matter how silly or dorky or embarrassing you think they are. I want to see it because I love seeing you happy. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Doctor,” groaned Bethany.

“Excellent.” Smiled Fortune. “Repeat.”

“Don’t think.” Bethany moaned. “Just do. Doctor Danger tells me what to do.”

“Fantastic,” continued Fortune as she moved Bethany back into a more stable and upright position. “Now, one, two three. Wake up!” She said as she snapped her fingers.

She felt the tension slowly return to Bethany’s muscles as the girl started to take her own weight. In the mirror, Fortune watched as Bethany began to blink as emotion returned to her face.

“What,” groaned Bethany. “What happened?” She said as she stood up and shook her head before turning to face Fortune. “You hypnotized me!”

“I did!” Grinned Fortune.

“I feel light and fuzzy,” mumbled Bethany. “But I can’t remember it.”

“Well, of course not! I can’t have you remembering my evil plans, can I?” Giggled Fortune.

“Hey!” Pouted Bethany teasingly, only to burst into giggles.

“Huh?” Replied Fortune, only for Bethany to quickly skip to the other side of the room and point at a painting.

“Look!” She grinned as Fortune looked at the picture. At first, it seemed like a generic forest landscape. The type of generic non-offensive art you would find in any number of hotel rooms or public lobbies. But as Fortune’s eyes followed Bethany’s finger, she spotted what had made the girl smile.

Behind the tree was KittyMallow. She was poking her head out like she was playing hide and seek or another game. Fortune was actually impressed they had done a fantastic job at making her fit within the world of the picture. If she wasn’t staring right at it, she wouldn’t have noticed.

“Very cute!” Smiled Fortune.

“She’s so cute! It is like the cartoon from the ’70s! Where they go for a picnic in the forest!” Nodded Bethany before stopping herself. “Huh,” she blinked. “I don’t normally gush about this so openly.”

“Do you want to stop?” Asked Fortune.

“No. I like it.” Nodded Bethany. “I love KittyMallow! She is my favorite cartoon character!” She nodded. “You did something to my head!” She added.

“I just took away some mental blocks.” Replied Fortune. “I want to see all of your love for this place without you feeling embarrassed.”

“So cute!” gasped Bethany. “Oh, you are so sweet. To think you call yourself a villain.”

“Hey now!” teased Fortune. “Just because I’m curious about KittyMallow, doesn’t mean I’m not evil.”

“Yeah, right.” giggled Bethany.

“Be careful, missy,” smirked Fortune. “Anyhow, what’s the plan?”

“Dinner,” Bethany replied. “We’ll have to find a map. Our park tickets are not until tomorrow, and I don’t know this local area well. But there has to be something close by.”

“Right,” nodded Fortune. The girls quickly prepared themselves and made their way out of the hotel. As they walked back through the lobby, Fortune tried to take it in. She had to admit, the style was growing on her a little bit. Whoever designed it certainly had an eye for detail, and she could appreciate that.

Eventually, they found a fast food place and grabbed something before heading back to their hotel and eating it. Both of them were so tired that they really didn’t care what they were eating. Once they were done and showered, Bethany let out a gasp.

“What’s up?” Asked Fortune.

“One bed!” Said Bethany as she pointed at the bed.

“Yeah?” Asked Fortune. “What about it?”

“I didn’t ask you about sharing!” Whimpered Bethany. “I didn’t think!”

“I presumed we were?” Shrugged Fortune. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

“Well. I don’t know. You might not want to!” Bethany replied quickly.

“Sweetie. We’ve had sex. Sharing a bed is a step-down.” Fortune giggled as she climbed in. “Now, get in silly!”

“Yes, Doctor Danger,” smiled Bethany as she climbed into the bed and wiggled into Fortune’s arms before falling asleep, and Fortune quickly followed her.

The next morning the alarm started to ring. Fortune opened her eyes and looked around the room. The sound of the shower broke through the veil of her drowsiness as she stretched. It took her a few moments to remember where she was and that she was sharing a room with Bethany.

“I wonder if that suggestion stuck,” mumbled Fortune as she sat up and stretched. However, she didn’t have to wait long for her answer. Suddenly Bethany skipped out of the shower with a massive smile on her face.

“Good morning, sleepyhead!” Giggled Bethany.

“It stuck,” smiled Fortune as she watched Bethany dry herself off. “So, how are you doing?”

“I’m so excited!” Squealed Bethany as she bounced a little on the spot. “So so excited!”

“Great!” Grinned Fortune. “Now, what are we doing?”

“Breakfast!” Replied Bethany. “It comes with the tickets, it is a basic buffet, but it gives us a nice and simple starting point!”

“Great! I’ll go shower, and then I’ll be with you!” Nodded Fortune as she jumped out of bed and started to get ready. Fortune worked as quickly as she could, wanting to make sure Bethany had the best day possible.

Soon both Fortune and Bethany were ready. Fortune was in her regular street clothes, but Bethany was obviously letting her hair down. Her outfit was bright neon pink, even brighter than the clothes Bethany wore at home.

As the pair made their way down to breakfast, Bethany had a skip in her step. It filled Fortune’s heart with warmth to see it. The breakfast was pretty generic, but Fortune didn’t mind. She had eaten worse.

“So,” smiled Fortune as she sat down. “Anything big for today? Anything cool in the park I should know about?” She asked as she sipped her coffee.

“Glad you asked!” Smiled Bethany as she put a map in the middle of the table and opened it up. Fortune was instantly blown away by the size of this place, she had presumed it was going to be like the state fairground in size, but this place was gigantic. “This is where I want to head first,” grinned Bethany as she tapped a point on the map.

“Magical Friends All-Around,” mumbled Fortune as she did her best to read the upside-down text.

“It is the park’s most popular ride. It will get super busy, so if we do it first, then we won’t have to wait as long.” Explained Bethany. “The bigger and more thrilling rides apparently get quiet later in the day as families leave earlier.”

“Wow! You know your stuff!” Grinned Fortune.

“I did my research!” Nodded Bethany.

“Well,” added Fortune as she took a sip of coffee. “Remember to just yank me if I go the wrong way! I didn’t realize this place was so packed! I can see why this needs a week now!”

“Yay!” cheered Bethany as she quickly ate her breakfast. Once they were both done, the girls got up from their tables. Bethany led Fortune towards the park entrance.

As they went through the ticket booth, the woman working there smiled. “Our contest winners! Oh, just go to the left after the bag check, and someone will come to meet you!” She grinned as Bethany nodded.

“Meet us?” Asked Fortune.

“I don’t know,’’ mumbled Bethany as she let the guard check her bag.”I didn’t see anything about that." Fortune started to look around, she trusted Bethany’s research, but her instincts were ringing alarm bells in her head.

However, as they exited the security checkpoint, they were met by a group of park staff in bright pink costumes. “Congratulations!” They all cheered. Bethany giggled as Fortune looked around in confusion.

One of the women stepped forward. She was in a very bouncy dress that was covered with lace and ribbons, to the point that she seemed to be more ribbon than woman. “Hello! Congratulations on winning the contest!” smiled the woman. “As the acting happiness ambassador, I’m happy to welcome you to KittyMallow’s Dream World.” She passed Bethany a box. “Please, accept these gifts from us!”

Bethany pulled the box open before making an excited squeal. Inside the box were two pin badges, each depicting KittyMallow in a wizard’s hat and cloak, complete with a little magic wand in her hand. “Thank you!” Smiled Bethany as she put hers on.

“We hope you have a wonderful time,” grinned the woman as the group clapped again. Fortune chuckled softly. She hadn’t expected such a welcome, but Bethany was positively radiating joy, and that made Fortune happy.

The girls quickly made their way to the ride Bethany wanted to ride. Fortune was decently impressed with herself. Bethany was so much more confident about this whole thing, proudly telling Fortune everything she knew about the park and all the characters. And as Bethany spoke, Fortune couldn’t help but become interested in them.

Bethany’s suggestion that the ride would be quiet was totally right. There was hardly a line, allowing the girls to quickly make their way through the queue and onto one of the little boats. Fortune wasn’t sure what to expect from the ride, but she had to admit, now she had spent a bit of time in the park, she was finding it less of a sensory overload. She had even gotten used to all the neon pink.

The boat set off as a cheery song started to play. As it turned a little corner, Fortune found herself in the middle of a large diorama that included several of the characters she had seen on the signs around the park, all of them singing along with the song.

It was a happy song, a little saccharine for Fortune’s tastes, but she appreciated the sentiment. The ride was obviously quite old, as the models didn’t move much, but the whole building had a dream-like quality to it. As the boat turned into the second room, the song changed slightly. Fortune felt pressure on her shoulder. Fortune turned her head a little, only to spot Bethany resting her head on Fortune’s shoulder.

Fortune wrapped her arm around Bethany and smiled down at her as they continued to travel through the building, through diorama after diorama of the park’s various characters. Fortune gently rubbed Bethany’s cheek as the boat moved, soaking in as much of the scenery as possible. Hoping that it would help her tell the difference between the various characters.

But it was the song that resonated with Fortune. She could totally understand why Bethany had said what she had said in the room. It was comforting. There was something pure about the idea of everyone trying to make friends and be nice, especially with the things that she and Bethany saw every day.

As the boat returned to the station, Fortune gently pecked Bethany on the cheek. “Oh, my.” Mumbled Bethany as she turned bright red before climbing out of the boat. “Did you like that?”

“That was so cute! I loved it,” smiled Fortune. “We’ll have to do this again when I know more of the characters! The duck was super cute!”

“That is Artsy Ahiru! He’s a grumpy artist duck!” smiled Bethany as she gripped Fortune’s hand and guided her out of the building. “He is cute!”

“He is!” giggled Fortune as they weaved back out into the park. Every few steps, Bethany pointed something out to Fortune. The other rides at the park were equally cute but more thrilling. Some of them were surprisingly fast and rough to the point that even Fortune found them a little bit too much.

As they stumbled off a rollercoaster themed like a journey through the clouds, Bethany let out a little gasp. Fortune turned to ask what the noise was about, but suddenly Bethany grabbed her sleeve and pulled her towards some music.

“Oh?” asked Fortune, only for Bethany to give her a knowing smirk. A few seconds later, they came to a little stage setup that had several dancers on it. Fortune realized that one of the dancers was one of the women who had met them when they entered. These women were dancing with a large white rabbit mascot.

“That’s DreamyBelle,” whispered Bethany as Fortune nodded. They had arrived a little into the show, but Fortune quickly picked up the plot. DreamyBelle was going to throw a magical party for all her friends and was currently planning how to do it.

What followed was DreamyBelle singing a song about each of her friends. Fortune recognized some of them from the other rides. She also got to see Artsy Ahiru, who looked even more adorable in mascot suit form. After a few songs, DreamyBelle announced that she was going to go make everyone a cake, and she and her dancers walked off. Then, a soft, almost gothic piece of music started to play as another mascot came out from behind the stage.

This mascot was also a rabbit, but it had black fur and red eyes and a little skull on its neck bow. “That’s NaughtyBelle,” whispered Bethany. “She’s just like you.”

Fortune wanted to question the assertion, but before she could, the pre-recorded dialogue started to play again. “Hey! No one is going to have a party without me being in charge!” Shouted NaughtBelle as she put her paws on her hips. “I’m in charge around here, and there is going to be no fun!” She added as some music started to play.

What followed was a song about how NaughtyBelle was the naughtiest person around. It explained that NaughtyBelle was naughty because she liked pranks and tricks rather than fun. She even had her own dancers, all of whom wore black dresses and veils. As the song ended, Fortune whispered to Bethany. “I’m glad you’re finally admitting that I’m evil.”

However, as the song finished, DreamyBelle returned, and the pair started to talk. “NaughtyBelle, you came to my party!” Cheered DreamyBelle.

“No! There isn’t a party! Because I’m taking over!” Replied NaughtyBelle as she posed, and NaughtyBelle’s dancers applauded lovingly. “There will be no fun! Just pranks and mischief!” She added as her dancers cheered for her.

“But,” whimpered DreamyBelle.

“But what?” Replied NaughtyBelle

“I made you a cake!” shouted DreamyBelle as she pulled a large cupcake out from behind her back. The prop cake featured a recreation of NaughtyBelle’s ears and bow. NaughtyBelle looked between the cake and the audience before reaching out to grab it. However, before she could get it, Dreamybelle put it back behind her back. “You can only have a cake if you come to my party.”

“But,” mumbled NaughtyBelle as she kicked the floor. “You did make it for me. Okay! I’ll come to your party!” Replied NaughtyBelle as DreamyBelle’s dancers returned and cheered as everyone burst into song.

“I meant that you’re a pushover,” whispered Bethany.

“Hey!” Replied Fortune before giggling. Bethany had a point, but it wasn’t like Fortune was going to let the joke go. She wrapped her arm around Bethany and squeezed her a bit as they watched the end of the show.

Once the show was over, the girls continued to walk around the park. As they reached a little square, Fortune spotted a long line. At the end of this line, several of the mascots stood with people as photographers took pictures. Bethany turned to Fortune and smiled, “do you mind if we line up for pictures?”

“Of course not,” smiled Fortune. “I told you, I’m willing to do whatever you want.”

“Well, I was more asking if you wanted to be in one,” giggled Bethany. “We could get one with DreamyBelle and NaughtyBelle! It would be thematic!”

Fortune laughed and nodded her head. “Sure,” smiled Fortune as she and Beth entered the line. Thankfully, the line moved quickly, and Bethany had more than enough KittyMallow facts to keep Fortune occupied as they waited.

When they arrived at the front, the girls quickly moved to the mascots they wanted pictures with. Of course, Bethany instantly went to KittyMallow, a massive smile on her face as she posed with the giant cat. As she watched Bethany get her photo, a bubble of realization rippled through Fortune’s mind. This was the reason Fortune had been invited on this trip. To everyone else, Bethany was Flextress, the adult in the room. She had to keep herself looking strong and stable so she could be a rock to others. Others depended on her being strong and firm. Even in the normal world, Bethany was the one who looked after people, kept them safe from harm. She had to maintain her image, and Fortune was one of the only people who got to see this goofy side of her.

Bethany waved at Fortune, pulling her from her thoughts. She quickly moved over and posed with Bethany, quickly getting several pictures of herself taken with both Bethany and the various mascots, including one with DreamyBelle and NaughtyBelle. Though it took all of Fortune’s willpower to not burst into giggles when the photographer told her to give her best evil pose.

But soon, the girls had a load of photos as well as the card that would let them buy copies of the pictures from the website. “I’m going to get one of you and NaughtyBelle printed. It is so cute!” giggled Bethany.

“Of course, you love to torment me,” giggled Fortune.

“So, I’m going to use the bathroom. Meet you at this gift shop?” smiled Bethany as she let go of Fortune’s hand.

“Okay,” nodded Fortune as she walked up to the gift shop. “Might as well have a look around,” she mumbled to herself as she stepped inside, only to be hit with a sea of neon pink. As she wandered the racks, Fortune spotted something out of the corner of her eye and quickly grabbed it before heading to the checkout.

By the time Bethany emerged from the bathroom, Fortune was already back out of the store. “Sorry! Line!” smiled Bethany.

“No worries!” smirked Fortune before waving to Bethany. “Follow me a second?”

“Sure! Spot something?” Asked Bethany as Fortune walked around a corner and into a small secluded alleyway between the gift shop and a cafe.

“This leads to a service path. I think,” interjected Bethany.

“Oh,” smiled Fortune. “Tuck into the wall,” she said as she looked around.

“Okay,” nodded Bethany. However, as he put her back against the wall, Fortune leaned forward and tapped her on the nose.

“Freeze,” smiled Fortune. Instantly Bethany’s eyes crossed as she froze mid-movement. Her eyes glazed over as her pupils dilated, her mouth remaining half-open as she stared blankly forward. “To think I added that trigger to torment you,” smiled Fortune as she reached into her bag and produced a pair of white bunny ears. She gently slipped them onto Bethany’s head and adjusted Bethany’s hair so that they sat flush.

Fortune then reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of black bunny ears, and put them onto her own head. Once she was sure they were in place, she tapped Bethany on the nose again. “Unfreeze,” she said softly.

Instantly, Bethany blinked and started to move again. As she shook her head, her eyes went wide as they locked onto Fortune. “Oh my gosh! So cute! When did you get them?” Asked Bethany as a large smile formed on her face.

“When you were in the bathroom,” smirked Fortune as she gently wrapped her hand around Bethany’s wrist and guided the girl’s hand up towards her own bunny ears.

“Wait,” gasped Bethany, her body trembling with excitement. Bethany quickly pulled out her phone and opened the camera before letting out a sequel. “These are so cute! We match!” She grinned, her excitement and joy positively overflowing as she pulled Fortune into a tight hug. “Thank you!”

“It is okay,” grinned Fortune. “As you said, they’re pretty much us. So we should look the part!”

“So cute! They really suit you!” Nodded Bethany as she held the hug and buried her head into Fortune’s shoulder, nuzzling her softly as she did.

“Well, evil knows evil.” Giggled Fortune as she gently rubbed Bethany’s hair. “So, where are we going next?” Smiled Fortune.

“I’ve got a few rides I want to try and then some lunch!” Grinned Bethany as she gripped Fortune’s arm and dragged her back into the center of the park.

The rest of the day was a whirlwind of rides and shows. It seemed that there was something new around every corner, and Fortune could hardly keep track of all the things they did. But Bethany’s smile didn’t fade for a second. She spent the day practically giddy with joy.

As the sun started to go down, Bethany led Fortune to the main area. Bethany gripped Fortune’s hand and smiled. “Parade time!” She grinned. Fortune was going to say something, but before she could get the words out, music started to play, drawing her attention away.

For the next thirty minutes, the street was filled with music, dancers, and mascots. Fortune gripped Bethany tightly as she watched the show. The sheer scale of the parade was stunning. There had to be at least a hundred people involved in it. Fortune was also impressed by how many of the characters she now knew. While they had all been random blobs when she arrived, she now understood why Bethany was so in love with this world. She even found herself getting excited when DreamyBelle and NaughtyBelle went past on their float.

Once it was done, Bethany let out a cute sigh and kissed Fortune’s cheek. “Thank you,” she mumbled.

“No, thank you, this has been super fun.” Smiled Fortune. “Is this the end of the day?”

“Yeah,” nodded Bethany as she and Fortune followed the crowd to the entrance. “Which is good! My feet are tired.”

“Yeah,” giggled Fortune. “We walked a lot today!” She added as the pair slowly stumbled their way back to the hotel. After a short and slow walk, they arrived back in their room.

The second she got inside, Bethany gently removed her rabbit ears before flopping onto the bed. “Today has been amazing!” She cheered.

“I’m glad,” replied Fortune. “Do you mind if I decompress a little bit before bed?”

“Not at all!” Nodded Bethany.

“Hot drink?” Asked Fortune as she looked over the small try on the table. “The hotel has given us tea, coffee, hot chocolate.”

“Hot chocolate!” Interjected Bethany.

“I’ll make that for you.” Smiled Fortune.

“Then I’ll take a shower and change,” smiled Bethany as she skipped across the room and ducked into the bathroom. Fortune continued to make the drinks as she listened to the shower running.

Once Bethany was out of the shower, Fortune quickly showered while she waited for the drinks to finish. Once she emerged from the bathroom, she carried the cups over to the bed and handed the hot chocolate to Bethany.

“Thank you,” smiled Bethany as she sat on the bed in her pajamas.

“It’s okay,” replied Fortune as she got comfortable.

“Did you have fun?” Asked Bethany as she took a sip of her hot chocolate.

“So much fun!” Grinned Fortune. “Some of those rides were pretty intense, and I think I’m in love with NaughtyBelle!”

“That makes me so happy,” grinned Bethany. “Want me to put the TV on for some background noise?”

“Sure!” Said Fortune as she gently sipped her tea. As the TV screen slowly came on, Bethany let out a little giggle.

“Hey, look, they have a load of the KittyMallow movies. That is super cute!”

“We should watch one!” Grinned Fortune.

“Oh gosh, I’m not going to subject you to more KittyMallow today,” giggled Bethany.

Fortune shook her head and tapped Bethany on the cheek. “It isn’t subjecting me.” Grinned Fortune, “today has got me curious! I want to learn more!”

“Oh,” chuckled Bethany. “Well, which one do you want?” She asked as she scrolled through the list. Fortune looked at the screen. Of course, the titles meant little to her.

Some of them were obviously versions of classic books like Peter Pan and Alice In Wonderland, but others had generic titles that didn’t give much hint as to their content. However, near the bottom of the list, Fortune spotted one called “KittyMallow and the Sleeping Princess.”

“What about the princess one?” Asked Fortune as Bethany’s cheeks flushed a deep red.

“Oh, I watched that one a lot as a kid. I wore the tape out.” She mumbled.

“Then I totally want to watch it! I want to see the film that you love,” nodded Fortune, giggling at Bethany’s shyness.

“Well, okay,” mumbled Bethany as she pressed the button and snuggled into Fortune’s lap. Fortune gently rubbed Bethany’s hair as she focused on the film.

The story was a unique take on Sleeping Beauty, with KittyMallow exploring a fantasy world, trying to find some magical crystals that would let her wake a magical queen so that joy could be brought back to the world.

It was an adorable film with some really impressive animation. As the story continued, one of the queen’s old advisors, a magician, turned out to be secretly evil, but KittyMallow was oblivious to this fact.

However, KittyMallow’s quest hit a snag. The final crystal was locked in a magical forest that required an enchanted stone to enter. KittyMallow couldn’t find it and thought about giving up, but the magician sent KittyMallow a message saying that she had a solution. So KittyMallow went to her house to find out about it.

Just as KittyMallow knocked on the door, a deeply blushing Bethany let out a whimper and buried her face in Fortune’s stomach. “Huh?” Blinked Fortune.

However, her confusion was quickly answered. As KittyMallow walked into the magician’s house, the magician explained that she had a way to get into the magical forest. A crystal key.

The magician produced the key from under her cape, letting it dangle from a chain as she did. The key was glittering and shining, bathing the whole scene in dappled green light. But the magician told KittyMallow that the key was special because of what was inside it.

“Take a look, right into the center,” said the magician as Fortune’s eyes went wide. She suddenly realized what this scene was and why Bethany was so red.

“I can’t see anything,” mumbled KittyMallow.

“Just keep looking, look right into the center,” whispered the magician as she started to sway the key on the chain. “Just really focus on it,” she added as KittyMallow’s eyes followed the object as it swung.

“Okay,” replied KittyMallow as her eyes went wide. “It is pretty,” mumbled kitty as Bethany let out another whimper as she pushed her face deeper into Fortune’s stomach.

“Yes, isn’t it just so pretty? So very pretty, really holds your eyes. Doesn’t it?” Continued the magician, her voice becoming more obviously sinister. “Makes you feel sleepy, so very sleepy, doesn’t it?”

“Sleepy,” mumbled KittyMallow drowsily as her eyes fluttered.

“Yes, so very sleepy,” continued the magician. “You want to sleep. You are falling into a deep sleep. A deep, deep sleep.”

“Deep sleep,” mumbled KittyMallow as a soft harp run played. KittyMallow’s eyes glowed purple as little sparkles flickered and danced around her head.

“Yes,” cackled the magician. “You are my hypnotized puppet. You must do as I say.”

“I must do as you say,” replied KittyMallow. “I will obey.”

“Yes! Yes!” Laughed the magician as KittyMallow blankly stared at the swinging key.

“So this is why you were blushing,” giggled Fortune as she ruffled Bethany’s hair. “Adorable.”

“No, it’s not,” mumbled Bethany, her voice muffled by Fortune’s chest.

“It’s cute.” Giggled Fortune. “You look just like KittyMallow when I do this kind of induction. I bet I could get a magic key as well.”

“Hey!” Whined Bethany. “No fair!”

“I’m teasing. I’m teasing.” Chuckled Fortune. “I’m glad you let me see this. Thank you. Isn’t it funny how this stuff sticks with us?”

“Yeah,” sighed Bethany as she turned her head and looked up, only for Fortune to lean down and kiss her. “Hey!” Blushed Bethany as she squeezed Fortune.

“You’re cute,” grinned Fortune.

“You’re a flirt,” huffed Bethany.

“I never said otherwise,” winked Fortune as she rubbed Bethany’s hair and returned her focus to the movie. The rest of the film continued as Fortune expected.

The magician tried to get KittyMallow to steal all of the crystals, but the plan fell through when Lunala, one of KittyMallow’s friends, accidentally dropped a bucket of water on the hypnotized cat’s head.

“Oh, don’t worry,” smirked Fortune as she looked down at Bethany. “I won’t let that happen to you,” she said, only to giggle as Bethany let out a loud whine.

After a short while, the film ended with KittyMallow winning the day and bringing joy back to the kingdom. As the end credits ran, Fortune let out a happy sigh. “That was fun, but I should get some sleep,” she said as she looked down, only to realize that Bethany had already fallen asleep.

Fortune smiled and gently moved Bethany under the covers and tucked her in before turning off the lights and climbing into bed. “Night night darling,” smiled Fortune as she closed her eyes.

The next morning played out just like the first, with Fortune waking up to the sound of Bethany in the shower. And much like the day before, the pair spent the day in the park. Riding the rides they hadn’t done the day before and re-riding a few of the previous ones. And Bethany was still overflowing with joy. And Bethany’s joy was utterly infectious.

After another day of rides, the girls once again stumbled into their hotel room and flopped onto the bed. “That was amazing,” smiled Bethany as she snuggled up to Fortune.

“It was!” Grinned Fortune as she gently rubbed Bethany’s shoulders.

“So, I was thinking,” grinned Bethany. “Tomorrow, we could explore the local area a bit?”

“Oh?” Replied Fortune.

“Well, it seems silly to come all this way and just do the park, and we’ve done a lot of rides. Variety would be nice.” Explained Bethany as she purred.

“Sure, any specific plans?” Asked Fortune.

“Not really. I’ll get a map in the morning,” mumbled Bethany as her eyes fluttered, and she started to drift into sleep. Fortune smiled down at Bethany as a plan formed in her head.

The next morning, Bethany stepped out of the shower only to find Fortune sitting on the counter. “Good morning!” Smiled Bethany as she dried herself off with the towel.

“Good morning,” grinned Fortune as she jumped off the counter and walked forward. Bethany tried to get out of the way of the bathroom door. However, Fortune didn’t go past her. Instead, Fortune leaned forward and tapped Bethany on the nose.

“Freeze!” Shouted Fortune. Bethany’s body instantly locked up as her eyes glazed over. She stood frozen mid-movement, blankly staring forward as a trickle of drool ran down her chin. “Yes, frozen, mind paused, thoughts stopped. No thinking, no moving, frozen in time.” Cooed Fortune as she quickly pulled some clothes on. “And yes, the more you stare, the deeper you go. The deeper you go, the more you stare,” added Fortune as she ducked out of the room.

Fortune quickly made her way down to the reception area. She then quickly made her way over to the concierge desk and smiled at the woman working there.

“Good morning Madam.” Smiled the concierge.

“Hey, do you have a moment to help me out?” Replied Fortune.

“Of course,” nodded the woman. “What can I do for you?”

“Well,” started Fortune as she put her plan into motion. After several minutes of conversation, Fortune left the desk with a handful of maps. She then made her way back up to her room.

As Fortune opened the door, she saw Bethany still frozen in place, her chin shimmering due to the drool. Fortune quickly shoved the maps into her bag and then changed back into her pajamas.

“Now, where was I,” she mumbled as she tried to get herself back into the position she was in when she froze Bethany. Once she was sure she was in the right place, she tapped Bethany on her nose again. “Unfreeze.”

“Oh, I thought you were going to the shower,” giggled Bethany as she heavily blinked her eyes.

“Hugging you first,” grinned Fortune as she squeezed Bethany and kissed her cheek before heading to the shower. Fortune quickly got ready, her body tingling with excitement as she thought about what she was planning.

Within a few hours, the girls were back inside the train station. “So,” started Fortune. “I did some research while you were in the shower, and I know the station we need to travel to get to the downtown area.”

“Oh, wow! Okay!” Smiled Bethany. “Find anything else out?”

“Not really! I got distracted,” lied Fortune as she guided Bethany to the platform. As they traveled on the train, Fortune tried to act normal and hide her excitement. She didn’t want to ruin the surprise.

Once they arrived in the center of the city, the pair walked around for a while. Trying some local treats and exploring a few of the stores and historic buildings.

After a romantic brunch, Fortune checked her phone and put her plan into action. “I want to go check out that building,” smiled Fortune as she pointed down a sidestreet.

“Which one,” squinted Bethany. “I can’t make it out. But sure!” She added as she returned her cup and plate. Fortune led Bethany through several streets, doing her best to make it look like she was just blundering around without a plan.

Eventually, after several twists and turns, the girls ended up in front of a large older building. And each of this building’s windows was filled with various pretty and ornate dresses. “Wow! This place looks cool,” grinned Fortune.

“Oh, this is the Saki And The Magicians store! They’re a dress company! I didn’t realize their store was out here. I thought it was a couple of hours away.” Smiled Bethany.

“Let’s go in,” grinned Fortune.

“Oh, no. It is super expensive!” Replied Bethany. “Like really costly. You can’t browse. You have to book fittings months in advance!”

“Let me rephrase,” grinned Fortune as she leaned forward and put her fingers on Bethany’s temples. Bethany let out a soft gurgle as her eyes crossed. “We’re going inside.”

“We’re going inside,” mumbled Bethany as Fortune pulled her fingers off of Bethany’s temples. “Hey!” Replied Bethany.

“Oh wait,” nodded Fortune as she quickly returned her fingers to Bethany’s temples. “You’re also going to be very confident and not think about prices. You are guided by your wants.”

“My wants,” mumbled Bethany as Fortune once again removed her fingers and guided Bethany into the store.

“Hello!” Smiled the woman behind the counter.

“Hey!” Grinned Fortune. “I’m Fortune, I’m a little early, but I have a fitting booked?” She grinned.

“Oh, yes! Well, you’re in luck! Our previous client had to cancel.” Nodded the woman. “We can start right now! I’ll get the fitter!” She said as she walked into a back room.

“I’m confused,” mumbled Bethany.

“I had a talk with the hotel’s concierge. I asked them about local attractions. And they mentioned that this store is a famous local attraction. I remembered the name as I’ve seen you looking at outfits made by them, and you’ve got their catalog in your bathroom. So I called and asked about getting you a fitting. And as luck would have it, they had a free slot today.”

“I,” replied Bethany. “Oh god, you’re the best!” She said as she squeezed Fortune tight. Over the next few hours, Bethany was whisked from rack to rack as the fitter toured her through a load of different dresses. Each one was bright and bouncy and covered in ribbons and bows. Fortune happily watched the fitting, giving her opinion when she was asked but mostly just praising Bethany’s choices and doing her best to not giggle when the fitter commented on how confident Bethany was.

Eventually, Bethany was done. Her outfit looked very similar to the outfit worn by the happiness ambassador that had greeted them at the park. Of course, it looked slightly different on Bethany’s muscled body, but it still worked well. It was much more feminine than what Fortune was used to seeing her in, but she liked it. In fact, she was already having thoughts about what she wanted to do to Bethany while she wore it.

“What do you think?” Asked Bethany as she spun on the spot, causing the ribbons to flutter and dance.

“I love it!” Smiled Fortune.

“Then this is what I’m going for!” Grinned Bethany.

“Wonderful, I’ll ring you up!” Smiled the fitter as Bethany’s eyes filled with confusion. Fortune quickly realized that Bethany’s brain might have taken her suggestion about ignoring prices to mean that Bethany should forget price existed.

“I’m covering it,” smiled Fortune as she followed the clerk.

“Wonderful,” nodded the fitter as Bethany went to change back into her street clothes. After a few minutes, Fortune had brought the clothes, and Bethany was presented with a large bag containing the dress and accessories.

As they left the store, Bethany kissed Fortune on the cheek. “You’re so sweet.” She whispered.

“I just like seeing you happy.” Grinned Fortune.

“Accept it.” Replied Fortune.

“You can’t boss me around, missy,” giggled Fortune as Bethany shook her head.

“Sure, I can’t do a forehead thing. But you should accept it, you’re really nice.” Smiled Bethany as the pair continued to walk around and explore the city.

The day went by quickly. The concierge at the hotel had suggested so many things, and all of them were perfect. As the sun started to go down, Fortune and Bethany made their way up a hill. Hoping to reach a park that had been recommended by the concierge.

“I wonder why she suggested this,” pondered Bethany.

“A good view apparently,” smiled Fortune as they crested the top and saw that the concierge was utterly correct. They could see the whole city from up here, and all the buildings were bathed in the light of the setting sun.

“This is beautiful,” gasped Bethany as she found a place to sit.

“It is,” replied Fortune as she sat next to Bethany and wrapped her arm around her. After a few minutes of watching the sunset, Fortune let out a little gasp.

“What?” Asked Bethany.

“The concierge told me to check the pamphlet she gave me,” said Fortune as she pulled something out of her bag. She opened the little pamphlet and looked it over before chuckling softly.

“Tell me!” Grinned Bethany.

“So, she asked who I was with.” Explained Fortune. “So I said that I was with my girlfriend.” As the words came out of Fortune’s mouth, Bethany let out a little squeal.

“Really?!” She said as she buried her head into Fortune’s shoulder.

“I mean, of course!” Smiled Fortune as she rubbed Bethany’s hair. “Unless you disagree. I mean, I couldn’t really say I was with my hypnotized puppet.”

“You’re great,” mumbled Bethany, her voice muffled by Fortune’s sleeve.

“Well, now I know why she suggested this place.” Continued Fortune. “So according to this leaflet, this hill is part of an old local myth. Apparently, two lovers met here during the 14th century. Their families disapproved of their love, so they came up here in secret. And one night, during a full moon, the stars talked to them. Telling them that as long as they were watching, they would be kept safe from anyone who wished to do them harm.”

“Oh gosh,” whispered Bethany as she squeezed Fortune tighter.

“And thus, any lovers who meet on this hill on a full moon will be promised good luck. And they will never be forced to separate, as they too are protected by the stars.” Finished Fortune as she looked up at the sky. “Do you think tonight is a full moon?”

“One way to find out,” smiled Bethany as she rested her head in Fortune’s lap. The pair sat on the hill for several hours as they watched the world slide into night. As the full moon illuminated the sky, Fortune reached down and kissed Bethany on the cheek as she let out a dreamy sigh.

After a while, the pair walked back down the hill and made their way back to the hotel, and fell into bed, holding each other tightly as they drifted into sleep. The rest of the trip was a whirlwind, with the girls moving between the park and various tourist attractions, trying to fit in as much as they could.

The last day was mostly spent in the park. Fortune has to admit, KittyMallow had grown on her. Part of it was Bethany’s enthusiasm, but the other part was the stuff itself. It was cute and didn’t hide under irony. Fortune could respect that. As they waited for the parade, Fortune wrapped her arm around Bethany’s shoulder.

“Thank you for this week,” she said softly.

“Thank you for being so nice,” smiled Bethany.

“No, really.” Smiled Fortune. “Thank you for letting me in. I know in our line of work that isn’t something we do lightly. But this has been great.”

“Thank you for accepting me,” smiled Bethany as she squeezed Fortune close to her. “Very few people understand this stuff.”

“It is okay.” Nodded Fortune as she kissed Bethany’s forehead. “I think you’ve made me into a KittyMallow fan.”

“Don’t say that! If you do, I’ll fill your house with plushies.” Giggled Bethany.

“I wouldn’t say no,” smiled Fortune as the music started and the parade began. As the girls watched it, Fortune let out a soft dreamy sigh. She couldn’t believe how this had worked out. To think, she was dating a girl who broke into her office. But however odd it seemed, she liked it, and that was all that mattered.

As the snow fluttered down outside of the window, Fortune smiled and sipped her coffee. “Your last gift!” Shouted Fortune’s mother as Fortune gasped.

“Oh, right!” She grinned. “I’m so excited!”

“Who is it from?” Asked Fortune’s father.

“My girlfriend,” said Fortune without thinking.

“Well, why didn’t you bring her?” Asked Fortune’s Dad. “We’re not that embarrassing, are we?”

“Work keeps us apart.” Sighed Fortune as she slowly ripped the wrapping paper.

“What does she do?” Inquired Fortune’s Mom.

“I,” started Fortune, taking a few seconds to ponder her answer. “Social work. She helps people in need.”

“A fine job.” Nodded Fortune’s Dad as Fortune pulled the box open and let out a soft gasp. She reached into the box and pulled out a framed picture of her and Bethany with NaughtyBelle and DreamyBelle.

“Oh gosh,” mumbled Fortune.

Fortune’s Mom looked at the picture for a few seconds. “Oh, is this where you went on vacation?”

“Yeah,” smiled Fortune. “That’s us with two of the mascots.” She explained as she pulled a small flocked ring box out of the larger box. Fortune’s hands trembled as she gently pulled it open.

Inside the box was a small silver ring that was shaped liked NaughtyBelle’s bow. Fortune smiled but quickly realized that the ring was curved on the one side, and the box had a slot for a second ring. Fortune was confused but quickly saw a piece of paper tucked in the top of the box. Fortune quickly unfolded the paper and looked at it.

“To the greatest villain I know,” read the paper. At the bottom of the sheet was a small picture of Bethany’s finger. And on that finger was a DreamyBelle ring that clearly fit with the one Fortune had.

Fortune’s mother passed the picture back to Fortune. “Very cute. I hope you got her something.”

“Oh, I did.” Nodded Fortune as she slipped the ring onto her finger.

Bethany stumbled into her apartment and let out a sigh. She typed out a message on her phone and quickly climbed into the shower to soothe her aching muscles.

Just as she got out of the shower, she heard a knock at her door. Bethany wrapped a towel around herself and pulled the door open a crack, only to see Sundra standing outside the door, her eyes totally glazed.

“I,” mumbled Bethany.

“Fortune would like me to come in.” Said Sundra.

“Oh sure,” nodded Bethany as she pulled the door open. “Wait, how did you know I was home?”

“You sent a text,” replied Sundra blankly as Bethany’s mind realized that she had no idea what text she had sent when she got home or who she had sent it to.

“I,” started Bethany, only for Sundra to put her bag down and cut her off.

“Fortune sent me a trigger. I am acting out a pre-programmed series of actions. Do not worry, my Christmas bonus is massive, and she has made sure that I’m not interrupting my own Christmas plans to do this,” said Sundra in monotone.

“She knows me too well,” chuckled Bethany.

“I am going to give you this box and then leave. And then forget,” moaned Sundra as her eyes rolled up into her head. She pulled a large box out of her bag and put it on the table before picking up her bag and walking back to the door.

Bethany opened the door for the hypnotized girl. “Merry Christmas,” she chuckled.

“Merry Christmas,” replied Sundra blankly.

“That woman,” sighed Bethany as she picked up her phone and went to inspect the box. It was gigantic and surprisingly heavy. Bethany walked into her kitchen and grabbed some scissors before walking back to the box.

She gently cut through the tape and pulled the flaps open, revealing two smaller boxes and a note. “I know how busy today is for you. But you deserve a treat.” Said the note. “Be careful with the blue box.”

“Be careful?” Blinked Fortune. She slowly started to cut the tape off of the blue box, only to be hit with the most delicious smell. As she pulled the box open, she realized why Fortune had said to be careful.

Inside the box was a load of take-out cartons and inside those cartons was a whole Christmas dinner split into various parts. Fortune had obviously talked a restaurant into doing takeout for her. There was a nut loaf, gravy, and loads of vegetables. She could even see two pies tucked away in the corner of the box.

Bethany wanted to know about the other box, but the food was too tempting. She ran back to the kitchen and grabbed a plate before pulling the food out of its cardboard packaging.

As she ate, Bethany sent Fortune a text. Due to Fortune being in a different time zone, she would likely be asleep. But that didn’t mean that Bethany couldn’t give her something nice to wake up to. “Thank you so much for the food. I hope you’re having a good time,” she typed between mouthfuls of food.

Once she had eaten, she pulled the second box into her lap and gently opened it up. Inside the box were several wrapped presents. Bethany started to unwrap the top one. As she did, she revealed a popcorn bucket stuffed with several packs of microwave popcorn as well as a massive box set of the KittyMallow movies.

“I hope these don’t wear out!” Said a note stuck to the popcorn bucket. Bethany giggled to herself as she pulled the box set out of the package.

“How did she know I didn’t have this?” She asked herself only to realize that Fortune had had plenty of time to sneak around her house while she was entranced.

As she opened the next box, Bethany’s cheeks turned bright red. Inside the small box was a shiny key on a chain. It was a nearly exact duplicate of the one used on KittyMallow in the silly movie she had watched with Fortune. Bethany knew full well that they had never actually released an official version of the key, meaning that Fortune had obviously had it commissioned.

Bethany picked the key up by the chain and held it in front of her eyes before grabbing her phone and angling it so that she could get a picture of her staring at it. Once the phone’s flash went off, Bethany gently put the key down before sending Fortune the picture.

“It is. So. Shiny…” typed Bethany as she giggled and hit send. If Fortune was going to torment her, it was only fair that Bethany got to do the same in return.

Once the message was sent, Bethany reached into the box and pulled out the final gift. As she removed the paper, Bethany saw that this gift was a NaughtyBelle plush doll. But there was also a note taped to the plastic.

Bethany opened the note and looked over it. “Merry Christmas. I know we can’t be together right now, so I hope this helps. Don’t take the doll out of the package until you are ready for bed. Once you are, read the other side of the note.”

“Huh,” mumbled Bethany. She was curious, but she didn’t want to disobey the note. Bethany ate a little bit of pie before putting the rest of the food in the fridge. Fortune had sent her enough to last several days, which meant she wouldn’t have to worry about cooking until at least next week.

Once that was done, she brushed her teeth and changed for bed. As she went to the bedroom, she grabbed the doll and the note. She walked into her bedroom and put the plush doll on the nightstand.

She climbed into bed and then turned over the note. “This doll has a suggestion attached to it,” read the paper. “Hug it and see! Merry Christmas and I’ll see you soon. Lots of love, Fortune.”

“Suggestion?” Mumbled Bethany. “I don’t remember her giving me that. But I don’t remember a lot of stuff, I guess,” she continued as she unwrapped the doll and squeezed it tight.

Bethany’s nose filled with the soft scent of cinnamon as she felt her muscles relax. It felt like Fortune was holding her tight. Like she was back in that hotel room, snuggling with her. Bethany’s eyes rolled up as she sunk down into the bed and rested her head on the pillow, totally enveloped in Fortune’s warmth. “Best Christmas,” mumbled Bethany as her eyes gently fluttered shut.