Disclaimer: The following story contains consensual and non-consensual hypnosis and sexual activity. If you are underage, or if these themes make you uncomfortable, consider yourself warned. The characters and situations depicted below are fictional, and they should remain that way. The author does not condone any non-consensual sexual activity.

The cab ride back to Weiss’ place was almost unbearably silent. Val and Weiss sat on opposite sides of the car, the empty seat between them feeling more like a wall. Weiss barely glanced at Val the entire time, instead staring out the window, lost in thought. Every time Val tried to start up a conversation, Weiss would simply shut it down and refuse to engage further, which left Val to stew in her own silence as well.

Is she mad at me? I kinda imposed on her by asking to come stay at her place. But Weiss didn’t seem angry or annoyed. She just seemed melancholy in an uncertain, inexpressible sense. Maybe it’s Patti? They seemed really close. It must be hitting her pretty hard if they broke up.

Val fiddled with the hem of her skirt. What could have driven them apart? I barely knew Patti, but they seemed like such good friends at the munch. She looked over at Weiss. Yeah… real close. Maybe close enough that Patti knew about this Blanc stuff.

A lightbulb went off in Val’s head. Maybe she did know. I mean, Blanc managed to get into all those homes and businesses and stuff; she couldn’t have done it without help. But… does that mean Patti knew about me?

She thought back to when she met Patti. She never gave any hints that she knew who I was. She just thought of me as someone Weiss dropped by accident. But Weiss didn’t really hint that she knew me either when I met her at her class. Did she? She ran and re-ran her memories over and over; when she met Weiss at the Pink Mansion, she was sure that Weiss knew who Val was. But, now that she looked back, all her evidence seemed less certain. Weiss flirted with her, but was that because she knew Val was Violet Angel? Or did she just think Val was cute? And when Val accidentally called her “Madame,” she seemed surprised. Confused, even.

But even as her own mind cast doubts on her certainty, Val still felt absolutely sure that Weiss knew her secret identity. There was something that kept nagging her, some piece of evidence that seemed just out of reach. Somehow, Weiss had revealed beyond a shadow of a doubt that she knew all about Val’s secret, but Val couldn’t place when or where that had happened. She just felt it, deep in her bones.

Her mind turned to last night. The blank spot in her memory.

A voice in the back of her head kept telling her not to worry about it, that nothing bad could have happened, that everything was fine. The more she struggled to remember, the louder that voice became, until it drowned out everything else. It began to feel artificial, not a self-assurance but instead a barrier holding her back from discovering something she wasn’t meant to discover.

Val felt a hand touch her own. She looked down and saw Weiss’ hand holding hers, their fingers lightly intertwined.

Val’s blood ran cold. There’s no way… it couldn’t have been her… I just… blacked out. Happens to everyone. But the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. Weiss had already done things to Val without her knowing it; the nude selfie in her camera roll was proof of that. And she knew hypnosis could erase or suppress memories, since none of Blanc’s victims could remember anything she did to them. But she wouldn’t do that to me, would she? She…

Weiss’ hand squeezed Val’s. …does she love me? We’ve only known each other for a couple weeks. Can you really say whether you love someone from that length of time?

The cab rolled to a stop. “Alright, girls,” the driver said, “end of the line.”

Val and Weiss got out of the car and stood on the sidewalk. Weiss reached in through the passenger-side window and handed the driver some cash. He looked at it and whistled. “Dunno if I have enough change for this, ma’am.”

“Just keep it,” Weiss said. “My treat.”

“Whatever you say.” The driver pulled up the window and drove off.

Val looked at Weiss quizzically. “What did you hand him?”

Weiss shrugged. “Might’ve been a hundred.”

“And you’re just fine with handing out Benjamins?”

“Trust me, Val, money’s not an issue.” Weiss walked over to Val and put her arm around her shoulder.

Val froze. “I, uh…”

“What is it?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Weiss pulled her arm away. “No, really. Tell me.”

“It’s kinda stupid, honestly.”

“But I want to hear it.”

Val sighed. “So what… are we? Like, as a couple?”

Weiss pondered for a moment. “Well, we just went on a date, didn’t we? So I believe that would make us girlfriends.”

“And… what’s Patti to you?”

“She’s…” Weiss’ breath hitched. “…someone I hope I can patch things up with someday.”

“Do you love her?”

“Val, what’s gotten into you? I thought you had a good time, I thought you enjoyed what we did back at the theater.”

“I did, but… I don’t know something about ‘us’ just feels wrong to me. Like you only hang around me for the kinky stuff.”

“What are you talking about?” Weiss looked almost offended. “What would make you think like that?”

“Because barely know each other, and…” Val looked down at the floor. “When we went to the movie, it was like you were just tolerating me. Like you didn’t really want to be there, but you were doing it just so I’d stick around. I feel like I’m dragging you into a relationship you don’t really want.”

“That’s not it at all.” Weiss reached out and embraced Val. “I do want this, Val. I want to be with you right now.”

“Right now?” Val pulled away, staring at Weiss with pain in her eyes. “Would you be saying that if Patti hadn’t…”

She trailed off, but Weiss knew exactly what Val was going to say. “I don’t know,” she sighed. “But I do know that I want you to spend the night, and I want to try and make things work. Because you’re cute, and fun to play with, and I like you.”

Are those the only reasons? Val sighed. I want to just confront her about all of this Blanc stuff. But what if she doesn’t know I’m Violet Angel? I can’t risk outing myself unless I’m absolutely positive, and a gut feeling isn’t enough. “Okay.”

Weiss raised an eyebrow. “…‘Okay?’”

“I’ll stay here tonight. It was my idea anyway, right? Then we’ll see how we both feel in the morning.”

“Alright.” Weiss smiled. “Thank you, Valerie.”

The interior of the bar was exactly as Val remembered it. Same blue walls, same dilapidated booths, same musty old smell. It was barren and run-down now, but Val could imagine how it used to be. The whole room crowded with regulars, all watching a football game. Some fresh-faced guy with a guitar on stage, trying in vain to get people to notice him. It was probably a cozy little hole-in-the-wall at some point.

Now, though, it felt cold. Val had no idea how long Weiss had been living here, but she clearly hadn’t done much to make it feel like a home yet. Aside from the fact that the lights were on and the small collection of liquor bottles on the back shelf, the place still looked abandoned. Most of it hadn’t even been dusted yet.

“As much as I like this little ruin,” Weiss said, as if reading Val’s mind, “I think the upstairs is much nicer.”

“Upstairs?” Val asked. “You mean…”

“Well, you didn’t think we’d sleep on the floor, did you?”

Val smiled mischievously. “Gosh, only our first date and you’re already bringing me to the bedroom?”

“Second date. I’m counting that time I made your brains leak out of your cunt.”

“Th-That’s not a date!” Val blushed.

Weiss chuckled. “Oh, it’s so much fun making you squirm.” She hooked her arm around Val’s waist and walked her behind a door in the back corner of the room, leading to a small hallway and a set of stairs.

Val followed Weiss up the stairs to an attic space. Oh, wow…

Now it made sense why the bar was largely untouched. Weiss’ room was positively crammed full of stuff. A massive flat screen on one side, a multi-monitor computer setup on the other, and shelves full of books and movies lining the walls. Bright LED lights were attached to the ceiling beams, illuminating the room in a colorful glow that cycled constantly. And in the center of it all, a massive bed that looked like it cost thousands all on its own. “God, Weiss,” Val gasped, “how did you afford all this?”

“I already told you, Valerie, money’s not an issue for me. Call it a generous benefactor.”

Val side-eyed Weiss. Is she taunting me? She’s a goddamn supervillain, there’s no way she got all of this legitimately. Does she want me to call her out on this? “What do you do, exactly? Besides the hypnosis?”

“At the moment?” Weiss jumped up on the bed and sighed. “Why don’t you tell me? What do you think I do?”

God, are you asking me to confront you? Is this some kind of test? Val looked around the room, tapping her chin. “Well… judging from the décor, and the setup you’ve got over there, I’d say… Twitch streamer?”

Weiss snorted. “Oh, yeah, definitely. You’re right on the money.”

“So what do you play? Shooters? Fighting games?”

“I dabbled in Pokkén a while back.”

Val squinted. “Is that real, or did you just make that up?”

“It’s a Pokémon thing. Kinda Tekken-y, but also not? It’s a weird game.”

“Were you any good?”

Weiss shrugged. “Turns out Gardevoir is pretty low tier.”

Val cocked her head to the side. “Okay, I can’t tell if this is a joke or not anymore.”

“I used to be in software development,” Weiss explained. “One of those fancy startups that never makes any money but everyone’s very excited about for about five months. Paid really well, but it burns you out hard. So I quit, and used the cash I saved up to buy all this.”

“I see.” Something about that felt a little rehearsed… “So, what did you do with the startup?”

“You’re awfully curious today.”

“Well, I barely know anything about you. Can’t blame me for wanting to know the person behind this whole ‘mysterious hypnodomme’ act.”

“Hm. Guess that’s fair.” Weiss patted the spot next to her on the bed. “Get up here, and you can ask me whatever you want.”

Val rolled her eyes. “Well, if you insist.” She walked over and got on the bed. When she laid down, she let out a soft, peaceful sigh. “Oh, wow… this is super comfy, Weiss.”

“I’m aware. I do sleep in this, you know.”

“Mmm…” Val murmured, barely acknowledging Weiss’ comment. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a bed this comfy before. Her body sank into the mattress, a wave of relaxation passing over her. A girl could get used to this…

“So, what did you want to ask me?” Weiss smiled, noticing how relaxed Val was becoming.

“Hm?”

Weiss chuckled. “Take your time, darling. I know you’re probably not used to this. Being in such a warm, comfortable bed. A pretty girl talking to you, whispering in your ear. Telling you about how relaxed you’re becoming. How happy you feel.”

Val closed her eyes and made a noncommittal noise.

The more Weiss talked, the lower her voice became, until it was barely a whisper. “You wanted to ask me all those questions. But now you just want to relax. Your curiosity can wait. You’d much rather lie back and feel good, listening to my words and letting your thoughts fade away slowly, effortlessly.”

“Mmmrr…” Val stirred, her mind connecting the dots despite the drowsy, lethargic feeling that beckoned her. “You said… you didn’t wanna play tonight…”

“I did say that, didn’t I?” Weiss giggled, leaning over and kissing Val on the forehead. “Do you want me to stop, then?”

“…I didn’t say that…” Val grinned.

“That’s what I thought.” Weiss cupped Val’s cheek and ran her thumb over her lips. “I did mean it. I don’t want to do anything too intense right now. But I think you’re more than happy to just be blank for me, aren’t you?”

“Mmm…” Val purred. “Yes, Madame…”

Weiss’ smile faded. She pulled her hand away and swung her legs around, sitting at the edge of the bed. “I know you don’t drink, Valerie, but I for one would like a glass of whiskey. Back in a sec.” She got up off the bed and went downstairs.

Val sat up, shaking her head to try and clear her thoughts. It didn’t help all that much; her mind still felt like it was shrouded in fog. Did I… say something wrong? She looked around the room and noticed a nightstand next to the bed, and a small wooden box on top of it. Curious, she popped open the lid. Inside was a simple collar, with a pink leather band and a shiny silver buckle. “Cool…” Val giggled. She picked it up and held it in her hands, feeling the texture and marveling at the way the rainbow lights in the room played off its surface.

“What are you doing?”

Val looked up and saw Weiss, holding a glass in one hand and a bottle in the other. She did not look happy.

“Found this…” Val murmured, holding up the collar.

Val couldn’t tell if Weiss’ face was actually getting redder or if it was just the lighting, but she could definitely tell that Weiss was pissed. She stormed up to Val and snatched the collar out of her hand. “Who said you could touch that?” she shouted.

“I-I’m sorry!” The clouds in Val’s mind evaporated in an instant; the fury in Weiss’ voice caught her so off-guard that she thought she’d fall over. “I just… wasn’t thinking!”

“Shouldn’t have left it out,” Weiss muttered. “God, what was I thinking? I should’ve known you’d go snooping around my stuff…”

“Look, Weiss, I said I was sorry. I didn’t mean to do anything, I just saw it and-”

“And thought what, Val?” Weiss snapped.

“I… didn’t. I was all blank, there wasn’t really much going on up there.”

Weiss stared at Val for a moment, then sighed. “Yeah, that’s fair.” She put the collar back in the box. “I’m sorry for blowing up like that, Valerie. It’s just…”

“What is it, Weiss?”

“…This was Patricia’s collar.”

“Oh…” Smooth, Val. Real fucking smooth.

Weiss caressed Val’s cheek. “You couldn’t have known. It was my fault for leaving it out like this.” She picked up the box and put it up on a high shelf.

Val got off the bed. “You miss her, don’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

Val hugged Weiss from behind, resting her head against Weiss’ back. When her hand brushed Weiss’ chest, Weiss froze and let out a quiet, pained noise.

“Weiss?” Val asked. “You okay?”

“It’s… nothing.” Weiss clutched Val’s hand and pressed her index finger against it.

Val gasped. Fuck, I forgot about that one! She shuddered and moaned as the phantom vibrator buzzed on her clit, pulling away from Weiss and collapsing on the bed.

“Just a second, sweetie.” Weiss walked over to a shelf in the far corner of the room. When she returned a moment later, she held a simple black collar in one hand while holding the other behind her back. “Since you like collars so much, I figured you could try one on yourself.”

“How…” Val whimpered, still trying to get her composure back. “How many of those things do you have?”

“Well, the guy down at the pet store seems to recognize me whenever I go in. Take that how you will.”

“Can’t imagine he sees too many punks… goths… uh, whatever your look is down at the pet store.”

Weiss chuckled. “You know, you’re really adorable when you act all snarky. Especially when your mind’s been softened up a bit.”

Val squirmed. “I’m not… I-I feel fine!”

“Well,” said Weiss, her voice getting low and dripping with arousal, “we can fix that, can’t we?”

Before Val could respond, Weiss rushed over and gently touched Val’s knuckle. Val’s eyes widened and rolled back into her head as a powerful orgasm rocked her body. Her moans echoed off the attic ceiling as she collapsed and convulsed on the bed. While she basked in the afterglow, she felt someone get on the bed behind her, and then felt something attach around her neck with a click. She reached for it instinctively and felt leather and cold metal.

Val turned around and smiled at Weiss. “‘Don’t want to do anything too intense right now,’ huh?”

Weiss smiled back. “Are you complaining, Valerie?”

“Not at all.”

“Thought so.”

Suddenly, Val felt something yanking her forward. She yelped and struggled, before noticing the leash in Weiss’ right hand. “Oh, of course you have one of those too.”

Weiss grinned. “What can I say? I like to keep my bitches close by.”

Val squirmed nervously. “Feels a weird to think of myself as someone’s bitch.”

“Then I guess it’s better if you don’t think at all.”

“Fuck…” Val whimpered, unconsciously grinding a bit on the mattress. “How do you keep coming up with these sexy lines?”

“I’m just full of surprises, aren’t I?”

Val giggled and wrapped her arms around Weiss. “I think I love you…”

Weiss froze. “I…”

Val kissed Weiss on the cheek.

Weiss sighed. She hugged Val closer.

Her lips brushed against Val’s ear.

She whispered, “Meminisse te.”

“G-Good girls… you’re such good girls for me…”

Violet opened her eyes slowly. She saw Sky staring back at her, her eyes blank, a dreamy, sleepy smile on her face. Violet knew that her face looked the same as hers.

She leaned forward and kissed Sky passionately. Her own feelings didn’t matter in this moment. Sky was beautiful, yes, and Violet wasn’t one to turn down the advances of a beautiful woman. But that wasn’t why she kissed Sky.

She kissed her because Madame told her to.

She heard Madame off to the side, moaning and gasping, her fingers buried in her pants. Violet was so proud that Madame was enjoying the sight of her and Sky.

“G-Girls… girls, I want you to touch yourselves.” Violet’s eyes flicked over to Madame. She saw the hunger in her eyes, heard the arousal in her voice.

The two hypnotized girls smiled even wider. “Yes, Madame!” they responded in unison.

Violet rubbed her crotch as she heard Sky’s fingers slide into her slick cunt. Violet, however, could only rub through the fabric of her uniform. She whimpered, wanting so desperately to please Madame but being held back from fulfilling her will.

“Hey, purple girl,” Madame said, noticing Violet’s frustration. “It’s ok, you can just-”

But Violet was already tearing at her suit. She grunted in irritation, desperate to please Madame and follow her commands as closely as possible.

Finally, the suit gave way. Violet smiled as she heard the material rip down the seam, feeling the cool air caress her dripping cunt. Her eyes rolled back in her head as her fingers plunged into her mound, shuddering with pleasure that seemed stronger than anything she’d experienced before.

She raised her head and saw Madame staring at her in astonishment. “Wow…” she gasped. “You’re an eager little thing, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Madame!” Violet beamed, overjoyed that her obedience hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Madame chuckled. “That’s a good girl…”

There was a flash.

Not like the ones from before, the ones that made Violet so happily, deliciously blank.

It was later now – how much later, Violet couldn’t tell. But Madame was standing in front of them now, her white pants stained with the arousal that Violet and Sky had given her. She put the camera down, gently pulling the photo out and admiring the two girls in front of her. “I hope you two enjoyed tonight as much as I did.”

“Yes, Madame…” By now, both girls’ plastic smiles had faded. All that was left within them was blankness and obedience.

Madame knelt down, meeting Violet at eye-level. “So, given how you were able to track me down, I take it this won’t be the last time I encounter one of you Rainbow people. But, luckily for me, I can at least give myself an edge.” She leaned in close, whispering in Violet’s ear. “Whenever I say…” Her lips kept moving, but Violet couldn’t hear what she said. “…you’ll fall back into this state of trance. Even if you realize or remember that I have given you this command, you won’t remember what that special word is. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Madame…”

“Whenever you feel that pull, that little tug at the back of your mind that comes when you fall into trance, you’ll want to follow it all the way down. Even if you’re in costume, even if you’re with your allies, you won’t be able to resist that wonderful feeling of blankness and obedience.”

“Yes, Madame…” Violet gasped.

“And…” Madame paused. She sighed and then pulled away. “No, that’s all.”

She stood back up. “Lay down on your back, Violet.”

“Yes, Madame…” Slowly, Violet moved off her knees and onto her back.

Madame looked at Sky and motioned for her to stand. The pop star rose to her feet, swaying like she was drunk and drooling absently.

Weiss kissed Sky’s cheek. “Sleep, pretty girl.”

Sky’s body instantly went limp. Madame caught her and laid her down next to Violet. Then she looked at Violet and smiled warmly.

“Sleep, my dear.”

“Now then. I think we’ve kept each other waiting long enough.”

Weiss held up the red crystal. Val’s eyes locked onto it like a magnet.

She was back in the bar now, the night Weiss first brought her here.

She felt so nervous. She was here alone with a woman she knew was secretly a supervillain who’d hypnotized over a dozen people, including her, to do God knows what. But while feared what Weiss could do to her, at the same time, she was excited by those same possibilities.

Weiss looked nervous too. Her eyes studied Val’s face, her body language tense, a hint of hesitation in her voice. What’s she so nervous about? Hasn’t she done this a million times before?

“Now…” Weiss said. She paused, as if still figuring what else to say.

Val waited with bated breath.

Weiss said… something. Val couldn’t make it out. But whatever she said, it made Val’s head swim. She closed her eyes and let her neck go limp, her chin resting on her chest. All her dread and anticipation vanished in an instant.

She heard Weiss breathe a sigh of… relief? No, it wasn’t quite that. She didn’t seem entirely happy. She sounded both satisfied and terrified. Like a lingering doubt had been cleared away, but the answer she received was the worst outcome she had imagined. “Holy shit,” Weiss said. “You really are her.”

Val didn’t respond. She didn’t know what to say. In this moment, she may as well have not known anything at all. She heard something being shuffled around, and then the sound of liquid pouring into a glass.

“Okay, okay.” Weiss took a deep breath, steeling her nerves and trying to remain calm. “Valerie, I want you tilt your head up and open your eyes.”

Val complied, her eyes empty and glassy.

“Now,” Weiss continued, “I want you to imagine your mind as a building with five floors. The fifth floor is where you are when you’re awake. But right now, we’re on the ground floor. This is where you go when you’re blank and open. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Madame…” Val murmured.

“Good. Now, you’re in an elevator within your mind. You’re on the ground floor now. But we want you to be on floor three. Still open for me, still obedient, but able to speak clearly and honestly, and think a little bit when I need you to. Understand?”

“Yes, Madame…”

“I’m pressing the button for floor three now. You can feel the elevator rising, taking you to two. It keeps rising, up and up… now the elevator doors open. What floor are you on, Valerie?”

“Floor three, Madame.” A tiny spark of life returned to Val’s eyes. She spoke at a normal volume, but her voice was emotionless and slightly slurred.

“So… your team. What do they know about me?”

“I gave them a description,” Val said. “They have a sketch of you based off that. It doesn’t do you justice, though.”

“Fucking hell,” Weiss chuckled, “she’s flirting with me even when her mind’s gone.” She took a sip of her drink. “Alright, what else?”

“We know the names and addresses of the other victims. And we know you and Raymond Hawthorne are seeing each other.”

There was a moment of silence. Then, Weiss started laughing. “Christ, he really went with that? Well, I guess that’s one way to silence a conversation. Nothing like bringing up kinky sex to make a bunch of old white guys squirm. What else do they know?”

“That’s all.”

“Wait, seriously?” Weiss set her drink down. “Well, were you close to catching me?”

“Not really. The only person who seems to know anything is Raymond Hawthorne, and he probably won’t talk to us.”

“Well, he’s not the only person…” Weiss trailed off. After a moment, she said, “They’re using that word? ‘Victims?’”

“Yes.”

Weiss took another sip of her drink. “And… what do you think of me?”

Val paused. “I think… you make me really horny. And you’re really pretty.”

“That’s not what I’m asking, Valerie. What do you think of Madame Blanc?”

“I…” Val stirred, squirming uncomfortably on the barstool. “I think… she’s…” Finally, she sighed. “I don’t know…”

“Why not?”

“Blanc is Weiss and Weiss is Blanc. Blanc did terrible things. But Weiss makes me happy.”

“I do?” Weiss leaned forward.

“Yes.”

“Would…” Weiss took a deep breath. “Would you tell your team about me? About us?”

“No.”

Weiss raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Really. I don’t want this to stop. I want you to keep playing with my mind and making me feel good. I want to be yours, Madame.”

“You mean that?”

For a moment, Val’s eyes looked completely clear. “Absolutely.”

Weiss smiled. “Thank you, Valerie. Now, I’m going to press the button to bring you back down to the ground floor. You feel the elevator going down again, bringing you down to two, and then one.”

“Yes, Madame…” The spark of awareness faded from Val’s eyes; her head swayed loosely on her shoulders.

“Now, Valerie,” said Weiss, carefully sliding over the top of the bar, “you know that whenever I do or ask you to do something that makes you uncomfortable, you can wake yourself up. You can always wake up when you need to. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Madame…”

Weiss nodded. “Take off your shirt, Valerie.”

“Get us out of here!”

Yun-hee yanked on Val’s arm as hard as she could, sending Val stumbling forwards off the couch.

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the spots from her eyes. She could see Weiss sliding down the living room wall, a look of intense pain written across her face. She looked forward and saw Yun-hee’s terrified expression as she dragged Val towards the door.

Val opened the portal that would take them to her apartment.

But then Weiss said something.

Val closed her eyes. Her legs turned to jelly, and she collapsed on the floor.

“Fuck!” Yun-hee shouted. She dragged Val across the carpet, trying to at least get out of that room.

Val heard movement behind her. The sound of Weiss groaning, stumbling to her feet, using the wall for support as she limped forward. “That hurt,” she growled.

“W-Weiss…” Patti gasped. “What the fuck…”

“I’m fine, Patricia.” Weiss didn’t sound fine; her voice was hoarse and pained. “Just hang back and let me handle things.”

“Don’t come any closer!” Yun-hee shrieked. “I’ll fucking fry you!”

Weiss laughed, then coughed. “Ugh…” she groaned, “that’s a bad idea.”

“What’s so funny?” Yun-hee’s grip around Val’s wrist tightened, her nails digging into her partner’s flesh.

“Valerie…” Weiss said. “Come over here, love.”

“No…” Yun-hee whimpered.

But Val was already getting up, her body moving like a puppet on a string. She walked towards Weiss, but Yun-hee held firm, holding her back. “Snap out of it, Val!” Yun-hee cried. “Wake up!”

Val ignored her. She had to go to Madame. She pulled away with the strength of a woman possessed, breaking Yun-hee’s grip and sending the other woman tumbling to the ground.

The hypnotized girl walked towards Weiss. She could see now that Weiss’ shirt had been singed black, the skin underneath a worrying shade of red. Weiss smiled at her, blood dripping out of her nose. “That’s a good girl…” When Val was close enough, Weiss grabbed her waist and pulled her close. “Go ahead. Fry us both.”

Yun-hee stared at the two of them, tears welling up in her eyes. “What did you do to her?”

“Weiss.” Patti spoke up again. She did not sound happy. “What did you do to her?”

Weiss sighed and closed her eyes. “Patricia, bodylock.”

Patti gasped and froze, a look of terror in her eyes. “You…” And then her mouth hung open, her body completely still.

“Forgive me, Patricia,” Weiss said. “But we don’t need you mucking things up right now.”

“Wake up, Val!” Yun-hee cried. “Don’t listen to her!”

“It’s too late for that,” Weiss replied. “It’s way too late. There’s only one way to help her now.”

“Yeah? And what’s that?”

Weiss paused for a moment. “You… have to join her.”

Yun-hee scoffed. “Are you out of your mind? Why would I ever agree to that?”

“Because… because if you don’t, the second you run out that door, we’ll go somewhere far away. New names, new identities. She’ll believe it, too. She won’t even remember being a part of your stupid club. And anytime you get close, we’ll be gone again.”

“N-No…” Val mumbled. Don’t… want this…

“Shh,” Weiss whispered, gently stroking Val’s cheek. “It’s okay, love. Just go back to sleep.”

“Stop… Weiss, please…” Val stirred, straining against Weiss’ grip.

“Fight it, Val!” Yun-hee shouted.

Snap! “Down,” Weiss growled.

Have to… fight… “I won’t…”

Snap!

“I…”

Snap!

And then Val was quiet again. She hung loosely from Weiss’ arm, threatening to topple both of them onto the floor.

“God dammit!” Yun-hee spat.

“You see?” Weiss groaned, straining to hold Val up. “She’s powerless against me. Whatever I need her to do, she’ll do it. Which means you really have no chance of finding her if you leave.”

“So…” Yun-hee sighed. “So what if I did submit to you? What would you make me do?”

“For now?” Weiss paused again. “I’d just… leave you and her on call. Sleeper agents, ready to do my dirty work.”

Yun-hee glared at Weiss. “You know, Madame Blanc, you may be a good hypnotist, but you’re a bad liar. You’re just making all this up on the spot, aren’t you?”

“Oh? And why would you think that?”

“I’m not an idiot, Blanc. Even if I didn’t spend years getting a criminal psychology degree, I could still see through you.”

Weiss sighed. “So what if I am lying? Do you think that means I’m bluffing? Do you really think I’d just stick around Prism City if I knew four superheroes were on my ass?”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that. But let’s be honest here, you’re not using either of us for any Manchurian Candidate crap. What would you really do with me if I accepted your terms?”

“In all honesty? I’d just wipe your memory of tonight and send you on your way.”

Yun-hee blinked. “…Really? That’s it?”

Weiss shrugged. “Imagination was never my strong suit. Besides, my plan is already finished. No dirty work left for either of you.”

Yun-hee rolled her eyes. “Alright, then,” she sighed, “get on with it.”

“You agree to let me hypnotize you? Just like that?”

“Just like that. Wanna know why?”

“Not especially, no.” Weiss shifted uncomfortably on her feet, unsure where Yun-hee was going with this.

“Because you’re going to tell Val about all of this. Maybe not right away. I’ll give you… let’s say a week, tops, before you crack.”

“Somehow, I don’t think that’s likely.”

Yun-hee cracked a wry grin. “I’ll bet you fifty bucks otherwise.”

Weiss furrowed her brow, discomforted by Yun-hee’s oddly casual tone. “Just get over here.”

“Very well.” Yun-hee slowly approached Weiss, holding her arms up in a sign of surrender. When she was within Weiss’ reach, Weiss carefully laid Val on the floor and touched Yun-hee’s face. Snap! “Sleep.”

Yun-hee’s eyes closed. Her head dropped onto her chest.

Weiss leaned in and whispered something in her ear. Then, with another snap! Yun-hee awoke. She wordlessly found her discarded clothes, got dressed, and left Patti’s apartment. Weiss sighed and leaned back against the wall. “Patricia, unlock.”

Patti gasped as her body came under her control again. She stumbled slightly, needing a moment to regain her balance. Then she started walking towards Weiss.

“Now,” Weiss said, “I know you’re upset-”

Smack!

Weiss tumbled to the floor with a groan, clutching her eye. “Okay, I probably deserved that.”

“‘Probably?!’” Patti shouted, pure rage running through her veins. “Bitch, you deserve way more than that! What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Other than the lightning bolt I took to the chest?”

Patti swung her leg into Weiss’ stomach. The other woman yelped in pain and doubled over, coughing a bit of blood onto the floor.

“You know what I fucking mean!” Patti yelled. “This is not what we agreed on, Gwen! You were supposed to know when to fold, and when you’ve got superheroes hunting you down, that’s when you fold!”

“I told you,” Weiss growled, struggling to sit up, “not to call me that anymore.”

“And I told you,” Patti retorted, “not to violate my boundaries! And what did you do? You locked me in my own body, and you dropped Val while she was trying to wake up.”

“I had to find a way to get rid of Yun-hee. She would’ve blown the lid on all of this.”

“So you think this stupid plan is more important than Val’s safety? Than mine?”

Weiss held her head in her hands. “I panicked. Christ, Patricia, do you have any idea how fucking terrified I was?”

“How do you think I felt? Locked in my own body, unable to move or speak? All I could do was watch as you backed Yun into that corner. I didn’t know if you’d actually get her or if…”

Patti trailed off, but both women knew what she was about to say.

“…I’m sorry,” Weiss said, breaking the silence. “I fucked up. God, I fucked this all up.”

“Sorry’s not gonna cut it this time, Gwen.” Patti took a deep breath. “We’re done.”

Weiss looked up at Patti, a mixture of sorrow and fear on her face. “Patricia, don’t-”

“I don’t want your money. I don’t want to see you around the Mansion anymore. Hell, I don’t want to see you anymore, period. Find some other shitty bar to move into.”

“Patricia, please! I’m sorry! Let me make things right!”

“You’ve done enough!” Patti snapped. “I never should’ve gone along with this anyway. Just… go.”

Weiss fell silent. Slowly, she got to her feet. “Val, get dressed. We’re leaving.”

Val pushed Weiss away. She panted for air, her heart racing at a million miles per hour. The rush of memories felt like they were playing on fast-forward on twenty different screens at once, a whirlwind of emotions all hitting her simultaneously. You fucking idiot.

Weiss sighed. “I’m sorry, Valerie.”

Did you really think she loved you? Val stared at Weiss in horror, her friend’s face taking on a sinister quality in the dim lighting of the attic. You thought she was your friend? Her hands reached for the collar, yanking on it in a frenzy. “Get this thing off me!”

“Valerie, please, you need to calm down.”

Val’s fingers fumbled with the buckle. She never really cared about you. She flew right past your boundaries without a care in the world.

Finally, the collar unclasped. Val threw it off the bed. She played you, Val. She sat there, breathing heavily, staring at the woman she thought she knew.

“Valerie,” Weiss pleaded. “Talk to me. Please.”

Val didn’t know what to say. There were all sorts of questions racing through her mind. In the end, all that came out was a meek, terrified, “Why?”

“Why?” Weiss sighed. “Why was I Blanc, you mean?” Weiss’ question was met with nothing but wide eyes and short, shallow breaths. “The short answer is money. The Pink Mansion was on the verge of closing. Patricia and I tried everything. That’s why I branched out into online stuff. None of that money was going to me, it was all going back into the Mansion. But it wasn’t enough.

“So,” she continued, “I broke out an old pet project we’d been working on. I wasn’t entirely lying about the software thing, you know. I do have a degree in that, not that it did me any good. Throw in Patti’s day job as an electrical engineer and our mutual knowledge of hypnosis, and we were able to slap together something special. Those flashes you saw back at Hammer Records? That was our baby. Quick, easy, painless. Faster than any induction either of us could do, that’s for sure.

“All I had to do was get into someone’s house or business, flash them a few times, and before they knew it, I’d be gone. They’d forget the whole thing and go on with their lives.” Weiss took a deep breath. “Until the first of the month. At which point, they’d deposit five thousand dollars in an account they didn’t consciously remember before the transaction, and which they’d forget about again right afterwards. Five grand isn’t nothing, but for the people I was targeting? That’s pocket change. No one would notice an amount like that going missing. And when you’re getting thirteen different deposits every month, it adds up fast.”

“So…” Val said, struggling to comprehend what Weiss was telling her. “You did… all of that… just for money? You’re just a… a thief?”

“Thief?” Weiss glared at Val. “That money was already stolen. I was just taking it back.”

Val stared in disbelief for a moment. Then she started laughing. “Oh, what?” she scoffed. “You think you’re Robin Hood or something? Taking from the rich, giving to the poor?”

Weiss shrugged. “Sounds a little childish when you put it like that, but yeah. Basically.”

“But you’re not giving to the poor, are you? You’re using that money to run a sex dungeon, Weiss. And let’s be real, all this?” Val motioned to the room around her. “This didn’t come from nothing.”

“Alright, fine,” Weiss replied, “I got this stuff from the money I repurposed. But-”

“‘Repurposed!’” Val laughed. “Weiss, listen to yourself! You’re so full of shit!”

“It’s more than Team Rainbow has ever done!” Weiss snapped. “You ‘post-humans’ or supers or whatever, you never go after the people causing real damage. Bank robbers and mad scientists aren’t the ones making people suffer.”

“So brainwashing people into embezzling money for you and using them to get off is somehow making the world a better place?”

“I didn’t use anyone!” Weiss shouted.

“You used Sky! You used-” Val paused, choking on her own words. “…you used me.”

Weiss turned her eyes away from Val. “I…” She crumpled up into herself, holding her knees close to her chest. “I know,” she said, holding back tears. “And I’m so, so sorry, Valerie.”

“Why should I believe you?” A part of Val felt awful for interrogating Weiss like this, but her feeling of betrayal outweighed her misgivings. But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt seeing Weiss so torn up.

“You shouldn’t,” Weiss sniffled. “After what I did to you? I know I wouldn’t trust me.”

“What do you mean?”

Weiss hugged her knees tighter. “I knew… well, I suspected who you were right away. I mean, the domino mask isn’t fooling anyone. But when I met you at the Mansion, I didn’t want to believe it. You seemed so different. So shy, so nervous. It wasn’t until back in Raymond’s apartment that I really started to think about it. I saw that same look in your eyes there that I saw in the Mansion. I tried to write it off as you being intimidated, but…”

She sighed. “Then you called me ‘Madame.’ And that’s when I knew. I should’ve called it off then and there, shouldn’t have led you on, but I couldn’t help myself.” She looked back at Val. “I still can’t. There’s a part of me, even now, that wants to drop you and make you forget all about this. To just keep you all for myself, never letting you back up. And that terrifies me.”

Val stared at Weiss, taking in what she just said. “Is that why you did all that stuff with Sky and Raymond? Because you couldn’t control yourself?”

Weiss nodded silently. “Sky, yes. But Raymond… all I did was make him want to use his resources to protect me, keeping the cops and your team off my back. He’s the one who came up with that ridiculous fantasy of us being together.”

Val raised an eyebrow. “So it was his idea to get naked and masturbate on the couch when we came in?”

“He said it was to ‘sell the relationship.’ Maybe he’s just got an exhibitionist streak, I don’t know.”

Val sighed. It sounds completely unbelievable. And Weiss has lied to me so many times before, but… something tells me she’s telling the truth. She’s not faking this. “So… where does that leave us?”

Weiss paused. “Well… I kinda thought you’d portal out of here right when I used the memory trigger, so… I don’t know. I don’t trust myself after all this. I’m scared I’m gonna hurt you even more if we keep this up.”

“So you’re… breaking up with me?”

“Feels like a somewhat blasé way to say it, but… yeah.”

Val sighed deeply. On the one hand, she wanted to stay with Weiss. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so happy being with someone. But on the other, she knew that staying with her would certainly lead to disaster. Even if she could trust Weiss to keep her safe, sooner or later her team would find out about the two of them, and the fallout from that would be a nightmare. She rose off the bed. “Alright… Gwen.”

Weiss was taken aback for a moment, but then she nodded. “Oh, right. You heard Patricia call me that.”

“Well, that’s your name, isn’t it? Your real one?”

“Yeah. Gwendolyn, Gwendolyn White.”

“Christ, you named your hypnodomme persona after your last name?” Val cracked a smile. “That’s hacky, even for you.”

Weiss chuckled. “I’m just incorrigible, aren’t I?”

Val smiled, but still couldn’t hide the sorrow in her eyes. “I… I don’t think I’ll turn you in.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I did enjoy our time together, after all. I don’t hate you, I just… I know we’re not supposed to be together, I guess.” Val opened a portal at the end of the room. “Goodbye, Weiss.”

Weiss smiled back, tears welling up in her eyes. “Goodbye, Valerie.”

Val stepped through the portal into her apartment and sighed deeply. “Fuuuuuck…”

She looked around and frowned. Wait… the lights are on. I don’t remember leaving the lights on.

“Hello, Val.”

Val jumped and spun around. Raymond and Reuben were sitting on her couch, waiting for her, Reuben in his Red Angel uniform and Raymond in a button-down shirt and slacks. His collar was undone, his tie and jacket thrown on the coffee table.

“Sorry for startling you,” Raymond said, rising off the couch. “We came by about an hour ago, but you weren’t home yet.”

“S-Sorry for keeping you waiting,” Val said. “I just, uh, wasn’t expecting company.”

Raymond slowly approached her. “Well, I normally hate to drop by unannounced. But I’m afraid this is an urgent matter.”

Val backed away from him, her mind racing. How does he even know where I live? Why is Reuben with him? Why isn’t Reuben saying anything? She pressed up against the door to her apartment. “Wh-What seems to be the matter?”

She felt a hand touch hers. She looked down and felt a buzz in the back of her head.

Raymond smiled, gently holding Val’s hand. “We need to talk about some things.”

Author’s note: I would like to thank Madam Kistulot and Kia for their help refining this story.

I’d also like to take a moment to mention Carefully Random’s Discord server and the Mind Control Literature Discord server, which are both wonderful communities of erotica writers and readers. I’ve also opened up my own Discord server, which you can join here.

If you’re interested in reading more from me, you can check out my tag on HypnoHub, support me on Patreon, or view all my links at modren.carrd.co.