I woke up the next morning, a paradoxical mixture of excitement and dread flooding my system. I crawled out of bed, grabbed my water bottle, and took a few swigs as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I tapped my phone sitting on the desk, and it didn’t light up. I tapped it a couple more times. Nothing. I pressed the lock button. Zilch. I held the button, and finally something happened! A dimly lit image of a red, empty battery appeared on the screen.

Which was very strange, considering there was a cord attached to the bottom, which was connected to a power adapter.

Fuckin’… ugh, I knew I should’ve gotten an android. Planned obsolescence is SUCH a pain in the ass.

I groaned as I set the phone back down, pulled the cord out and re-inserted it a few times to try getting it to charge properly. Luckily after a little finagling, a few whispered swears, and placing it juuust right against the bed frame, it finally buzzed to life and began its zero-power charging routine. I then grabbed Julie’s phone, tapped its screen, and finally read what the time was.

7:23 AM.

So, only an hour and a half until she finally makes her way over here.

Welp, guess I gotta wake the sleeping bear.

I let out a big yawn, stretching my arms to the ceiling as I moved back to the bunks. “Hey Juuuuulie~, rise and shine~! おはよう〜！C’mon, up and at ‘em!” I cheerfully said, poking at my roommate’s body blindly. I could’ve stood on the rung of the ladder and grabbed her leg or something, but…

Ah, who am I kidding, this is more fun!

Though from the groans that were escaping the bunk above me, a certain someone was decidedly not having fun waking up this morning. “Mmmmm… gimme, like, five minutes…” Julie grumbled back, turning away from my onslaught of probing fingers. 

“Is that five actual minutes, or five you minutes? ‘Cuz we don’t have time for the latter.” I playfully responded, climbing onto my own bunk’s frame. I gained just enough height that I could peer up onto her bunk, allowing my hand to slither up there and perform a few coordinated pokes right onto her cheek, eliciting even more disgruntled groans in response.

“Ugh, fiiiiiine, I’ll get up already!” She relented, as she rolled back over and started to swing her legs over the side of the bunk. A few moments later, with some assistance getting down, a groggy Julie stood before me rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “So, what time is it?” She asked, as a big yawn forced its way through the middle of her saying that.

I yawned back uncontrollably. “7:30. We’ve got an hour and a half to get fed and ready before you-know-who comes over. So, let’s get you through the shower and all washed up! You take longer than I do in the morning, after all.” I threw my arm over her shoulders, guiding her unwilling and shambling body to the bathroom.

“Man, you are way too energetic in the mornings. Seriously, how-” She froze in place, and her eyes shot wide awake. “Wait. You’re… energetic this morning?”

That also made me pause.

Wait…

Holy shit!

Holy shit, I’m… functional!!!

When was the last time I even felt like this?!

“Oh my God, you’re right!” I exclaimed back. “When the fuck did that happen?! I… I’m awake! I haven’t felt this way in weeks!!!” I practically shouted, only barely containing my excitement enough to not annoy my neighbors through the relatively thin dorm walls. I pranced around the small little room, absolutely elated at this wonderful feeling of awakeness that I’d missed oh so dearly.

Julie chuckled at me. “Well, at least one of us is feeling good. Guess I’ll head in and leave you to revel in your renewed… early bird-ness.” She waved her hand around as she said it, obviously jealous at my miraculously revitalized self. “Or… y’know, we could probably make better time if you just came in here with me.”

I immediately froze in place, then whipped around to face her. I stared at her tired face, completely flabbergasted. “Whuh- you. Want me. To go in there with you?” My mind was racing a million miles an hour, trying to fathom why the fuck my borderline demonic at times roommate - who’s neither forcibly turned lesbian nor a slave to my whims anymore - just invited me - capital M capital E - to get naked with her.

She laughed, only furthering my confusion. “Violet, darling,” she explained as she leaned on the doorframe casually, “we’ve seen each other naked countless times by now. Probably more times and more intimately than we should’ve compared to most roommates, but… it is what it is. I just thought we could cycle through our showers faster if we didn’t wait for each other to finish getting out of the bathroom first.”

“O-Oh, yeah, that… that makes sense, um, sure…” I could feel the blood rushing to my face as my ego immediately deflated with a sad whimper. I looked down at the floor, shuffling uncomfortably towards my dresser as I mentally reprimanded myself. 

I mean… yeah, duh! Of course that’s what she meant! Obviously she wouldn’t be asking me for sex. I mean, it’s me we’re talking about! Of course she wouldn’t want to have any more sex with me!

I think.

…Maybe?

No! Stop it, me! Don’t push your luck! It’s only been a few days since we made up, I don’t want to immediately destroy what little friendship I just rebuilt!

Get your head out of your cunt, me!

I slapped my cheeks, then walked over to my dresser, grabbed a set of clothes, and shuffled into the open bathroom as Julie stepped into the shower. After a few minutes we swapped places, the lukewarm water doing little to quell my growing anxiety.

After all, today’s the day I planned to put Christy completely under my control.

“It’s still so wild to me that we managed to find each other,” Christy said as I closed the door behind us. “I mean, I had a feeling I wasn’t the only one like this, but…”

I shrugged back. “Frankly, same! I never thought I’d see the day either. Oh, and make yourself at home, by the way!” I said as I motioned towards my bed. I pulled out the office chair from behind the desk for myself, as Christy sat on my bed and Julie parked herself on top of the desk.

“By the way, do you want a drink or anything? We’ve got some sports drinks left over in the mini-fridge if you want one.” Julie offered, pointing a thumb behind her.

“Oh, no thank you! I’ll just drink my water for now.” Christy politely declined with a smile.

“No biggie, I grabbed a few out just in case.” I said, pulling one out of my bag beside me and cracking the seal. “For what we want to test, it’s best to have these on-hand.”

“Right!” Christy replied excitedly. “So, your powers actually make you tired when you use them?”

“Yup! Here, I’ll show you.” I looked up at my friend. “Do you mind if I…?”

“Go for it, Vi.” Julie said, shrugging nonchalantly.

I closed my eyes, pointed my palm out towards her, and began channeling. I could feel the warm, purple energy flowing from me towards Julie, accompanied by a gasp and a “Woahhhhh…” from our guest. As soon as I felt the familiar sensation of Julie’s mind, I began thinking of things to put in there.

By the way, I’m not trying to mind-control you or anything, just wanted to say… thanks for everything, Julie.

No hidden ulterior motives this time, just… wanted to let her know I appreciated her. I’m not able to read the thoughts of others when I’m channeling my powers, but I’d be willing to bet that soft little bump I felt in her mind was her responding back. Regardless, sending telepathic messages and suggestions like that tends to wear me out a little bit faster, as evidenced by the sweat starting to form on my clammy skin. I quit channeling, opened my eyes, and looked back at the awestruck writer across from me.

“Wow, you’re right!” She squealed with excitement. “One second you were fine, the next you were sweating like it’s the middle of summer! Has it gotten easier over time?”

I shook my hand in a so-so gesture. “I feel like it’s a little easier, but it still tires me out if I hold it for too long. There were a few times where I basically put myself into a coma by accident! Luckily, Julie was there to help me when I needed it the most.”

I looked up at her, and she glanced away with a blush. “Ah, it’s nothing. Wouldn’t exactly be a good roommate if I just left you there to die, now would I?”

I chuckled back. “And for that, I’m eternally grateful!”

More than you could ever know, if I’m being honest.

“Interesting!” Christy piped back in. “I’ve never really tested my powers that much, but so far I’ve never felt tired from it. I’m guessing you guys wanted to see how long I could go for?”

“Correct!” Julie nodded back. “And to help with that, I’ve got a gallon of water and a bucket for you!” She reached behind the desk, pulling out a jug of purified water and lightly kicking the orange bucket at the bottom of the ladder. “I figured we could start by having you transfer all the liquid from one container to another, and go from there.”

“Oh, alright!” Christy said excitedly, before scooting up onto the edge of the bed. As Julie unscrewed the cap and placed the objects next to each other, Christy extended her hands out in front of her with her palms outstretched. She began moving her arms like a harpist plucking strings, her eyebrows scrunched up as she concentrated fiercely on the task at hand. The water in the jug began to stir, and soon a controlled stream of water began levitating out of the bottle. It then arced through the air, dropping into the bucket and filling the room with its deep, thunderous splashing. I noticed it looked like a spool of thread unwinding within the bottle, the topmost water collecting in a current that circled around and around as it wound its way up to the opening.

After about a minute, the water bottle laid empty on the floor. Christy let out a sigh, stretching her arms out to her sides. “That was kinda fun! I had to think about how I’d actually do it, and it’s a lot harder to move that much water at once!”

Julie and I were completely frozen with wonder. I shook my head, then excitedly addressed her. “That’s awesome, Christy! Seriously, your powers are so cool! I do have to ask though: I noticed that the water tended to swirl a lot as it was going up and being dragged out, was that intentional?”

She scratched her head. “Sort of? Here, let me show you.” She stretched out both arms towards the bucket, palms in like she was holding something. She started to slowly move her hands up, and the water in the bucket began rising. However, unlike the controlled stream from a moment ago, it seemed like disparate areas of the water’s surface would rise up a few inches before falling back down; almost like invisible hands were trying to pull water out, but it kept escaping her grip and falling out.

“When I try to force it like this,” Christy explained as she let her hands flop to her sides, “it’s really hard to actually make it move. But if I give it some momentum first,” she pointed her finger at the bucket and twirled it, “then it becomes much easier to make it move how I want it to.” She flicked her finger up, and a small globule of water jumped out of the bucket. She waved her finger and hands around, causing the water to begin dancing in the air where her arms vaguely gestured. She then pointed back down to the bucket, and the water quickly dropped back into the bucket with a satisfying plop.

“Your technique is really something else!” Julie added, squirming with excitement. “You seem to have really fine control over your powers, and a pretty good understanding of how to actually use them!”

She blushed and shuffled around at the compliment. “Ah, I’m really not that good at it! I could hardly be called a master or anything, I just kinda… do what feels natural. Though, I have been just using my powers whenever I’m bored and no one’s looking, so maybe that helped?”

“You could just be a uh… what’s it called…?” I sat there trying to think of the right word, it was on the tip of my tongue but I just couldn’t place it!

“Savant? Prodigy? Virtuoso?” Christy offered.

“Yeah, one of those!” I agreed.

Christy shrugged. “Maybe! I mean, it’s not like we have many people to compare my progress to, so it’s a possibility!”

“Yeah,” Julie interjected, “sample size has always been a big issue for us. It’s a little hard to find people like you two when everyone’s trying to keep a low profile. For the most part.”

Was… was that last part directed at me? I feel like that last part was directed at me.

“Wait, you mean to say you don’t have powers?” Christy asked, genuinely confused. “I could’ve sworn you did.”

She shook her head. “Nope. Unfortunately, whatever happened to you two that gave you powers didn’t work for me. I can experience it a little bit when Vi channels her powers through me, but I’m pretty normal all things considered.” She looked at both of us, then waved her hands apologetically. “There’s nothing wrong with that, though! Honestly, I have enough headaches as-is without having to worry about supernatural powers. I’m happy just supporting you two from the sidelines in that regard!”

“And again, I truly appreciate that!” I complemented. Julie nodded proudly, and I turned back towards Christy. “So, quick question before we run more tests: how would you describe the act of using your powers? For me personally, it’s like I’m channeling this… formless energy from within myself, expelling it out and directing it into the environment. What about you?”

She grabbed her chin and thought about it for a good few seconds before answering. “That’s a good question. I’d say… my power reminds me of something like a marionette, like I’m controlling a doll with strings. I can feel my powers extend out to sources of water, and from there it’s like I can pull the strings on the water to influence it the way I want. When I tried lifting all the water at once, it felt like it was constantly escaping my grasp. But if I get it moving, it… distributes my control equally over the stream, so that I can control more of it at once. It’s like… if you tried throwing a 100 pound weight alone, it’d be really hard; but if it was a bunch of smaller weights tied together on a rope, you could grab the first one and swing the rest, using momentum to make the job easier. That’s kind of what it’s like when I use my powers, instead of controlling one big drop of water I’m controlling a whole bunch of smaller, connected drops. Does… does that make sense?”

“Yeah, that makes a lot of sense!” I exclaimed. “It’s super interesting how you described it, too! I wonder… the human body’s about 60% water, so do you feel that same connection directed at either of us?”

“Hmmm,” Christy looked at both of us with rapt focus, “No, not really. I think it might be because the water isn’t exactly ‘pure’ that I can’t feel it, since it’s all mixed in with your blood and muscles and stuff. I’ve noticed that the more pure the source of water is, the easier it is for me to control.”

“So, what about her sports drink?” Julie asked. “It’s just water with a bunch of sugar and electrolytes added.”

Christy pointed her finger at the bottle in my hands, and with a flick of the wrist the liquid jumped up spontaneously. “Hm, I can still feel it and move it, but not as easily. I could feel the impurities as I tried to move it, like it put a ton of extra weight on the strings.”

“Veeeeery interesting…” Julie said as she typed away on her computer. Wait, when’d she grab her laptop out? “Well, now that we have a good idea of how your powers work, let's test just how fine your control is over them! How about you try putting the water back into the jug?”

Christy looked back at the bucket and empty bottle, intrigued. “Oooh~ I see, sure! Let’s give it a go!”

Her arms began swirling around once more, and we watched as she tried her best to refill the bottle with its original contents. She was mildly less successful than last time, but still managed to get the vast majority of the liquid back into its original container. We kept going with more tests to figure out her limits: she could comfortably hold a drop twice the size of her nail with just her finger, and using her whole hand she could suspend a ball of water about double the size of her fist midair. We had her try to move the water back to the bucket in chunks and without momentum rather than a continuous stream, and that finally made her start sweating.

“Mmmf, this is way harder than the way I normally do it!” She explained as small beads of sweat began dripping down her face. “It’s like I’m lifting weights at the gym, but the ‘muscle’ I’m working is those strings I mentioned. It’s almost… nnnngh, it’s almost like having an extra set of, of invisible arms that were underdeveloped until now.” Her skin was very clammy now, and I could see her arms shaking now as she tried pulling the last quarter of liquid out of the bottle.

Exactly like I’d hoped for.

“Well, if it is like working a muscle, then make sure you don’t overwork it!” Julie advised. “You think you can do the last little bit, or you wanna call it here?”

Christy shook her head, jostling a few drops of sweat free that landed on my bed. “Nah, I think I’ve got this!” Though it took great visible effort, she managed to lift up the last few globs of water and deposited them into the bucket.

“Well, now you know how I feel when I use my powers!” I said as I sat on the bed next to her and patted her on the back. While she was drained and exhausted, I started sneakily channeling my energy into her through the hand currently rubbing her back, easily finding her mind with my wispy tendrils without her ever noticing.

Violet being this close turns me on.

“Yeah, I… I guess I do now, huh?” She said between slightly labored breaths. I could slightly feel her heartbeat through her back, pounding a bit harder than normal. Whether that was solely from the exhaustion or my little intruding thought, I wasn’t sure. It was probably a bit of both, honestly. 

“If you’re as tired as Vi tends to get from this, then I think lunch is in order!” Julie announced. “I’ll run down to the food court and grab something for all of us. I think they had personal pizzas as the special today, is that fine with you two?”

I want to be alone with Violet.

I nodded. “You know what I like on mine. Christy?”

“Oh, um, just cheese or pepperoni is fine!”

I can relax around Violet.

“Alright, I’ll head on down there! Make sure you drink some water and cool off while I go get it, okay?” Christy nodded back, and Julie made her way out the door. It closed behind her with a loud kathunk, and Christy let out a long breath as she leaned back onto her hands.

I trust Violet completely.

I took a sip of my sports drink, then leaned over to grab a smaller water bottle I’d brought over earlier. “Here, drink this! We’ll save the big bottle for more testing if you feel like it after lunch, and we grabbed a few of these in preparation.”

I want to ask Violet to hypnotize me.

“O-Oh, um, thanks!” Christy flubbed out, clearly flustered by how closely I’d saddled up next to her. She took the bottle, cracked it open, and chugged about half of it in one go. As she screwed the lid back on, I could tell from the awkward silence and her small little fidgets that she wanted to say something, but was having trouble finding the courage. Good, I thought to myself, she just needs a little push.

“You look like you’ve got something on your mind, what’s up?” I asked, causing her to flinch almost imperceptibly. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

I can tell Violet about wanting to be hypnotized.

She cleared her throat nervously. “I-I… well, uhm, you see… I, I have this thing I’ve been thinking about. I don’t know e-exactly where it came from, but it’s been on my mind for the last few days, a-and I think… I think you’d be the right person to talk to about it.”

Violet understands me.

“Well,” I picked up one of her hands gently, “whatever it is, I won’t judge! I’m all ears, Christy.”

I should say it to her straight.

She swallowed, then sucked in a deep breath. Her face was scrunched up, but then finally relaxed as she exhaled. She looked me in the eyes, determination welling up in hers. “Violet, you are absolutely beautiful and I have this strong, overwhelming desire to share my, my deepest desires with you. I never had any attraction to girls before I met you, but now I find that the only thing I can think of is you. We’ve only known each other for a day, and yet I trust you completely and utterly. This… this is unnatural.

“You’ve done something to me. I had my suspicions up until now, but I’m almost certain you’ve been lying to me about your abilities. You know exactly what your superpowers do, and you’re using them on me right now. Because right now… you’re trying to take control of my mind.”

She stared me down with an intense ferocity I never would’ve imagined she was capable of. Her hands were curled into fists, and were trembling with rage. Everything about her screamed that she was moments away from decking me and running away. 

Oh.

Oh shit.

Ice flooded my veins. I had to think of something quick, and my mind went into overdrive for the split second it took to respond.

“So, you’ve caught on.” I returned her stare and put on my most sly poker face. “I won’t try to deceive you, that’s exactly what’s been going on. I’ve ensnared you, hooked you on my webs, and I want to make you mine. You’re very perceptive, by the way! But… there’s a little problem with what you said.”

“…And that would be?” She demanded.

I danced my fingers up her leg tauntingly. “There’s something you’re not telling me. I can see it in your face that you’re hiding something.”I  brushed my hand against her cheek, sending shivers down her body, “I’d be willing to bet… it’s the reason you haven’t attacked me yet. The reason you’re resisting, but not trying to escape. So go ahead, Tsunami, tell your dear friend Ms. Mesmer exactly why you’re not fighting the mind-controlling arch-villainess in front of you.” I grabbed her chin and made a show of my magic, extending wispy trails of dark purple energy from right below her field of view.

“I… I…” The poor girl was trembling something fierce as she tried to maintain her confidence and composure. Eventually, though, that determination crumbled as her eyes turned soft. “I… want you… to control… me…” she whispered, turning her eyes and face away.

I let out a dramatic, sensuous laugh. “I’m sorry, did you say something? I couldn’t quite hear you.” I placed both hands on her face, turning her head back to look at me. She let out a small gasp, as she was forced to look me square in the eyes. “Repeat that for me, loud and clear.” I ordered.

“I-I want you to control me! I want to be hypnotized by you, to become your thrall, to become a slave to your every whim! I want you to own me, do as you please with me! I… I don’t want to fight it. I just want to give in. Please… Violet, Mesmer, Mistress, whatever you want me to call you! Just… let me become yours.”

I grinned.

“Exactly what I wanted to hear. Slumbering Tsunami.”

The light faded from Christy’s eyes, and she slumped over onto the bed beside me. A moment later, she began chanting her mantras into the bedsheets unconsciously as I released my magic.

Holy FUCK. 

That wasn’t in the script at all!

I finally remembered to breathe, and collapsed on the bed next to the mumbling writer. My heart was beating a million times a second, and my hands were shaking uncontrollably. I could feel a cold sweat start to form all across my body, and I could feel every rapid pulse of blood against the tension of my arteries.

Why did she go off the rails like that?! And the way I dealt with it was such a massive gamble, too! I mean, I’m glad it worked out in the end, but… I really shouldn’t put myself in situations like that! My power isn’t exactly all-powerful, now is it? The fact that her conditioned desire to be controlled actually stuck is probably the only reason I got out of that unscathed! 

It’s not like she could hide anything from me, I made damn sure yesterday that she wasn’t. Sumi was surprisingly helpful with that, her suggestions really made sure I had an iron lock on Christy’s brain. So… it must’ve happened last night. When I wasn’t there to supervise. God, why did I think having her brainwash herself was a good idea…

I sat up slowly, my muscles weak and weary. I wiped the sweat off my brow, then looked down at my drenched shirt and…

Oh. That’s probably why I thought it was a good idea.

All I could do was bury my head in my hands and rub my now aching temples, squirming uncomfortably as I tried desperately to ignore my soaked panties. Please, Violet, can you stop thinking with your vagina and start using your BRAIN for once, you dumb fucking lesbian?!

The door to the dorm room opened, and Julie walked through carrying three small, heavenly-smelling cardboard boxes. “Alright, lunch is serv- oh.” She called out, before she recognized what was happening. She quickly set down the boxes on the desk, then quietly closed the door behind her. “I-Is she done yet, or…?”

“W-well, ahaha… about that…” I chuckled, pulling my loose top nervously.

All she did was let out one of those oh-so-familiar sighs before she glared at me. “Vi, what did you do?” She ordered condescendingly, like a mother scolding a child.

Although I was hesitant at first - both out of embarrassment and, more importantly, concern for Julie - I explained exactly what I’d been doing to Christy while we ate. I sat there munching on my last slice of pizza as I finished my story, while Julie took the empty cardboard box from an oblivious Christy’s lap as she mindlessly munched away. 

“Okay, I’ll at least give you points for creativity,” Julie said as she placed the two cardboard boxes on top of the mini-fridge. “Having her brainwash herself isn’t without merit, but even with your precautions there was a lot that could’ve gone wrong there. She was scarily close to blowing the lid on all of this, and all because something probably happened that interrupted her brainwashing routine. Or maybe she just didn’t brainwash herself properly and left gaps for herself to reason it out.”

“Yeah, I agree.” I said, choking down a bite of pizza that was a little bit too big. “I mean, in theory this approach means I barely have to do any work, just make sure she doesn’t fly too far off the tracks. But, well…”

“Whatever happened without your supervision,” Julie continued as she sat back on the desk like before, “caused her to nearly break free. That’s the big risk this plan of attack carries. From now on, it’s probably for the best if you just brainwash your victims directly.”

“Victims”. Yeah, that’s… an apt choice of words.

I swallowed the last bite of my pizza, then looked at the hypnotized girl beside me. Christy simply sat there with a little bit of tomato sauce stuck next to her lips, breathing slow and steady, waiting for someone to address her. Her eyes were utterly vacant, waiting to be filled with whatever thoughts and desires I wanted to put there. She was exactly as she wanted to be.

Exactly how I’d made her.

My little superhero, waiting to be corrupted by the wicked Ms. Mesmer.

I closed my pizza box and passed it to Julie, then quickly stood up and walked over to my dresser. “Well, that’s what I’m going to do now. No more playing games with her, she needs to be brainwashed now. I’ve had enough heart attacks for one week.” I shucked off my soaked bottoms, opened the drawer, and pulled out some new clothes to replace them. “I’d advise you to take a walk or hide yourself in the bathroom until I’m done. Though, I will try to make this one quick.” I threw off my shirt and bra next, grabbing my last clean bra and a loose graphic tee out as a headache began pulsing in my temples.

“…Vi. Tell me what’s going on.” Julie’s tone was serious, but… not like usual. She sounded more concerned than anything.

I couldn’t bear to look her in the eyes as I stomped back over to the bed.

“Vi, don’t be like that. Tell me what’s going on.” I could tell she was worrying about me, but between my emotions and this growing headache her words felt distant.

I groaned, crossing my arms tightly underneath my breasts. “I keep fucking things up. This is, what, the fourth time I’ve managed to screw this up? Literally the only times this whole brainwashing thing has actually worked has been with Amber and Chase. Jas almost ran away because I forced her into becoming a lesbian. You… well, you already know. Sumi, uh, actually escaped for a bit because I got too confident in my new ability. And now, Christy nearly broke free from everything, probably because something happened that I’m unaware of. I’m just… pissed. Not only is my, my pride wounded, but this track record speaks for itself. And as long as I keep doing it - because apparently I can’t stop my power-hungry cunt from controlling my actions no matter how hard I try - then I’m probably going to find myself in a situation where I can’t save my own ass!”

I took deep breaths to try and calm myself down. I could feel all the muscles in my body tensed up with anger, and my hands were shaking. I could feel the headache throbbing at my temples with each passing heartbeat, threatening to make my head explode with each pulse.

Julie let out a long sigh. “I get it. If I was in your position, I probably wouldn’t be feeling great about everything either. That being said, though: you need to calm down. Trying to brainwash Christy while pissed off is just a recipe for disaster, and you know it.”

She’s right. I know she’s right. But that’s easier said than done, y’know? I don’t think I’ve ever been this pissed in my life.

After waiting for a reply that never came, she spoke again. “Look, if you want… maybe, as much as I’d rather not, you just let me take the reins with this one?” She offered.

My head immediately whipped around as I stared at her in complete disbelief. “I’m sorry, come again?”

She locked her eyes to mine, and spoke with authority. “Violet, I want to immediately set the ground rules here: this will not become a common occurrence. I thought a lot about what you told me yesterday, and I have to agree to some extent: the less I’m directly involved with your misdeeds, the better. However, call it sunk cost fallacy or whatever, but I’m involved this deep with you and I can’t exactly back out now. And if you royally screw things up past the point of no return, then like it or not, I’ll be going down with the ship.

“The smart play here is to either wait for you to get your temper under control, or just do it for you. One will probably take more time than we can afford and will run the risk of her breaking free again. The other… well, let’s just say I’m not thrilled after what you had me do earlier this week. But if it means covering both of our asses and making sure that we don’t screw it all up, then I’m willing to do it once. You know I’m more than capable, and if you tried doing it as you are now we’d probably just end up repeating the Sue situation all over again. The definition of insanity, and all that. 

“So. Violet, let me help you.”

I sat and pondered for a moment. That’s… a very valid argument. There’s a part of me that’s viscerally fighting back, saying I can do it, that I can just fix this situation… but that’s my pride talking. She’s right, if I do this I’m bound to fuck it up again somehow. I should just… let this one go. As much as I’d rather not, for intrinsic and extrinsic reasons. 

I let out a long breath of resignation. “Alright. Julie, please help me brainwash Christy.”

She hopped off the desk, and sat in the cheap office chair across from us. “Well, if it’ll help you, then who am I to argue?” She remarked with a smile, winking at me as she settled into her hypnotized helper mindset. “Given what you told me, I’ve got a good idea of how you were going to do it. I’m assuming something related to her superhero story, right?” I nodded back wearily. “Perfect, then all I need is your magic. Are you ready?”

God, I really don’t deserve you, Julie.

I downed the rest of my sports drink, then nodded at her. She scooted closer, and I was about to reach out for her when I felt my headache spike. “A-Actually, before we start, do we have any painkillers lying around? My head’s been killing me for a little while now.”

“Oh, sure, lemme grab ‘em for you.” She walked back over to the desk, grabbed a pill bottle, and tossed it my way. As she sat back down, I cracked open a new sports drink and swallowed a couple of the small red tablets.

“Alright, ready when you are.” I said, screwing the lid back onto both bottles as Julie nodded back to me. I then turned to the hypnotized girl sitting on the bed beside me, still as lifeless and vacant as ever. “Christy, listen closely. Julie is going to hypnotize you further, give you exactly what you wanted, and turn you into the perfect, obedient, hypnotized slave you wish to become deep down. Give her your full attention, and do everything she says.”

“That’s right, Christy,” Julie spoke softly with her hypnotist’s voice, “I’m going to brainwash you into becoming Mistress Violet’s newest slave. That thought is just so tempting, so enticing, so alluring that you can’t resist it. You’re going to be a good girl and listen to everything I say, so you can make that thought a reality. If you’re ready to proceed, then you’ll take off your shirt and bra now.”

She snapped her fingers, and almost instantly Christy’s arms began moving. She clumsily grabbed at the bottom of her shirt, then flipped it up and over her head before casually tossing it onto the floor beside her. Then she reached behind her, unclasping her strapless bra and letting it flop onto her lap unceremoniously. Julie looked back to me and nodded, and I placed my hand on her shoulder as I channeled my magic into her.

…Why did she even make her do that? She could’ve just had her respond, so why did she… oh, I really did turn her gay, huh. Maybe that’s just leftover from the helper suggestions?

Please let it just be because of the suggestions.

“Good girl,” Julie said as she began gently fondling Christy’s freshly exposed tits, making me wince slightly at the intrusive thought. “So obedient, so willing, so ready to become enslaved. In fact, you may not have realized it, but you’re basically already enslaved at this point! You want this so deeply, so viscerally, so heart-throbbingly that you can’t take it any more, you simply must become Violet’s hypnotized slave! But… there’s one thing you’re missing, one key ingredient that must be added, one last hurdle you must overcome before you’re fully enthralled. Do you know what that thing is?”

Christy’s eyes furrowed slightly. “No, what… is it…?”

Julie chuckled softly. “That’s okay, because I’ll tell you. What you’re missing is acceptance. You need to fully accept your new status as Violet’s slave. Every part of you needs to agree to this: your logical and emotional side, your body and your soul, your conscious and subconscious, everything must unanimously agree to become her slave. This is not an easy thing to do, but don’t worry: I will help you accomplish this goal. Would you like my help with that, Christy?” 

“But… need to fight…” Christy mumbled back.

“And why would you need to fight it? You already want it, so why not give in?” Julie asked.

“Tsunami’s a hero… she shouldn’t… become a villain… need to stay true…” her forehead creased as she reasoned through it, a frown starting to form on her face.

“But being a hero isn’t mutually exclusive to becoming Violet’s slave. You can do both!”

“H-How?…” Christy’s eyebrows turned up as her mind tried sluggishly comprehending the baffling statement.

“Well, superheroes are generally virtuous people, right? The big thing that most heroes share is that they have something they believe in, and do their superhero duty in service of. They might be serving their country by defending the stars and stripes, or they might just want to protect their family, or they believe that vigilantism is the only way to clean up their city, or they might even just be passionate about justice. You have a similar deep-rooted desire that you just admitted to me, what was it again?”

“But… becoming her slave-”

“Is not that different from many other superheroes or antiheroes!” She interjected. “There are tons of examples of superheroes who are controlled by or fiercely devoted to someone above them. They can still be good people, they can still be heroes in their own right! Violet may not be… the most morally correct person…” she glanced at me apologetically, and I just breathed a sigh of understanding in response. “But surely you’ve read tales of superheroes being born from under worse conditions, right? Violet would never want you to not become a superhero! The opposite, in fact! It’s part of the reason she wanted to test your abilities like we did, and why she’s so happy that you want to become her slave!”

Well, “happy” is definitely a strong word at the moment, I thought as I rubbed my pulsing temple and took another sip of my drink.

“She wants me…?” Christy asked, her tone faltering slightly as she processed the argument.

“Yes! She wants you to become the best version of yourself, and by becoming her slave you could do exactly that! By serving her fully and completely, she can turn you into the superhero you always imagined yourself as! Doesn’t that sound absolutely wonderful?”

At last, a dreamy smile spread across her face.

“Yes, I… I see now… I can be a superhero… by being Violet’s slave… I want it… I want to be her hero…” She sighed contentedly.

“I knew you’d come around to it!” Julie praised, stroking the hypnotized girl’s face gently with the back of her hand. “So, now that you fully want to become her slave, I’m going to have you repeat some things for me. As you repeat them, they’re going to become so deeply entrenched into the root of your mind that they will become your absolute truth, the axioms of your existence from this point forward. Are you ready?”

“Yeeesssss…” She slurred out happily.

“Now, repeat after me: I am Violet’s slave.”

“I am Violet’s slave…”

“I am her slave above all else.”

“I am her slave above all else…”

“I love being Violet’s slave.”

“I love being Violet’s slave…”

“I am proud to be Violet’s slave.”

“I am proud to be Violet’s slave…”

“I never want to go back on being her slave.”

“I never want to go back on being her slave…”

“I will do anything for Violet.”

“I will do anything for Violet…”

“Obeying Violet’s will is the greatest pleasure.”

“Obeying Violet’s will is the greatest pleasure…”

“Violet’s will is absolute.”

“Violet’s will is absolute…”

“Stop repeating after me. You will now repeat everything you just said, over and over, until they become so firmly ingrained into your psyche that they are inseparable from it. You’ll keep repeating them, over and over and over, until they become not just your beliefs, but the foundational truths that your entire worldview, personality, and perception are built upon, existing above every other aspect of yourself. Go ahead and start repeating them, now.”

Julie snapped her fingers, and Christy began happily chanting away.

“I am Violet’s slave… I am her slave above all else… I love being Violet’s slave… I am proud to be Violet’s slave… I never want to go back on being her slave… I will do anything for Violet… Obeying Violet’s will is the greatest pleasure… Violet’s will is absolute… I am Violet’s slave…”

Julie turned to me, back to her normal self, as I released her shoulder and quit channeling my magic. “Alright, that should just about do it. We’ll let her go at it for a while, and wake her up when she stops.” She looked back to the droning girl, and put a hand on her chin. “For what it’s worth, by the way, I do think that enslaving her - while obviously not my first choice - was the right move. Having another magician to compare powers against is invaluable for a lot of reasons.”

“Yeah, I… thought so too.” I replied solemnly after taking a few more swigs of my drink.

Julie looked at me, empathy in her eyes. “Still hung up about everything?”

I sighed, feeling that dull pain pulsing behind my closed eyelids. “Yeah… I’m just frustrated. It was the right call, and I absolutely appreciate that you were even willing to do this in the first place, but… I don’t know. I feel really bad about this.” I saw Julie open her mouth, then hold back the retort. “Yeah, yeah, I know. But like… this isn’t just the guilt this time.”

“That headache still kicking?”

“Yeah.”

“Hm. That might be part of it.” She replied quietly, eyebrows narrowed as she looked back at Christy.

“Maybe.” I shrugged wearily.

We both sat there in silence for a moment, with Christy’s chanting being the only thing to fill the room. All I could do was hang my head in my hands and try to block out this ever-present headache. After what felt like ages had passed, our guest finally stopped chanting her new mantras.

“Well,” Julie said, “it’s about time we greet your newest edition to the harem. Do you want the honors?”

I shook my head. “You might as well, since you were the one to do it.”

She shrugged. “Alright, as you wish. Christy, are you ready to awaken to your new life as Violet’s slave?”

“Yes.” She intoned.

“Then I’m going to count to 3, and when I reach 3, you’ll be completely out of hypnosis, ready to meet your new Mistress with fresh eyes. 1, 2, 3, wide awake!”

Julie snapped her fingers, and Christy’s lidded eyes fluttered open fully. She shook her head, then looked around in confusion. The moment her eyes landed on me, though, her jaw dropped straight through the floor.

“I… you… I…?” She fumbled her words in a way I never thought she was capable of, trying to find the right description for the sudden mental shift she was going through. Eventually, she just laughed as she looked down at the carpeted dorm room floor. “So, this is what it feels like, huh? I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But you’ve thoroughly and utterly convinced me that becoming your slave is my sole purpose for existing! I think back to just moments ago, and I’m utterly perplexed at how I could even think to stand against you!”

“Actually, that was, like…” Julie glanced down at her phone, “an hour and change ago? But don’t worry, most people perceive time differently when they’re under hypnosis.” She replied, shrugging nonchalantly. 

“Wow, time flies, doesn’t it Violet?” She replied, looking up at me cheerfully before immediately becoming flustered. “I-I mean Mesmer? Or, um, uh, Mistress? I’m, I’m sorry, I don’t really know what to call you now that I’m… completely subservient to you. Wow, it feels weird to say that so earnestly.”

“Call me whichever you want, I don’t care that much.” I said before immediately regretting it. “Sorry, that came out wrong. I’ve got a massive headache and a terrible temper today.”

“Oh, don’t apologize! I should be the one apologizing to you, considering…” Christy replied, taking my hand in hers gently.

“Thank you. Um, call me Mistress then, I guess. Or Mesmer if you really want, I’m okay with that. Just make sure you call me Violet or Vi in public. Don’t want the, uh, superhero secret identity to get found out, right?” I said as I managed to flash her the best smile I could.

“Alright, Mistress! I can’t wait to serve you from now on!” Christy replied ecstatically, clasping her hands together. “Um, by the way, is there a reason I’m topless?”

“Oh, sorry, that was me.” Julie admitted as she raised her hand up. “I needed to check that you were properly following my orders when you were under, since I was the one to actually finish the whole brainwashing process.”

Immediately confusion gripped her face as she pointed back and forth between the two of us. “Wait, but… but I thought… are you…???”

“Long story.” I sighed defeatedly. “Look, she’s basically my partner in crime. Treat her as you would me.”

“Oh, uh, alright!” She replied, nonplussed. “Should I-”

“Just ‘Julie’ is fine, thank you.” She interjected. “I have no need for reverence.”

“Sounds good! Um, do either of you mind if I put my shirt back on? It’s kind of embarrassing.” She said, crossing her arms and shying away.

“Actually, take off the rest and start masturbating in front of us.” I ordered.

A look of pure shock crossed her face, followed by embarrassed acceptance. “Um, a-alright! Your wish is… my command!” Her hands immediately went at blistering speed to work her jeans off her body alongside her panties, and a moment later she sat on my bunk with her legs spread and her fingers gingerly teasing her folds.

“Okay, was that really necessary?” Julie barked accusingly as she watched the girl follow my orders.

“I need to cement the conditioning and make sure it’s all working properly. Also that’s rich from you, little Ms. Titty Fondler.” I shot back.

Julie threw up her hands in surrender. “Alright, you got me there. Screw you for making me gay by the way, little Ms. Mind-Fucker.” She retorted sarcastically with a grin, earning a small chuckle out of me. “But for real, though: don’t push it with your current mood.”

Yeah, she’s right. I do have something to take care of first, though.

I turned back to my slave, whose flushed face was now more confused than ever as she looked back and forth between us. “You’ve got a roommate, right?”

“Y-Yes! Avery Heathers, s-she’s my roommate.” She struggled to reply between stifled moans.

“Alright, you’re going to help me brainwash her into becoming a slave just like you, then.” I ordered.

“A-Alright, as you wish!” She agreed apprehensively. “I’m not s-sure how best I can he- oh fuck, how I can help w-with that, b-but I’ll help however I can!” Her fingers were going full speed ahead now, and her breathing was markedly more ragged.

“Oh, don’t worry, we’ll find a use for you.” I said as I picked my legs off the floor and curled up against the head of the bunk. I almost sprawled out on my bed, but caught myself before I accidentally kicked the masturbating woman at the other end. I sat there nursing my aching skull with my eyes closed as Christy’s shlicking and reserved moans filled the room.

“Alright Christy, that’s probably enough. Go ahead and finish up if you need to, then get your clothes back on.” Julie ordered.

A relieved sigh followed. “O-Oh, um, alright then! Wait, Mistress, when you said that earlier, did you also mean…”

I nodded in response. “Yeah, do as she says.”

“Alright then!” I heard her get up from the bed and fumble with her clothes, still breathing a bit deeper than usual.

“Vi’s not feeling super well, so I figure we should just let her rest for a while and continue when she’s ready.” Julie explained, her chair groaning as she got up. “We’ll talk a little about strategy for dealing with your roommate, and I’ll go ahead and have you meet some of the other members of her harem. Here, let me help you with that.” A short pause as I assume she helped Christy clasp her bra back on. “There we go, all set! Vi, get some rest and let the painkillers go to work. I’ll be back later, we’ll see about dinner then.”

I opened my eyes again, and through slightly blurry vision I could see both women fully clothed and near the door. I waved goodbye, and as they shuffled out of the room I turned over and tried to catch up on some sleep. Or at least, what little rest I could get with that insistent pulsing pain in my head. I kept tossing and turning trying to enter a state of unconsciousness, but it never came and I was left alone with my thoughts.

Well, all’s well that ends well, I guess.

I’m still mad about this whole situation, though. I should’ve seen something like this coming, and I’m pissed at myself for not thinking it through properly. If I’m being honest, stress has probably been the biggest factor for all of this. Sumi breaking free and having to deal with the fallout of it really did a number on me. If I had been thinking more clearly after that, maybe I wouldn’t have indoctrinated Christy this way.

And come to think of it… why the hell did I even go after Christy? I… I was trying so hard to live up to Julie’s expectations, and yet… I failed. I told myself that I wasn’t going to do this anymore, that I was done hurting people. Not just for the sake of saving my own skin; I felt, and still feel, fucking awful for what happened to Sumi and Julie. I was doing so good, for so long…

And then I saw her walking by in the library. I barely even remember what happened. One moment I was in the study room with Jas, the next I was sneaking next to her door and slithering my magic inside. I couldn’t control myself. I simply had to hypnotize her.

But… why? Why do I keep hypnotizing people, turning them into slaves? I don’t need a harem, I really don’t. I don’t have any grand master plans, either. And yet… I keep doing it. All it’s done is get me wrapped up in a web of lies and deception that I’m completely ensnared by, which I hate with a burning passion. I’ve never liked lying to people! Lying just creates more problems than it solves!

So why can’t I just-

I was pulled out of my pensive thoughts by the sound of knocking at the door.

“Hello? Julie, Violet, are either of you in there?” A familiar voice rang out from the other side a few moments later. 

Unfortunately, that was probably the last person I wanted to hear from right now.