"And if you would all take a nice, deep breath, in... and out... lovely. And let your memories of your time away from home, your place in new and interesting stories, settle into your minds... and any of those suggestions that linger, let them fade now, with a deep breath, in... and out.... whether they were suggestions of language alone, or placed in your mind by scientific means through magnets and imagery and sound, or imposed upon you by magic or possession... good, just breathe, in... and out... and let your eyes open... and feel yourselves returning to yourselves, and with a smile... wake, now."

Various satisfied, even cheerful noises filled the room.

"And when you leave this place and return to your own stories, all those things which you have experienced, whatever state they left you in, wherever you've been and however long you were there, all of it will fade as a dream."

They were all there.

The enchanting princess and the clever hypnotist,

the gardener,

the teacher and the student,

the willing subject,

the actress and the conqueror,

the Alterist and his assistant,

the writer,

the tree-turned-human,

the time manipulator and the security officer,

the landscaper, the IT specialist, and the sorceress,

the game-maker with her once-victim,

the office clerk,

the carpenter and the filmmaker,

the traveling Bard,

the storyteller,

the supervillain and the homemaker,

the streamer and the sportswoman,

the Alterist and the alchemist,

the lover of order,

the waitress and her date,

the lawyer,

the ghostly software engineer,

the secretive spy,

the poet and the entrepreneur,

the magician and the agent,

the gambler,

the labourer,

the Wanderer,

and the duelists.

"How is everyone doing?"

They looked around at their colleagues, friends, neighbours, enemies. Some were just average, ordinary people. Some were hypnotists, some sorcerers or wizards, some advanced technologists, some several of those things at once. Men, women, others. Human, near-human, non-human. Dressed, half-dressed, undressed.

"We're... well, I think. I don't mean to speak for everyone, but..."

The voice belonged to the once-embattled researcher, but her statement was punctuated by nods around the room, and no one contradicted her.

"Though I think," said the flashlight-wielding agent, "I've had enough for now." He smiled at the order-lover, who smiled back, a bit confused. "I'll be quite happy to get back to my ordinary life."

"Yeah," the actress agreed. "It was fun, really," she addressed the conqueror, "but I have friends, family, auditions..."

The author spoke again. "So you're all agreed? A fun occasion?"

"Yeah! Definitely fun," the student practically cheered. She looked over at the Alterist's assistant. "Wish I could've shared it with you, but I was super happy with my little bit part to play."

"I had a good time too," the former basketball star answered her partner, flushing a bit.

There were then murmurs among the assembled of general assent. Smiles and chuckles, giggles and laughter started to break out. Stories were shared, conversations sprung up. Congeniality, and more, reigned. In mere moments, everyone was feeling cheerful and comfortable, regardless of who they were with, how they were dressed, what they had been doing.

The author grinned, taking it all in. "Well, then..." he asked nobody in particular. "Same time next year?"