Ryan glanced at his phone for the eighteenth time in the past hour. Unfortunately, time had not decided to speed up for him, and in fact might have started slowing down out of spite. He groaned. The last hour always felt the longest, especially when there was literally nobody else there. Given that the gas station was basically in the middle of nowhere, he really didn't see why he had to wait til his coworker arrived to finish his shift. So the store might be empty for like ten minutes before Alyson got here, it's not like anyone would rob the place in that time! Let alone come to buy something, because what were the chances someone would come in at exactly 4:51 P-Ring Ring The bell from the door opening caught him off guard, and he quickly tried to look at least somewhat professional. “Oh, hey Aly, I-” He stopped. This wasn't Alyson. It was, against all odds, a customer.

The customer was a tall, friendly looking man wearing a dark indigo suit. He had long, light brown hair and a small trimmed goatee. He looked rich, but in an understated, casual way. Absolutely not the type of person Ryan was used to seeing shop here. He smiled good-naturedly at Ryan. “Am I not the person you were expecting?” Ryan awkwardly looked away. “Uh, no, uh… Thought you were my coworker… My shift ends soon…” The man chuckled apologetically. “Ah, sorry to come in at an inconvenient time then. I'll just be a minute.” He began browsing through the phone chargers, and Ryan checked his own phone. 4:52. One minute closer to freedom.

True to his word, the man quickly found what he needed and approached the counter. He placed a phone charger and a $10 bill on the counter, and Ryan groaned silently. He hated this stupid brand and its weirdly specific pricing, especially now that his manager had started getting on his case for not counting Change properly. “That'll be $8.41, lemme get your change.” As he started counting out exactly 4 pennies, he figured he may as well make small talk. “So, why the suit? You a magician or something?” The man chuckled. “Well, sort of. I do dabble in things of that sort, but that's not why I'm wearing the suit today. I'm meeting up with some friends near here, and I always like to dress my best for occasions like this.” Ryan nodded, yawning. He was still so bored, even with this man here. The man glanced at his nametag. “You seem tired, Ryan.” Ryan shook his head. “Nah, just bored… Long day, especially when Aly's late…” The man smiled. “Not a very exciting job, I imagine?” Ryan smacked his lips. “Nope. Not at all. Nothing in this town is. Nothing ever happens. Once I get enough money, I'm outta here! …Uh, anyway, uh… Here's your change.” Ryan looked back at the register awkwardly. This man really didn't need to be vented to about Ryan's problems. “Bye, have a good time.” However, the man didn't leave yet. 

The man smiled mischievously. “I can help with the boredom, if you'd like. Show you a few tricks to keep you up while your coworker gets here?” Ryan raised an eyebrow. The offer was certainly very strange. A little suspicious even… But the man seemed nice, and he really would take anything other than staring blankly at a clock for 10 agonizing minutes, so he nodded. “Alright, I guess. What kind of tricks? Magic tricks?” The man picked up one of the quarters Ryan had given him. “Something like that.” He placed the coin on its side and flicked his fingers, and it began spinning rapidly. “Just watch the coin~” Ryan watched the coin as it spun around and around without faltering. It began to resemble a little ball, the edges all blurry and flickery, while the center was solid, seeming to hardly move. “Wow…” The man chuckled, his voice growing soft. “It's truly amazing, isn't it? Just spinning around and around, smooth and steady, almost becoming something else entirely~...” Ryan nodded absentmindedly, still watching the spinning coin. “Yeah…” 

He continued to watch in silence for a surprising amount of time. “How's it staying up so long…?” The man leaned closer. “It takes a lot of practice. You have to make sure the coin is perfectly still in your hands, not a single shake or wobble~ Then you need to Focus on it~ Focus on the coin, ensure it's Perfectly Still, Perfectly Steady~ Then once you spin it, you need to Listen~ Listen for the Steady, Soothing hum of the coin against the table~ Can you hear it, Ryan~?” Ryan barely nodded. He didn't really feel like moving, just watching the spinning coin and listening… “Focus on the hum~ Focus on the spinning, around and around~ The light glinting off the coin as it spins~ Always moving, yet completely Still and Steady~” Ryan stared, motionless. “Spinning and spinning, never moving, never ceasing, until I place my finger upon it and it STOPS.” He placed a finger on the coin and Ryan's forehead simultaneously. The coin instantly came to a halt, and so did Ryan's mind. 

The man smiled. “And, out like a light. What a wonderfully suggestible subject. A shame I have to leave. Although…” He checked his watch and glanced around, smirking. “I suppose I can spare a few minutes until his coworker gets here, the dinner isn't till 6.” He snapped his fingers right next to Ryan's ear. “Start Again~” Ryan's eyelids fluttered, and he looked around, confused. “Whah…? What happened…?” The man smirked. “I just hypnotized you~ Nothing more~” Ryan blinked sluggishly. “Oh… Okay…?” The man smiled gently. “How did it feel, Ryan?” Ryan awkwardly stared at the now immobile quarter. “...I… I'm not sure… Felt like I was sleeping… I think it felt good…” The man grinned. “That's great to hear. Would you like to see another trick?” Ryan stared at the quarter for a while longer. “...Sure…?” The man nodded. “Perfect~”

The hypnotist next picked up the pennies. “Have you ever heard the phrase ‘A penny for your thoughts’, Ryan?” Ryan nodded. “Yeah. Never really knew what it meant.” The man held the pennies in front of Ryan's eyes. “Well, in this case, the pennies ARE your thoughts, Ryan~ Just watch~” He spun them around a bit in his palm, letting the light glint off of them. Ryan stared at them for a while, the glinting feeling a bit relaxing but not hypnotic. “I don't get it…” The man flicked his wrist, and suddenly the pennies vanished with a flash of light. “Huh? Where'd they go?” The man laughed. “They're in your thoughts now~ Close your eyes~ You can still see them in your mind's eye, can't you~?” Ryan closed his eyes, and the copper flashes were still there, spinning and shimmering.

The man leaned closer. “You can open your eyes again~ The pennies are your thoughts now~” Ryan felt a bit strange. “...what does that mean?” The man reached a hand to Ryan's ear. “It means that I can reach up here, reach deep, deep into your mind with my hypnotic powers… And pluck out your thoughts~” He pulled his hand back, a penny between his fingers, and Ryan felt himself grow blank. It was like whatever he had just been thinking about had… Vanished. “And that was just one penny~ I can reach in again, and pluck out another~” Ryan almost felt the soft fingers entering his brain and pulling out his thoughts. It felt… Refreshing. Nice. He felt a bit floaty now, like he was falling asleep but staying awake. “You're feeling it now, aren't you~ Me plucking out all your thoughts, one by one, leaving you ever more blank and mindless~” Another penny was plucked from his mind, and he began to sway, hardly remembering what was going on. Everything seemed so fuzzy and indistinct, except for the pretty penny in his mind… And the hand reaching towards it… “And now, I will pluck the last thought from you, leaving you completely mindless, in 3, 2, Pluck!” Ryan fell limp, a pair of strong yet smooth hands catching him. 

His mind was completely, blissfully blank, not a thought in his head. He stayed mindless like that, floating in a soft, colorless sea, before he heard the hypnotist's soft voice again. “I will give you the pennies back now, and your thoughts will return. Feel the warm, soothing metal press into your palm~... Feel them pulsing through your body, back to your head~... Feel your thoughts falling back into your mind, plink, plink, plink~... And with the final penny in your hand, feel your mind begin to Start Again~” He snapped his fingers, and Ryan blinked rapidly, his vision filled with copper light for a second. He felt dizzy… But in a good way… He looked up at the man, who smiled kindly at him. “All back to normal~ I hope this helped alleviate your boredom~” Ryan nodded dazedly. “Yeah… Can… Can you show me more…? I… I think Alyson might be a bit late anyway…” The man glanced at his watch, murmuring under his breath. Eventually he looked up and smiled. “Tell you what. I'll flip a coin~” Ryan smiled giddily.

The hypnotist picked up the nickel and began gently shifting it back and forth, causing light to flash and shimmer off of it. Ryan's eyes were immediately drawn to it. The man grinned mischievously. “Two sides to a coin~ Heads, and tails~ Heads, representing the mind, wakefulness, and intelligence~ And tails, representing the opposite~ The other side~ Mindlessness~ Sleep~ …Unthinkingness~... Watch the coin very carefully as it flips~ If you see it land on heads, you will become wide awake, all traces of tiredness gone from your body~ And if you see it land on tails, you will fall fast asleep, deep under my spell~ Now, watch closely~” He flipped the coin into the air, and Ryan's eyes locked onto it, watching it tumble. Heads, tails, heads, tails, heads, tails… It landed in the man's hand with a gentle thud, and he covered it with his hands. “But… What might happen if you never see what it lands on~? No heads to wake you up, no tails to send you to sleep~... Just staring at my hands, in a state between wakefulness and sleep~... In a Trance~... A pleasant, suggestible trance where all that matters is Heads or Tails~... Awake or Asleep~... And yet, neither one is given to you~... So you stare, mindlessly, Hypnotized~...” Ring Ring The bell from the door sounded, but Ryan was too entranced to notice. 

The man sighed. “Ah, I believe that would be your coworker. It wouldn't be good of me to leave you with your mind stopped, so you must Start Again~” He snapped his fingers and Ryan came back to reality, still feeling a bit dazed. He noticed Alyson coming in, luckily too engrossed in her music to have seen anything, and quickly tried to act like everything was normal. “Oh, uh, yes, thank you for shopping here sir! I, uh, we hope you come by again!” The man nodded. “Thank you as well. And keep the change.” He winked and left the store with the charger he'd purchased. Ryan yawned and looked at the pile of change, realizing he'd taken the nickel with him. Not that it was the end of the world. Although… his boss HAD told him to be more careful about correct change, so… Clearly it was the best course of action to go get that nickel to see what side it- er, make sure he got the correct change! He quickly tossed the keys to Alyson, who hardly acknowledged him through her music, and ran outside. 

The man was luckily filling up his car outside. He raised an eyebrow as Ryan ran up to him. “What is it, Ryan?” Ryan panted. “I, uh… You, uh… Took the nickel with you.” The man looked confused for a second before laughing. “Ohhh, right, sorry! I did forget to give it back, you're right!” Ryan nodded rapidly. “Yeah, I, uh… I need to see it… For… For change… Need the correct change…” The man smirked knowingly. “Of course, for the correct change, yes. Alright, I'll show it to you after I finish filling up my car.” The seconds waiting for the car to fill up were somehow even more agonizingly slow than the minutes waiting for Alyson to appear. As Ryan watched the meter slowly move, he found himself almost dreading it, too. He'd almost certainly never see this man again… The one exciting thing to ever happen to him… Unless… 

Ryan awkwardly cleared his throat, averting his gaze. The man looked over. “Hm?” Ryan tried to sound casual. “Do you think… Uh… Well… I… I liked, uh… Talking with you… Seeing your tricks… And… And I was wondering… Uh… Would you, uh…” He swallowed, trying not to blush. “Would you like to… Uh… Meet again sometime…?” The man was silent for a while, and Ryan felt the exact opposite way he did under hypnosis. His mind was filled to the brim with thoughts, and it was extremely unpleasant. Eventually, however, the man spoke up. “...I do have an idea. Do you have anything on tonight, Ryan~?” Ryan almost choked. “Uh, I, Uh, um, I, no, but… Don't you?” The man grinned slyly. “I do, yes, but I figured they wouldn't mind if I brought a plus one along. I believe Malia and Hazel are bringing some, so I doubt you'll be a bother~” Ryan blushed deeply, unable to think of what to say. The man kindly asked, “So, are you interested? I packed some spare clothes if you want to wear something nice~” Ryan weakly nodded, his entire body red and trembling. The man laughed gently. “Alright, it's a plan then. Get in the car while I finish filling up.” Ryan quickly climbed in, beginning to feel like he was floating again.

Ryan's mind was running a million miles per minute as he buckled. Getting into a random stranger's car to go meet his friends… This screamed danger… But… He looked so nice… He made Ryan feel so good… And, even if he was a kidnapper or worse… Well, a part of Ryan genuinely preferred that to spending one more day in that darn gas station. The man climbed in and started the car before turning to Ryan, a kind smile on his face. “I figure you should know my name if we're going together. I'm Alistair.” Ryan nodded. “And I'm Ryan… No, you already knew that… I… Uh…” Alistair laughed. “It's fine, I know this feels a bit strange. But I promise, you will enjoy the ride.” He held out his hand for Ryan to shake. Ryan grasped his hand… And felt something small and metal drop into his palm. He glanced down, and saw Tails.

Ryan instantly fell fast asleep in the passenger seat, and Alistair chuckled. “I told you I'd show it to you~” He gently rubbed Ryan's hair. “Have a nice nap, Ryan~... Tonight's going to be very fun for you~...” He smiled sweetly at the sleeping young man next to him, before driving off to meet his fellow hypnotists for dinner…