"C'mon, 2 on 1 isn't fair," said Carlos. "Even if it's against your domme."

"I can switch," said Claudia, confidently. "And you're both so conditioned that you may need each other's help."

"Oh c'mon, that's patronizing," teased Molly.

Claudia gave her a look. "You love being patronized," she stated in a clear calm voice.

Molly felt herself blank out a bit for a second. "I love being patronized," she repeated in monotone.

She immediately snapped out of it. "Hey!" she said, trying not to squirm.

Claudia laughed, fondly.

Carlos grinned as he said, "OK, point proven. But why?"

"Well, " said Claudia, innocently. "I haven't actually been in a switch fight for awhile. I think it could be fun. And you're both really talented hypnotists so I'd like to see what you can do!"

Both Carlos and Molly looked at her skeptically. On the one hand, this could easily be a trap.

On the other hand, they remembered, they usually liked Claudia's traps...

"OK, " said Carlos. "Let's do it."

"And we get 5 minutes," Molly chimed in.

"5 minutes?" asked Claudia.

"5 minutes where you can't talk," said Molly. "I'll set my watch."

"My my, someone isn't very confident..." teased Claudia. "Besides- everything I do is hypnotic," she said, looking Molly in the eyes.

"Everything you do is hypnotic," Molly felt herself mindlessly repeat- before, again, immediately snapping out of it.

"I think that's a good rule, though," said Claudia. "I'll be quiet for 5 minutes. Where do you want me?"

"Here between us," said Carlos. Claudia stood and positioned herself directly between them. Carlos surreptitiously nodded to Molly, who started her watch.

"And I think what will be interesting first is wondering what we're going to say," he started.

"Because there's some novelty to us hypnotizing you and certainly that's going to grab your attention," continued Molly.

"And there's a part of you that's so curious to focus in on what we might say next," he raised his hand and started waving his fingers in front of her face.

"Especially," Molly's voice took on a hypnotic tone, " if you're supposed to watch and listen and listen and watch..."

"And are you listening to me or Molly now? Because part of you is listening to us both.."

And when Carlos heard Molly chime in, he noticed a strange thing. He kept speaking (both he and Molly could probably speak on autopilot like this for hours) but- he was surprised to find that their words already seemed to be affecting Claudia. She was following his fingers and her expression actually seemed to be growing a little bit...emptier.

A quick glance at Molly showed that she saw it too.

"And you may even feel like a part of you is starting to pause.." Molly continued.

"So nice to rest.." Carlos continued. He found himself telling Claudia that she just needed an excuse, just needed to drop..

"Now!" he said loudly, snapping his fingers in front of her face.

Claudia blinked, her eyes unfocused, and then- she shook her head as if clearing it. That only lasted a second, though, before her expression became loose and fuzzy again, her blinks getting heavier.

They both caught it. "And it will feel so good when you can finally close your eyes and go into trance," said Carlos, knowing Molly was saying much the same thing.

Claudia was listing now. She seemed to barely have her eyes open.

"So heavy, so tired," Carlos overheard Molly say. Her voice was seductive and determined.

"Irresistible," he let himself echo. He felt entirely focused, watching Claudia for any little sign of trance that he could pounce on. He remarked on how her muscles were slackening, how she was listening to Molly so well, how her mind was echoing everything she said.

"It would be so nice to..."

"Just give in," their words were feeding off each other.

"So easy, so wonderful.." he readied himself to snap again, still keeping Claudia focused on his moving fingers.

"Just any moment," Molly echoed. Their voices intensified as they went in for the kill. Claudia looked like she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Will feel so good to.." he said, raising his to fingers, ready to snap them right in the middle of Claudia's gaze. He saw her focus on them and then took his chance to say "Sl--"

Suddenly, a hand caught his wrist. He felt his arm being gently but firmly guided down with both hands. Before he could react, a gentle pressure on the back of his head reminded him of where he needed to be right now.

Of course.

He was meant to be in trance.

Molly saw Claudia suddenly grab Carlos and take him deep into trance in a few simple gestures.""

"Hey!" she heard herself exclaim. Claudia turned around to look at her with a confident smile. She raised her fingers.

Oh fuck, thought Molly.

But her obedient eyes closed just as soon as she saw Claudia snap.

Distantly, both Carlos and Molly felt a hand on their hair, petting them deeper in reward.

Even more distantly, Molly was aware that her watch was finally, finally buzzing.