Mistress Susan touched the back of Ava’s head. “Come back now. Return to the present moment,” she said.

The phantom of Jake dissolved like mist, leaving behind a faint tingling sensation across Ava’s skin. Mistress Susan’s voice softened, becoming a gentle melody that pulled Ava back to full awareness. She continued snapping her fingers, repetition of the gesture unwinding the layers of trance.

Ava’s eyes flickered, refocusing. Her breathing normalized, muscles relaxing from their heightened state.

“Ground yourself, my dear. You’re almost back to full awareness now.”

Ava blinked, the rose-tinted haze clearing from her vision. The audience remained silent, watching her transition.

Her awareness solidified, consciousness settling back into her body like a traveler returning home. Mistress Susan’s hand rested on her shoulder, steadying her. “How are you feeling?” she asked, her voice professional yet warm.

Ava nodded, her movements a bit wobbly from the intensity of the experience. “I’m okay,” she whispered.

Mistress Susan nodded, scanning Ava’s face to ensure her subject was recovered. Satisfied, she gave a subtle gesture toward Ava’s original seat. “Please return to your chair now.”

As Ava walked back to her seat, the spell of silence broke. Thunderous applause erupted, hands clapping with a mix of admiration and astonishment. The applause seemed to wash over Ava, who accepted it with a subtle, almost imperceptible nod.

Mistress Susan smiled, not just out of pride in her subject, but also because of the deeper satisfaction of having demonstrated her craft. It was always a thrill, no matter the circumstance.

When the clapping subsided, she addressed the audience again.

“What you’ve just witnessed,” she began, her voice carrying to every corner of the room, “was a demonstration of consensual hypnotic exploration. Not manipulation, not control - but collaborative experience. Ava opened her mind to me and allowed me to work with it. Everyone’s threshold of suggestibility is different, so what worked for her might not work for you, but the only way to understand our limits is to push them in a safe and controlled manner. This is an ongoing process because we’re always growing as people and as subjects. Things that at first seem unrealistic or impossible become second nature the more we test triggers and suggestions. Ava’s trust in me allowed for this beautiful moment, and I’m grateful for that because trust is the name of the game in hypnotic BDSM.”

A murmur of appreciation rippled through the audience. Ava crossed her legs and settled into her chair, the lingering echoes of the hallucinated memory still present in her mind. The unearthed feelings remained with her for a while longer, while Mistress Susan added, “Before we continue, I’d like to know what you felt while this demonstration was taking place. I’ll also answer whatever questions you might have about it all.”

A hand shot up immediately - a woman in the third row wearing a black blazer. “I’m curious about consent boundaries,” she said. “How do you ensure the subject remains safe during such an intense experience?”

Mistress Susan nodded, appreciating the direct question. “Excellent inquiry. We establish multiple verbal and non-verbal communication channels before any demonstration. Ava and I have worked together extensively, so she knows she can interrupt or stop at any moment. I’m also always monitoring her physiological and psychological responses. All hypnotists must strive to know their subjects as intimately as possible to ensure their well-being.”

Another hand rose - this time from a lanky man near the back. “How much of what Ava experienced was real versus suggested?”

“Neurologically speaking,” Mistress Susan explained, “the brain cannot always distinguish between remembered sensation and recreated experience. The memory became a template that I expanded, allowing Ava to re-experience emotional and physical echoes without actual physical contact. For her, the hallucination was real on its own. The suggestions only reinforced that idea.”

Meredith joined the Q&A with a question she already knew the answer to, but wanted to ask, anyway, which was, “How did you know Ava would be receptive to that specific memory?”

“As it’s easy to surmise, her presence here today was planned from the start. Preliminary discussions before the demonstration revealed her comfort level and past experiences. Jake was a memory she was willing to explore, and so we went for it. If you’re wondering whether we have done this exercise before or not, the answer is no. Her experiences on stage were genuine.”

The questions continued, each probing deeper into the mechanics of the consensual hypnotic experience. Ava sat in silence, occasionally sipping water, watching the intellectual dissection of her intimate moment.

A woman near the back of the auditorium stood up, her hands trembling. Her dark auburn hair fell across her face as she leaned forward. “Excuse me,” she said, her voice wavering. “I... I think something happened to me during that demonstration.”

Mistress Susan paused, her professional demeanor immediately shifting to alert attention. “Please, come forward and explain.”

The woman - mid-thirties, wearing a charcoal gray pantsuit - made her way down the aisle. Her movements were unsteady, as if navigating unfamiliar terrain. “I’m Rachel Kendrick. I’m not sure what just occurred, but I feel... disconnected. Like something was accessed in my mind without my full awareness.”

Meredith turned her head to look at her, and Ava did the same, followed by dozens of other people who were wondering if that was real or another demonstration about to take form.

“Can you describe what you’re experiencing?” Mistress Susan asked.

Rachel’s fingers twisted the hem of her blazer. “Fragmented sensations. Flashes of... something. Not my memories, but feeling incredibly real. Like an echo of an emotion that isn’t mine. I… I think I was hypnotized, too. Is that even possible?”

“Depending on your level of suggestibility and empathy, yes, it’s possible. I did ask everyone to focus, and if you did it intently, well… Are you in distress?”

“I… No… I don’t think so, but it’s weird, and I’m having a hard time processing it.”

“First time?”

“Yeah. I’ve never done anything like this before, so… Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your presentation, but…”

“You did well to speak up. Come. Sit here next to me and let’s see what’s bothering you, shall we?”