So you like pets, Trixie?
When the Great and Powerful Trixie had first met Dream Searcher it hardly seemed like fate. The supposed therapist had somehow entered Trixie’s club, La magie rouge de Bellatrix (Trixie’s Red Magic) dressed in a nerdy beige suit, matching skirt and glasses. She’d looked more like an intern who’d gotten caught in a hurricane than a business woman looking to hire the greatest treasure hunter in Equestria. The only thing more rumpled than her clothes had been her blonde mane. Trixie had seriously considered improving the dress code even if her money was good.
It had been though! Trixie’s little Dashie had counted it thoroughly and quickly as always. Trixie liked to let her pets run the first half of a meeting. It kept easily distracted clients off balance. Twilight…‘Princess’ Trixie corrected herself, had stayed in her place, sitting in her Mistress’s lap. And if the sight of one of the most powerful ponies of this generation humbled and dressed in a Rouge suit with a hypno-heart cutie mark across her flank wasn’t enough? Then there was Trixie’s Little Dashie.
Rainbow Dash had actually fallen more deeply under Trixie’s thrall than Twilight had, but then again she was supposed to be the Element of Loyalty. Now like Trixie’s pet Princess she was utterly loyal to her mistress, a tame little tomboy. A client could rarely keep their eyes off her vacant smile or how her Rouge suit showed off her…muscles as she bent over to count their money. If they could tear their eyes away they’d be met with the sight of Princess in her mistress’s lap, winking at them. With a much more knowing smile.
Dream Searcher had been different though. There was something about the way she’d watched Dashie and Princess that Trixie wasn’t sure she liked. She wasn’t visibly turned on, but was checking the pets over. Like she was admiring the craft that had gone into reprograming the nerd and the jock so completely. She seemed nervous, and who wouldn’t be in the Great and Powerful Trixie’s presence? But Trixie’s tactic clearly wasn’t working on her. At least…not the way she’d have liked it to. So Trixie settled for being as short as possible.
Her request? The services of the Great and Powerful Trixie, Equestria’s greatest showpony, club owner and treasure hunter. Her offer? A million gems, half on commission, the rest after the heist. The target? A set of rare pocket watches from the time lost Crystal Empire on loan to the Manehattan museum. Or at least that’s what it had sounded like. Trixie had had to signal her pets to ask Dream Searcher to repeat herself several times. The other pony had apologized for mumbling profusely. It was almost cute. Almost.
“I’m sorry Miss Dream Searcher,” Princess had purred in the pet voice she always used under Trixie’s control “, could you repeat that for the Great and Powerful Trixie?”
Dashie had just giggled. “You talk funny, miss!”
That had earned her a stroke behind the ears. The therapist had blushed. “Oh, I-I-I-I’m s-so sorry, it’s just, I, um, oh, I don’t normally…c-could Miss Trixie…?”
Princess and Dashie had frowned, which had made Trixie smirk. “That’s the Great and Powerful Trixie, Miss Dream Searcher.”
“Oh my g-goodness, yes, I-I’m sorry, c-could the G-great Trixie-Great and Powerful Trixie I mean! C-could…she deliver the, the, the package t-to my office?” Her cheeks had glowed even more brightly. “I-in person?”
Trixie had smiled wickedly. Always nice to meet a fan! She’d nodded to Princess.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie is a busy pony who cannot be bothered with every trifling detail,” she’d purred “, but in this case she agrees.”
Trixie had given Princess slightly more autonomy than her little Dashie, all the better to take advantage of the unicorn turned alicorn’s smarts when planning a heist, and suspected she’d put it that way to earn more rewards during their private time. Not that Trixie hadn’t obliged.
“What is your address and place of business, Miss Dream Searcher?”
“Uh, t-the Celestial building in M-Manehattan, the 44th f-floor office?” She smiled weakly as though admitting to something embarrassing. “I’m a therapist. N-name on the door and everything.”
So! She’d just been analysing Princess and Dashie. Too distracted to fall for the trick. But! Had been intimidated by the powerful mind that had turned them into half sexy super spies, half pretty pony playthings! Trixie liked intimidating ponies and had agreed to the job. After all, a million gems! After her team had completed their mission she’d kissed her pets good night for a job well done and sent them back to Ponyville. They’d return their collars and suits to their hiding places, go to sleep and wake up with no memory of their servitude, but a pleasurable feeling about life in general…and Trixie in particular.
Now their Mistress was riding an elevator to the 44th floor of the Celestial building, ready to return to her club with a million gems and the knowledge that she’d showed that nerdy therapist who was in charge! Or at least that had been the plan. Things began going wrong for the great and powerful treasure hunter the exact second she opened Dream Searcher’s door, which did indeed have her name on it and everything.
Trixie froze for a few seconds as her mind tried to make sense of what she was seeing. Every item of furniture the therapist owned had spiral patterns woven into it. That went double for the rose coloured wallpaper. Every inch that wasn’t a spiral was covered by a clock. Spirals. Clocks. Spirals and clocks everywhere. Trixie focused on the one thing in the room that didn’t make her feel like she’d walked in on Discord, a desk and the pony behind it.
For a second the treasure hunter wondered if she’d walked into the wrong office, but there was no mistaking those golden eyes. Dream Searcher was no longer wearing a ruffled beige suit and glasses. Dream Searcher was wearing elegant latex opera gloves and thigh high boots, both black, along with a red silk dress. Another strip of black latex ran across the top, drawing a lovely tantalizing line between the red silk and her golden cleavage. The end of it trailed off into a gentle, almost tribal spiral.
Is she trying to show Trixie up? Trixie kept a pout off her face. It wouldn’t be professional. The imperial flourish of her cape as she entered was just because that’s what you did with a cape. She wasn’t jealous. The therapist looked up from toying with…was that a pocket watch? What was it with this pony and watches? Then again therapists charged by the hour. As Dream looked up Trixie saw that her hair had been done up as well, now more of a beautiful blonde waterfall than a hurricane haystack. And she was smiling. Trixie did not like that she actually liked that smile. A lot.
“Oh, Miss Trixie! It’s you!” she cooed in a very different voice from the mumbling in the club. Different but not…unpleasant. “How wonderful! I’ve been looking forward to your visit! Sorry for the way I’m dressed, but, well, heh, I have a hot date tonight!”
“That is the Great and Powerful Trixie, Miss Dream Searcher.”
“Of course, of course, how silly of me! I’m just so excited!” Trixie couldn’t quite figure out what was different about her voice and found herself listening for it. More cheerful certainly but kind of…musical? “I shouldn’t ask, you’re the best in the business after all, but did you manage…?”
With a showpony flourish Trixie demonstrated her empty hooves, swept them apart dramatically then brought them together to produce…an empty jewel case! She snapped the lid closed then instantly flipped it back up. She smirked as her client’s eyes lit up with the sight of the eight heart shaped crystal watches. Now you see ‘em, now you don’t! Um. In reverse. Dream clapped her gloved hooves together. Trixie tried not to bite her lip at the sound and flash of the latex.
“Let me just fetch your fee! May I inspect them as well? They’re just so pretty!” She looked Trixie directly in the eye, her smile almost making the gulp. “I like pretty things.”
Trixie blinked and realized she’d been so focused on Dream Searcher’s eyes that she’d completely failed to notice the large bag the other unicorn had been levitating in front of her. She hadn’t even noticed Dream’s horn glowing.
“Thank you,” she said curtly, swiping the bag wither own telekinesis. Recomposed herself. Placed the jewel case on Dream’s desk. “, a pleasure doing business with you.”
“Glad to hear that!” Dream slid the case open. Made a breathless noise of awe. Reverently lifted one the watches out, first with levitation, then delicately taking it into her gloved hoof. Trixie’s favourite one. What were the odds?
They both just admired it for a while. Dream Searcher sitting at her desk. The Great and Powerful Trixie standing there. Looking at the crystal watch. Looking at Dream holding the crystal watch. In that dress. With those gloves. Those boots. They made Trixie think how nice her own felt, how nice her entire outfit felt to wear. To just stand in, looking at that watch. The crystal pendulum moving back and forth ever so slightly. Back and forth…
She felt the distant sensation of something heavy caught in her magic. The bag! Her fee! What was she doing? Just standing. Not professional at all. Just watching. Watching Dream Searcher hold that watch. Which suddenly seemed so much lovelier than the gems in the bag. A million gems. Suddenly such an abstract concept.
“Are you alright Miss Trixie?”
Familiar irritation cleared her head. Why did ponies always forget her title?
“The Great and Powerful Trixie is fine, Miss Dream Searcher. Do you mind if I count my fee? Not that I don’t trust you, just standard procedure for a commission this big.”
“Of course, of course! I understand completely. Feel free to use the couch. Five thousand gems is a lot of gems to count standing up.”
Trixie turned, realizing there was actually a couch against the wall next to Dream Searcher’s desk. She hadn’t noticed. That made sense though. Therapist’s office. And it was standard to count your commission, however big or small. It just didn’t hurt that she’d get to watch Dream. Watch Dream…examine the watch, rather.
She managed to take her eyes off it, refocusing on the bag full of gems. Started to count them out. Lost count. Apart from the initial shock, the office was actually pretty peaceful. And yet, the comfortable silence screamed with distractions. Dream Searcher and the watch, back and forth, back and forth. Trixie couldn’t help but keep sneaking glances.
Her annoyance had been eased slightly by the feel of her cape against her back combined with Dream Searcher’s admittedly relaxing couch. The soft cushions felt great against the latex hugging her ass too, but she wouldn’t show it. Not to this tacky therapist with her tacky outfit and tacky furniture and tacky clocks and tacky wallpaper. Dream looked up from her tacky suitcase full of tacky money and smiled again with that tacky lipstick.
“So ‘Great and Powerful Trixie’, tell me about yourself!”
At least she had some taste.
“Oh, Trixie wouldn’t want to keep you here all night, Miss Dream,” Trixie preened “,there’s just so much to the Great and Powerful Trixie!”
“There would have to be!” It was odd, but even though Dream spoke so quickly Trixie could keep up perfectly. Her strange voice was growing on Trixie. “But when I heard about your operation, well, I wanted the watches anyway, I’m a bit of a clock fan as you can see, but a showpony who is also a thief? Or should that be a thief who is also a showpony? Oh, it was just such an interesting combination, the mind behind it had to be so fascinating, that I had to meet you!”
Trixie smiled despite herself. She wasn’t warming up to this Dream Searcher who kept defying her expectations, but what better way to take control than to make the conversation all about her favourite subject: The Great and Powerful Trixie!
“Very well! What would you like to know?”
“Why the costume? Don’t get me wrong, it looks good on you. Great in fact! Makes you look very powerful! But you’re a treasure hunter who also stole these lovely pieces for me for those gems.” Dream dangled the watch by its cord, demonstrating. Trixie’s world was the sparkle of crystals and gems for a second. Dream’s voice brought her back to reality just as instantly. “Wouldn’t something more anonymous serve you better?”
“It has sentimental value, Miss Dream.” Trixie admitted, crossing her legs to show off her white and pink custom boots against the black of her bodysuit. “A…friend wore something similar. Trixie wears it in tribute to everything she taught Trixie.”
“You just used your own name in the third person twice…”
“And?” Trixie scowled. Dream shrugged and held up a placating hoof. She was just sayin’! “The Rouge suit is also more practical than it appears! Its lightweight, which lets Trixie remain as graceful, fast and agile as any treasure hunter needs to be, but you see the boots? The soles allow Trixie to remain stealthy enough to avoid a fight but the toe caps allow her kicks to puncture concrete if there has to be one. But really? It just looks good with Trixie’s hat and cape, no?”
“Oh yes.” Dream purred. Half listening, half playing with her watch. Letting the crystal heart swing more, back and forth. Back and forth. “You probably also have a few treasure thieving tools hidden in them as well, hmm?”
Trixie nodded, then realized she should have felt slightly more irritated than she was. A rube had rumbled her trick! Come to think of it, she’d given away more than a magician should have. You never explained the trick. Dream Searcher’s next question came almost before she could finish the thought. That voice…
“That wasn’t quite what I asked though. You say it’s stealthy, that it looks good, oh and it does, but you even have your cutie mark on it. Treasure hunting is one thing, actually quite the glamourous past time in Equestria, but, well, jewel theft is another. Aren’t you worried about getting caught?”
The sight of the beautiful flashing crystals swinging back and forth…back and forth…distracted Trixie for a moment. She should have had a retort ready but none came to mind. Besides this, taking about herself, that voice asking about her…it was nice. Comforting in a way. Why spoil it? She settled for a smirk. Kept it simple.
“Trixie is that good. Never been caught, never will be. But that doesn’t mean one doesn’t have a reputation to develop. A signature look helps even if a guard catches just a glimpse, fading into the shadows.”
Dream nodded, looking into Trixie’s slightly smirking face. This answer seemed to satisfy her. Or at least she jumped to the next question. Almost catching Trixie off guard again. Almost.
“Your pets. And please, you don’t have to pretend that’s not what they are. That really was the Princess of Friendship and the Element of Loyalty serving you at your club, right?”
As she spoke she levitated another watch up, turning it in mid-air to examine it. The other one continued to swing back and forth. Its cousin gradually joined it as Dream gently prodded it with a hoof. Like a child playing. Making a pattern just to see what the pattern would look like, what would happen. Back and forth. Back and forth.
“Yes,” Trixie admitted before she could stop herself. What was wrong with her tonight? Even though every fibre of her being had wanted to announce that triumph since its start “,they looked good in their outfits too, no?”
“Very! I’d heard the rumours that they attended your club every now and then, but it was a surprise to see how much they…help you.” Trixie smiled a little, briefly retreating into memories of how…helpful her girls had become. “It must be wonderful having a secret like that all to yourself. Two, even. But one can’t help but wonder: why those two specifically?”
“Anypony who has had a classical education understands the importance of symbolism, Miss Dream. The Great and Powerful Trixie wants only two things out of life: power and worship.”
“And was that all there was to it?” Dream had levitated a third watch. Trixie hadn’t noticed at first, perhaps because it reflected the light as wonderfully as its twins, bouncing that light back and forth between each other. Back and forth. Back and forth.
“Perhaps…” If she just gave a simple answer perhaps this woman would stop interrupting and let her just watch the display. The back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.
“Do you have a favourite pet?”
“Oh, Trixie loves them both. They’re so good at different things, it’s hard not to.”
Dream glanced away from examining the third watch to raise an eyebrow. Trixie had to begrudgingly admire the skill, not everypony could do that. Or make it look that good…
“What sort of things?”
“N-none of your business!” Trixie snapped, shaking her head. Her cheeks were heating up. She was actually blushing! The Great and Powerful Trixie hadn’t done that in ages, except on her last birthday when Princess and Dashie…gosh, it was so easy to see in her mind’s eye, to almost feel it again. Their devotion. If she just leant back, let her body go slack on the couch a little, it really was like being there again…
“Mmmmmm!” Dream purred, that voice sending a shiver down Trixie’s spine she was surprised didn’t set her cape billowing “I’ll just have to guess then! And I have quite the imagination…but what I can’t imagine is how you could have pulled it off without hypnosis.”
“I’m…I’m sorry…?” Trixie found it easier to keep track of the therapists constant questions if she just focused on the beautiful display of the watches swinging back and forth. Back and forth. Like the light of those crystals and the sound of that voice were one. Back and forth…
“Well, they’re two of the six famous saviours of Equestria. You’re reputation says you have one of the best teams in the business, but those are two pretty high profile ponies. No matter how genuinely pretty. It must take a lot of effort to stop word getting out that you’ve hypnotized actual Elements of Harmony into your personal playthings and have them stealing for you.” Dream raised an eyebrow, still smiling “And who knows what else.”
“Trixie didn’t…didn’t say anything about hypnosis!” Dammit, that had been as good as an admission! Why was she blushing? The Great and Powerful Trixie did not blush. Where was her poker face? Such stress when she didn’t focus on the back and forth. Back and forth. So easy to calm down again with the back and forth…but did…did Trixie need to calm…?
“Please Miss Trixie, calm down!” Dream soothed “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a pony knowing what she likes. Or going to great lengths to get what she wants.”
She was…complementing Trixie?
“Do you have any previous experience with mesmerism? It goes without saying you’re quite adept at it! When did this interest start and have you used it before now?”
“Trixie learned about mesmerism at…at…” Ah, yes “At Showpony School. How to get an audience…on your side. And they…they already wanted to be friends…simple psychology.”
Dream tried to hold back a chuckle. “They…are far from examples of simple psychology! Given they still have that goody two shoes reputation of theirs, it’s like you found some way to completely rewrite their personalities and suppress their memories. Want-it-need-it spells in their collars, right? I could see those cute little heart tags glowing ever so slightly.”
Trixie just nodded. She could feel herself drifting again, that wonderful feeling, being able to be in a memory so clearly, almost reliving it while still being in this cosy office with the back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.
“Ah, I thought so! A hypnotic suggestion, that they’d just love to be what you want them to be, then an enchantment that hypnotizes them into wanting to obey the suggestion!” Dream did chuckles this time. Almost cackled. “I’ve tinkered with that idea a little. Quite a lot of work but you’ve shown it has a lovely payoff.”
Trixie was dimly aware that she should probably ask what that meant, but…
“But why stop there? You could have made them, well, anything you wanted. They might be a little more…open under your control, but you look after them. I saw you rewarding them, petting them, nuzzling them. And they must still be pretty sharp to help you get me these lovely watches.”
“Trixie needed a team.” Keep it simple. Just watch the back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Get to be in the memory. Her pets. Falling under her spell. Worshiping her. So cute. Back and forth.
“Yes dear, but once again that’s not what I asked.” A fourth watch now. Back and forth. Like stars. Back and forth. “I asked why you stopped there. I know about your little grudge, and the unpleasantness with the Alicorn amulet. Which, heh, now I think about it probably explains Twilight and Rainbow’s collars! But you used magic and mesmerism to just alter their personalities. You could have made them blank slates. You could have just had them mindlessly obey you. Instead you, well, pet them. You make working for you fun. And after they’ve had their fun and you’ve had yours you let them just go back their lives.”
“I wanted pets, not drones...”
“I see, I see.” Dream nodded to herself. She glanced at Trixie’s forgotten bag of gems. Just one more little thing. “Trixie?”
“Great and Powerful Trixie…” she scowled.
“Of course. Well Great and Powerful Trixie, showpony, club owner, treasure hunter, master thief and mistress…” Paused for effect. Pause for effect…
“Y-yes?”
“Do you love your pets?”
“Yes…” Trixie responded sleepily, but instantly. If Dream hadn’t been smirking since the other unicorn had entered her office she’d have done so now. She settled for letting her eyes gleam with triumph instead.
“Why?”
“Trixie would…not be…be very Great and Powerful if she…didn’t care…”
Dream nodded to herself.
“Yes…yes, that fits with my theories about you. I must thank you again, Trixie. You’ve made my night.”
Trixie sat up a little….but why? Oh, yes. “That’s the Great and Powerful Trixie to you!”
“Not for long.” smirked Dream. “You’re feeling it now, aren’t you?”
Trixie blinked and shook her head. The watches! Dream Searcher…was doing something with them! The back and forth, could it be magic? She tried to hold on to the icy suspicion, now a certainty, but something was wrong…wasn’t it? It shouldn’t be this hard to tell, she was the Great and Powerful Trixie! She shouldn’t be this sluggish! Something in this pony’s office was doing this to her, so much so that she could barely remember what it was! The watch! Back and forth…back and forth…NO!
She tried to look away but her eyes couldn’t focus on the walls…constant motion! All those spirals and clocks! They were as bad as the watches! Watches…back and forth…back and forth…no! The room swam with perpetual motion. Trixie found her head drawn back to the therapist…no! The HYPNO-therapist! That explained all the spirals and clocks…the watches going back and forth…back and forth…she was trying to…Trixie had to get out of here!
She sat bolt upright but that just made it worse! The walls blurred, spirals and clocks, spirals and clocks, seemed to stretch around her, higher and higher, spirals and clocks, spirals and clocks, and take her memories of where the door was with them! She needed to get out of the room because…because Dream Searcher was…she looked at Dream, so smug at her desk with that watch…back and forth…no, couldn’t look! But how else was she going to get across the room and punch her in that smug…beautiful…no, well yes, but still smug…face…why…why did she want to do that? She couldn’t think, the watches seemed to move her memories with each swing…each sparkle…why had she stood up so suddenly and given herself this terrible vertigo with all those stupid spirals and clocks? Spirals. Clocks. Watches. Back and forth. Back and forth.
“I…I know what you’re…” she began, but trailed off. So hard to think…she had to…had to…what was Dream doing to her again? Thinking didn’t get any easier as Dream rose from her desk and walked towards her, still levitating a halo of swaying crystal watches. She was the only thing Trixie could focus on, looming over her even with the constantly moving watches in the way, but even then there was the way those boots moved. So fluid…and her eyes…baring down on Trixie…the only thing she could see through the…back and forth…back and forth…
“Easy now, Trixie. Oh, may I call you Trixie?” she sneered “It’s just that you don’t look very Powerful right now.”
Trixie felt the…the invisible weight around her…increase as Dream slowly reached out with…with one of those gloves…those lovely gloves and gently…so gently pushed her back against the nice…soft…couch…
“You…won’t take…” Her what? Her mind! She couldn’t let Dream take… “My mind! I…you won’t…won’t let you…”
“I’m not going to take anything away, dear,” Dream teased, still looking down at her guest with…with those…those eyes…so…big…baring…beautiful…back and forth…back and forth…and her voice had…had slowed down, gotten…quieter…Trixie had to…focus to listen…focus…only thing she could focus on…was Dream’s eyes…her voice…“, in fact I’m going to give you something. Something very special. That’s it. Just keep looking. Looking at me. I know it’s hard. I know your eyes are soooooo heavy. But just keep looking at me. Into my eyes or my watches, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that wherever you look, it gets easier and easier to listen to my voice. Easier and easier. Easier and easier.”
“Easier and easier…” Trixie repeated. It was all she could…think, no matter how…how hard she pushed…easier and easier…easier to listen to Dream’s voice…look into Dream’s eyes…eyes getting heavier and heavier…the couch was so nice…she had to…to stay awake, had to…to fight? But why? So much…easier to listen…easier and easier…
“Yes. Easier and easier. That’s right. I know you’re tired but it’s not that hard to listen to my voice, surely?” Dream stood over Trixie, hooves on hips. This was going well. So well in fact…
“Why don’t I make it even easier for you, Trixie? You feel nice and relaxed, it’s okay, I know you do, nice and relaxed just listening to my voice, but your poor eyes are sooooo heavy. And all I need you to do is the easiest thing in the world! Just sit there and relax as you listen to my voice and find it easier and easier to listen. So how about you just listen to Dream Searcher from now on, hmmm? I’m going to give your poor, heavy eyes a break and stop using these crystals. The crystals you’ve responded to so well to by the way! Good girl. But since we don’t need those anymore, you don’t need to keep those eyes open anymore.”
Trixie’s eyes fluttered…so heavy…and the crystals…back and forth…back and forth…the watch crystals that…that must be what was wrong…why she couldn’t remember what was…wrong…why her eyes were so heavy…so relaxed, she just wanted to...relax…if she just shut her eyes and listened to that wonderful voice…she’d miss Dreams eyes but…she’d still have that voice…could still listen…so easy to listen…so relaxed…she so desperately wanted to…
“Relax?”
“Yes. Lovely, isn’t it?” Dream soothed. She was still making the watches move back and forth, but was letting them slow down. If nothing else this was going to give her telekinesis a break. “You feel nice and relaxed. This is part of the gift I’m going to give you! This wonderful relaxed feeling, which just gets better as you close your eyes and drift off. That way you can relax and still listen to my voice. It just gets easier and easier. You can’t look away but you don’t want to look anymore, and you know why? You don’t need to, you’re already so relaxed, so do it now. Close your eyes. You don’t need them to make your relaxed, so just close your eyes and relax. Relax and listen to my voice.”
Trixie let out a little sigh of relief as she…finally…got…to…to close her eyes…and…relax…
Dream kept her eyes on the thief as she gently slumped in place. She let the slow moving crystal watches drift to a halt once she was convinced Trixie was truly relaxed. Finally in trance.
“Trixie? Can you hear me?”
“Yes…” the magician whispered softly. Dream smirked at the new tone in her voice. Nothing about Trixie had been built for sedation. Which just made it suit her all the more. Still, Dream levitated her new tools back to her desk with extra care, making sure they made no noise when they landed. The last thing she needed was to snap Trixie out of it with the sound of crystals clanking together.
“Good! That’s very good!” Dream took a second to massage her horn and collect herself, then stopped. What was she doing? She could just have Trixie give her a nice horn massage after she was finished. Didn’t mean she couldn’t have fun though. She leaned closer to the semi-conscious show off. “Are you still listening to my voice, Trixie?”
“Yes…”
“Then I wonder if you could do me a teeny, tiny favour! That doesn’t seem like much, does it Trixie? One small favour in exchange for making you feel so nice and relaxed?”
Trixie actually smiled a little! “No…”
“Good girl. I want you to imagine something for me. To picture it in your mind as my voice describes it to you. Let my voice shape it for you. That’s how easy it is to just listen to my voice. When you’re this relaxed. Just relaxing and listening. And it just gets easier and easier. Relaxing and listening. Easier and easier.”
“Easier and easier…”
“Yes. Now what you’re going to imagine for me is nice and familiar. I want you to picture yourself on a stage.” Dream took her seat next to the couch as if this were a normal session. Not. You know. Trying to take control of one of the greatest egos in Equestria. “A stage like any other. The lights. The velvet curtains. The roar of the grease paint, the smell of the crowd. A stage that’s only worthwhile because you, the Great and Powerful Trixie, are standing on it. Standing triumphant, having completed the greatest performance the audience has ever seen.”
She smiled in sync with the semi-conscious showpony. “Can you see it Trixie?”
“Yes…Trixie can…see it…”
“Of course you can. Why wouldn’t you? You’re great and you’re powerful. And to top it all off, you’re dressed in your sexiest outfit. No need to worry about censorship. Only worrying about looking good, looking sexy. Which you always do. You always do your best, do all the work to look great and powerful. And sexy. Is that outfit as sexy as your Rouge suit, Trixie?”
“Mmm…” Trixie’s smile showed some of her pearly whites that time. “Skimpier…”
“Gracious! You’ll have to show me sometime!” Dream took a second to levitate herself a glass of water from the jug on her desk and took a sip. Bending egomaniacal thieves to your whim was thirsty work. Speaking of…“It’s a lot of work being Great and Powerful, isn’t it Trixie? A lot of hard work.”
“Yes.” Her most vehement response since going under.
“And you’re feeling it. The way you do all the time, the way I know you do. The fatigue of having to be on top all the time. But the satisfaction that comes with it…mmm. So good. And all the better for knowing that you can go back to your dressing room. Strip out of your suit. And just relax. Relax. Like you are now. Relaxed and listening to my voice. So relaxed by my voice. Now, I want you to take your final bow…”
She tried not to giggle as Trixie’s arms twitched and her head bobbed a little. So cute!
“Yes, just like that. And now you’re exiting the stage…uh, stage right or stage left, doesn’t matter, and you’re backstage now. Heading for your dressing room. So tired from being great and powerful. So ready to relax.”
Trixie let out a blissful sigh.
“And you know you’re going to feel more relaxed the more you listen to my voice…and the more you let go of your persona. You just put on your best show so you don’t need it anymore. Don’t need to be great and powerful anymore. Just need to feel more and more relaxed. So close now. So close to being able to let go. But let’s not rush it. No, let’s do a little countdown.”
“Okay…”
“One...entering your dressing room. Two…closing the door. Closing out all the noise and excitement. Three…taking off your hat and cape. Leaving your Great and Powerful persona behind. Four…feeling so wonderful, so relaxed. Just being Trixie. And five…sitting down to relax…and wait for your mistress.”
Trixie’s frowned slightly, eyes still shut. “I…don’t…Trixie doesn’t have...a…”
“A Mistress?” Dream leaned in close to whisper into her subject’s ear. “All submissive have a mistress, Trixie.”
“Trixie…is not a sub…” she slurred indignantly.
“Stubborn little thing, aren’t you?” Dream rose back up, hooves on hips again. Also indignant. “So much for gratitude! Maybe I’ll just take back my gift. There’s lots of ponies who’d love to be so relaxed! I should know! I’m the one who hypnotized them.” She sighed. “But if the Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t want to listen to my voice anymore…”
“NO!”
Dream took a step back, actually surprised by the vehement outburst. She pin wheedled for balance on the high heels of her boots. A hypnotist of her calibre did not fall on her ass!
“Jeez you’re bipolar!”
“Yes…”
Dream glanced at one of her various clocks then remembered she had a whole bunch of fancy new Crystal pocket watches to choose from and flicked one open. Then remembered, powerful hypnotic potency aside, it was still a watch from centuries ago and thus set to the time of the Crystal Empire before it was warped out of time and space centuries ago. Now that she thought about it, it could even have been hours ahead or behind when it was new. Could nothing go right tonight?!
“Alright.” She took her seat again. “I made the reservations for 7:30 and it’s already 6:00. Trixie? Do you still want your gift?”
“Gift…?” Trixie’s eyes fluttered slightly but she stayed slumped in place. “Y-yes…?”
“Well apparently you don’t. You see, that gift I’m giving you? It’s the gift of submission. But how can I give it to you if you’re not going to accept that I’m your mistress? How can your mistress give you your gift if you won’t submit?”
Trixie was silent. You could almost swear she was asleep.
“You’re still relaxed aren’t you?” Dream kept her tone gentle, enquiring. Putting her prey at ease. She was relieved when Trixie smiled that sleepy smile again.
“Yes…”
“I know you are. I went to all that effort to make you that way. Can you still see it in your mind? Your dressing room?”
“A…a little…”
“Are you inside or outside?”
“Outside…”
“Okay,” Dream took a deep breath then another sip of water. “,you don’t want to go in because then you’ll be submissive. Is that it?”
“Y-yes…” There was a bit of a whimper in Trixie’s voice. It would have broken Dream’s heart…if she wasn’t trying to break the other ponies will.
“You seem worried, Trixie. Don’t! Dooooon’t. Don’t worry. Just relax. Listen to my voice. It makes you so relaxed. Yes, that’s it. That’s a good girl. You like to relax. You liked to give up being great and powerful, even just a little bit. I know you do, you told me. Now. Now that you’re all nice and relaxed again. Tell me, Trixie. Tell me why you’re so worried about submitting. About giving up control to your mistress?”
“Don’t…don’t know how…to give up…” she murmured.
“Oh, Trixie!” Dream cooed, leaning over to stroke her mane tenderly. “Oh, my dear, dear Trixie. Of course you do!”
“I…do?”
“Yes. Your pets gave you away. The way you made them act gave you away.” Dream took another sip of water. Time for the home stretch. “I’m a therapist Trixie. I do think about these things. And I want to help ponies. I want to help you. Let’s consider those pets of yours for a second ‘Mistress’. You humble a princess…and you actually call her Princess, like she’s one of those expensive dogs rich fillies have. You know? The kind they pamper?”
“She was…such a bookworm…thought it’d be…fun…”
“If she was more fun? Well making your arch-rival into a flirty floozy says a lot about what you think is fun, Trixie. And don’t get me started on Rainbow Dash!”
“My little Dashie…” Trixie breathed.
“Yes. The big tough tomboy, turned into a little girly girl. Your little girly girl. Such fun!”
“So cute…” Trixie smiled.
“Yes! And fast. But your pet princess can fly too. And she’s mastered much of magic, even if Dashie is the more experienced flyer. Why have two thieves? Why tame two pets? Unless there’s two very specific types of taming you have in mind.”
Trixie was silent again. This was good. That meant she was listening to Dream’s voice. And if she was listening, she was seeing what she was told. Doing what she was told. Believing what she was told.
“You conquer them, you have them to worship you, but you also make love to them. You let them go back to their lives because you only want them when you want somepony to love you…and when you want somepony to love. You liberate them through their submission. And that’s because part of you, a big, secret part, views submission as liberating.” She let the entranced pony absorb that for a second. As much as she was able to while entranced at any rate. “I’ll bet all those heists are like a stage show for you. It’s not the performance, not just the performance. It’s being loved. It’s getting to relax after the satisfaction of a job well done…but still stay in control.”
Silence.
“And that doesn’t have to change, Trixie. Nothing has to change when you accept my gift. Just like with Princess and Dashie, you’ll still be allowed to go back to your life. But now? You’ll have your very own sexy secret. You’ll be a mistress and a pet. You’ll look after me just like they look after you…and I’ll look after you like you look after them. Two sides, same coin.”
“Whole…” breathed Trixie. Dream blinked then pumped a hoof. Almost there!
“Yes, Trixie. You’ll be whole. Submitting to your Mistress will make you whole. All you have to do is go into your dressing room…relax…and wait. Wait for your Mistress to come and collect you. Okay?”
Silence.
“Okay, Trixie?”
Trixie’s shoulders slumped, like taking a deep breath while also shrugging off a great weight. Her cape actually fluttered slightly. “Okay…”
Dream licked her lips. Either nervous or anticipating…
“Are you in your dressing room?”
“Yes…waiting…”
A relived sigh shook Dream searcher’s entire body. She slumped in her own seat almost as much as her soon to be pet, just taking a few minutes. She glanced at one of her clocks. 6:29. She borrowed the edge of Trixie’s cape and used it to mop the slight sweat that had gathered from all this effort. One more sip of water, a lick of the lips and back in the ring.
“Yes, waiting. Feels so good to wait, doesn’t it Trixie? Like that feeling you get when you wake up a little early on hearths warming. You’ve dreamed about the gift so much you can actually taste it. And you know it’ll be better than anything you’ve ever imagined. You know. You’re a Mistress yourself and now you’re going to be the pet. It’s going to be wonderful. You can feel the anticipation spreading all over your body. Just the way you programmed your own pets to feel, I’ll bet. But for now? It’s just nice to relax in your dressing room, isn’t it Trixie?”
“Yes…” The smile on her face was the biggest yet.
“I’ll tell you what’s even better than this feeling, Trixie. This wonderful waiting feeling. This wonderful relaxing feeling. When I send you back to your life, back on stage, any time your stressed or hay, anytime you’re happy, this mental space, this dressing room…this is where you’re going to go.” Dream giggled as she stood up, almost giddy with her approaching victory. “Don’t say I never did anything for you, pet!”
“Okay…”
“Admit it. One bitch to another. You actually like me.”
“Yes.”
Dream flashed her teeth. “Yes what?”
“Yes…Mistress…”
“Good girl!” A relived Dream patted her bran new pet’s hat brim. She took a second for a quick sigh of relief then straightened up, resuming her hypnotic tones. “Alright. Time to wake up, Trixie. Time to wake up and begin your new life as my pet. Now. Five…feeling so wonderful, so submissive, so ready to obey…four…starting to wake up…three…feeling energized…two…opening the door, ready to meet your Mistress, ready to please your Mistress, so, so ready…and one, wide awake!”
Slowly, like some ancient sea creature rising from the ocean, Trixie's hat rose, her eyes locking with Dream's as her body followed. The two ponies were now face to face. Dream's mouth was suddenly dry again.
If this didn't work she is going to give me a great and powerful beating.
Then a dreamy smile spread across Trixie's face. She gathered the hem of her cape in both hooves like a skirt and curtsied, head bowed. Dream flashed her own smile at the slick sound of Trixie’s latex stretching.
“Your Trixie is ready, Mistress Dream.” she lilted.
Dream sashayed over, looking her new pet up and down as she wrapped her arms around her, caressing her back under the cape. Trixie did likewise, drawing herself close to her new mistress and enjoying the sensation of just being close to her. Dream lent forward slowly, inevitably…and kissed her.
Trixie shut her eyes, kissing back, but the way she’d taught Princess and Dashie to. Gently. Accommodatingly. Submissively. Enjoying the gentle force of the dominant pony’s lips and the feel of her tongue. She gave her Mistress’s tongue a few gentle flicks with her own, as she’d come to expect from her own pets, passionate but respectful. Acknowledging that Mistress Dream was in charge.
“Mmmm, yes you are,” Dream agreed as they broke. She pressed them even closer, running her hooves up and down Trixie’s body. “Now get naked for me.”
“Yes Mistress!” Trixie chirruped and magically unzipped her bodysuit and boots at the same instant she pulled down her pink latex heart top. As if this was the most normal thing in the world to do. She levitated her whole costume, cape an all, into a neat pile on the couch and stood before her Mistress, hooves at her side and a smile on her face. Again, just as she’d taught her own pets. Dream walked around her slowly, drinking in every inch of Trixie’s beautiful blue body.
“No wonder you were so…confident.” She gently took her pets arm and guided her to the desk, where the watches still glistened. “Remember these watches you stole for me?”
“Yes,” Trixie grinned sleepily, gazing lovingly into her new Mistress’s eyes. “, pretty. Back and forth.”
“Oh yes. You see pet, these particular watches use a specific kind of crystal that warps light in some very useful ways. Useful for a hypnotist like me, that is. When I read about how just the sight of these could mesmerize even the most snobbish of the Crystal Empire’s aristocracy I knew I just had to have them!
But I needed a big enough ego to test them on.”
Trixie curtsied again. “Trixie is happy to be of help, Mistress!”
“You should be after how hard you made me work for it!” Dream chuckled. “Oh no, don’t look so sad dear, you didn’t do anything wrong! I enjoy a challenge! And now I have proof they work. I’ve wanted to see what it would take to tame that ego of yours for quite some time. And now I know, even if it did take four of these beauties. Imagine how many ponies I’ll be able to take with just one. Mmmm. Or even better: the whole set. I wasn’t kidding earlier, either. I really do find your mind interesting, and now I can have it all to myself. One more in my collection.”
“Yes Mistress,” Trixie nodded. “I’m your Trixie now. My mind is whatever you want it to be. I’m whatever you want me to be.”
“Good girl.” Dream smiled sincerely, rewarding her pet with a caress of her glove against her cheek. “Press that inkwell into the desktop until it clicks.”
Trixie obeyed. It was so easy now. In submission there was liberation, just as Mistress had said. Nothing to do except relax and let the gravitational pull of the wonderful voice pull her mind and limbs around, doing what they were told. Obeying. So relaxing. So relaxing, making everything so pleasant. Like the secret wall panel of Mistress’s office that slid back, revealing a mirrored wall and walk in closet. Dream wrapped her arms around her pet again.
“Hold your tits up for a second.”
“Yes Mistress.” Trixie obeyed, easing her still gloved hooves under her cleavage and delicately lifting her big blue breasts up for her Mistress.
Her breath caught in her throat as Dream caressed one with those beautiful gloves, then cupped both. She lent down, tantalizingly, agonizingly slow. And kissed Trixie’s nipples. Hard. And long. First one then the other.
Trixie let out a squeal, relishing the sound of submission in her voice. She wasn’t in control anymore. This wasn’t at all like how Princess and Dashie worshiped her great and powerful breasts. This wasn’t worship at all. This was better. This was ownership.
“Look in the mirror for me, pet.”
Trixie obeyed, shifting gently in her Mistress’s grip so she wouldn’t break it. It was so easy to obey! Like every part of her was gliding along on oiled castors! She saw her Mistress in the mirror before she saw herself, and how could she look at anything besides her Mistress Dream Searcher? That smile. That cascade of perfect blonde hair. Those golden eyes. As far as she was concerned those were the twin suns of her new world. Her eyes eventually trailed to her own reflection. The brand new Trixie. Naked with her Mistress’s gloves wrapped around her. Her eyes were drawn to her breasts. Both with two red lipstick marks around her tits, around the centre of her being, blazing against her blue coat, branding her. My pet. Mine.
“This is your new mental image,” Dream whispered into her ear. “,when you go back to your life, when you’re all wrapped back up in your latex and cape, even when you’re a talented thief and a beloved mistress…this is who you’ll be inside. Inside your dressing room. Inside and out.”
She gently turned Trixie around, backing her against the wall and taking hold of her arm and raising them above her head as if the show pony was lashed to a St. Andrew’s cross. Mistress and pet now bore identical grins.
“Now here’s what going to happen, pet. You’re going to get dressed again. You’re going to hang off my arm like the sweet, sweet piece of arm candy you are. We’re going to take the elevator down to my private coach and ride to a nice little club I know. You’re going to spend the entire ride sitting in my lap and whispering sweet nothings into my ear.”
“Yes Mistress…” Trixie whispered.
“That date I mentioned earlier? It’s you.”
“Thank you, Mistress!” Trixie knew she’d want her pets to be polite about an offer like that. Mistress had been right, she really did know how to do this whole pet thing! She was starting to get…excited. If she’d been capable of introspection at this point she might have realised she’d been getting “excited” since she first saw Dream at her desk.
“Once we’re there, a glass of wine. A toast to our new relationship! A little small talk, then…we dance! Then retire to a private booth to enjoy the rest of the show. Well, I’ll see the show, listen to the band. You’ll be working. See these boots?” She took a firm grip on one of Trixie’s arms and guided it down the soft feel of her dress and coat to the lovely feel of her shiny boots. Trixie nodded, too busy biting her lip in ecstasy to reply. “Good. Because you’re going to be seeing a lot of them, and you’re not just going to like them. Do you know what you’re going to do, pet?”
“Lick…Mistress’s boots?” Trixie panted breathlessly. She hardly dared hope…!
“Oh my, yes. You are going to lick them. You’re going to be on the other end of your favourite fantasy. Just to whet your appetite for later. Then, a nice meal! A nice wine. Perhaps a nice dessert if I feel like it. If you’ve been really good I’ll let you pick your own.”
“Thank you Mistress.” Trixie chirruped on cue. She was getting the hang of this!
“Already so grateful! And you haven’t even heard what comes later.”
Trixie waited obediently. Well, now everything she did was obedient by default but what was left of her old self was telling her that her Mistress was a performer just like she was. When she wanted her pet to know what would come later? She’d let her know what came later. Dream’s voice dropped to that hypnotic whisper, forcing Trixie to really listen.
“Later, we’ll take another romantic ride in the carriage. You can sit in my lap and even sleep off your meal if you’re feeling a little drowsy. I won’t mind. It’s having my hooves on you that counts. But I’ll have you wide awake when we finally get back to my penthouse. Well, the penthouse I’m borrowing from one of my richer pets while they’re out of town…” She rubbed her glove around one of Trixie’s nipples in a nice. Slow. Circle. That made her pet quiver. “….but what’s theirs is mine. Because they are mine. Just. Like. You. Where was I?”
“M-Mistress…pent…house…” Trixie managed.
“Oh yes, yes! And once we’re there, you’re going to get naked for me again. And I’m going to asks you questions. About yourself. About your pets.” That predatory grin again. “About where you’ve stashed all that treasure they’ve stolen for you. And for every answer you give. For every second you’re a good, obedient little girl. I’m going to get naked for you until things…take their course.”
Trixie swallowed. She was so close to the edge that Dream gave her a break, a few seconds to pull herself together.
“Is your body tingling yet, pet?”
“Ever since the word ‘now’, Mistress.”
“That’s my good little Trixie!” Dream cooed. Trixie sighed with pleasure again as her Mistress stroked her mane. What else could she do to be good?
“Mistress? Would you like me to bring you my pets? So that they can serve you too?”
“That’s the right attitude, pet, but no thank you. I have my own plans for the Elements of Harmony, you’d better believe that. But tonight is all about my brand new Trixie! Now,” she turned Trixie’s naked body towards her secret closet and patted that perfect ass. “, go pick out a suitable look for tonight. Just because you’ll spend the rest of your life as my bitch doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have fun getting dressed up!”
Giggling and nodding Trixie levitated her bundle of clothes and the bag full of gems and strode into the closet. Dream lounged contentedly on the vacated couch, relaxing but also feeling energized.
“Is this good, Mistress?”
Dream’s eyes lit up. Trixie had kept the gloves and boots from her suit but now wore an evening dress the same colour as her cape and hat in place of her bodysuit. Her cape had been magically converted into a stylish handbag that hung from her shoulder, containing both her costume and her fee, which would pay for Dream’s night out.
Dream nodded, first approvingly then to the door. Instantly Trixie was there, holding it open for her Mistress. After some more cuddling and giggling and kissing in the elevator ride down she repeated the gesture out on the street, holding open the door to Dream’s carriage. Dream hitches her skirts up slightly higher than necessary as a reward while she clambered in.
A pat of her lap, Trixie obediently taking her place, a signal to the driver and they were off. A glorious night of hypnotic hedonism beckoned. The new hypnotized and loving it Trixie was doing her best to earn every second of it, but something was bothering the back of her mind, where he mistress had generously left her what little independent thought she’d need to properly pilot this new submissive persona. Something was missing. But what? Ah.
“Mistress? May Trixie please do some magic for you?”
Dream blinked. “For--? Uh, sure, pet, you don’t always have to ask. But what a good girl you are for asking!”
Trixie conjured a small illusion spell in her horn and let it loose, shooting into her thigh. Dream blinked at what she saw. Trixie’s illusion had given her a new cutie mark. A heart. Complete with a hypnosis spiral…and Dream Searcher’s own cutie mark superimposed over it. How could she not reward that?
After they came up for air from the deepest kiss of the night so far, Trixie went straight back to work, whispering the ordered sweet nothing’s into Dream’s half listening ears. Even with her mind now and forever locked in a hypothetical, hypnotic dressing room, she still had a way with language. She told her new Mistress that oceans should part before her, that mountains were beneath her, thatshe was the reason the sun rose. Any treasure she wanted, any price that had to be paid, there was nothing her Trixie would not do for her. Which reminded Dream.
“Pet? Your sweet nothings are really something, but I could use a horn massage too.”
“Coming right up, my poor Mistress!”
Dream was about to point out that, what with the wealth and power she had accumulated from her other thralls and all the wealth she’d accumulate from her latest she was hardly poor, but was too busy moaning in sudden ecstasy.
Trixie not only had so many tricks up her sleeve to increase Dream’s bank account, not only perfect control of not one but two Elements of Harmony…she was also the best horn massagist in Equestria.
She groped her pet’s new cutie mark.
This was fate.
