Positive Reinforcement
Dream Searcher was excited. Not only was this going to be her first time hypnotizing an Element of Harmony, not only was a quantum leap in her quest to take over the world, not only was she being paid for the privilege…her subject and future pet was Fluttershy. Flutter-Equestria lovin’-shy!
Dream Searcher was going to get to hypnotize her favorite model into a comeback!
Her preparations for this glorious day had lasted almost as long as that model’s career; using her pets in Ponyville to keep tabs on Fluttershy’s movements, coming up with the right kind of scenario to use on her, redecorating her office for maximum subconscious influence which she could only do after deciding which of her offices she was going to do the deed in, re-arranging her other appointments with prospective clients and her ever growing harem of pets, choosing the right outfit for Fluttershy to wear once she accepted her destiny at her Mistress’s side…although that had actually been the easiest part.
Two weeks ago Dream had been enjoying a sinfully relaxing weekend at an exclusive spa for exclusively important ponies, a Hearts and Hooves day present from some of her richer and more influential pets. Making blissfully obedient pets devoid of free will was all well and good but sometimes a Mistress just had to take a break from scheming to take over the world and enjoy the seductive peace of having all cares and woes pampered right out of her. No rivals, no schemes, no worries. Until…
She’d been drowsing in one of the spa’s comfy massage chairs, aware of nothing but the warm sun on her coat and the ecstasy of her robe’s fabric against her tension free spine when the shouting started. She’d looked up into a pair of shades bearing down on her as if Luna had ripped her moon from orbit and thrown it at her. An attendant was trying to scuttle alongside the mare and keep apologizing without falling into the nearby swimming pool.
An attempted apology through a barrage of Germanic swearing, the sound of galloping hooves and a loud splash later the other pony was seated in the massage chair next to Dream, arms folded. That was when Dream recognized her from a pose struck on magazine covers all over Equestria.
“I apologize.” Photo Finish said briskly without turning to acknowledge her.
“Quite alright.” Dream had breezed, managing to keep her usual relaxed tone. Inside her heart was beating to the tune of Flight of the Bumblebees. The premiere pony fashionista was sitting so close by that she could have reached out and felt the older mare’s bony elbow through her robe. Not that she would. That’d be weird.
“They gave my appointment away to somepony else,” Photo Finish explained “I needed this trip and now I must wait until something else opens up.”
“Long week?”
The fashionista snorted so hard Dream wouldn’t have been surprised to see two smoking nostril sized bullet holes of contempt in the opposite wall. “Try long lifetime. I am in the middle of the most difficult negotiation of my career. Did you read my lifestyle piece in Sunrise?”
Not ‘do you know who I am?’ Dream noted, though given Photo Finish’s trademark shades and Magics® the answer was probably as obvious as asking if Dream picked up Equestria’s most popular magazine. “Yes?”
“Then you are aware that PHOTO FINISH NEVER NEGOCIATES.” In the split second between outbursts Dream had wondered if the rattling sound she could hear over the ringing came from the ice cubes in her drink or the spa’s own windows. “And yet for the chance of a lifetime, to make something so beautiful again…ah, I am sorry. I see a therapist now for my supposed anger issues. She is useless but I am being rude. Once again I apologize for being stranded next to you. Would it perhaps feel better if I vas to ask how your day is going or what you do?”
Over the years Dream had experienced the…ahem…quirks of many ponies and other creatures who worked in the fashion industry during a session, just before they realized it was better to let it all go. It being, among other things, their free will and the thought of a life without their Mistress. But before she could put the right induction to work on them the best course of action was always to roll with it.
“My day was and still is going quite well Miss Finish,” she’d smiled, gracefully raising her drink in salute “,and I’m a hypnotherapist. Because I am a useful therapist I’ve been able to afford many of your business and evening lines, including last Spring’s which I just adored.”
“Danke.” A silver blonde eyebrow had risen from behind the shades “A doctor, eh?”
“Only when I’m working,” Dream explained “, this is my day off. No offence but it sounds like you really needed one too. Hope they clear up the mess with your appointment. Although if you don’t mind me putting my degree to work, I don’t think that’s what you’re actually angry about.”
“Very clever. But I am not so sure I vish to talk about it.”
“I am a therapist, Miss Photo! Skilled in both the arts of listening and discretion. Perhaps I can help.”
“Vell-” Photo began but Dream was curious now and eager to get back to relaxing.
“For free!”
It had taken a few more drink orders and at least two more trips into the pool for the unfortunate attendant but that had done it. Any desire to relax had been swept away. Every harsh, whispered word from Photo Finish’s lips just made the whole situation better and better. The cause of her stress was partly work related. Oh sure, she had a new line on the way with, to Dream’s personal delight, plans to develop another one which would be slightly…the polite word was ‘darker.’ The implication that excited Dream was ‘kinkier’. She had plenty of high quality lingerie and fetish wear, but Photo Finish level?! That wasn’t just a whole new level of sexy, that was a new stratosphere of sexy.
The problem? The perfect model for both lines was retired and reluctant to return…but not so reluctant that she wasn’t thinking about it. Photo Finish had been trying to sweeten the deal for weeks now to no avail, but was convinced that the right offer would make her see the light.
“So she’s being uncooperative?” Dream had asked, already scheming.
“NEIN!” Photo exploded again. More rattling and another, more distant splash. “That is vat is so infuriating! She is a little lamb of a thing but she is somehow strong villed enough to fend off all my resources vith one hoof!”
“That’s alright,” Dream finished her drink before flashing her trademark ‘Evil Mistress’ smile “, I enjoy a challenge.”
“Meaning?”
“Your girl sounds like she has a few things to work out. I’ve dealt with enough cases of relapsed stage fright or Whinnywood burnout.” They’re pockets weren’t as deep as her collections of pets from the aristocracy but they had similar issues to work out, and Dream offered the exact same kind of solution. “We can set something up at my office. I’ll have her dancing to whatever tune you play.”
“I am not entirely sure…”
“Well what’s her name? If I liked her work I might do it for free and if not I’ll still throw in all the plausible deniability you can eat.”
And then Photo Finish said that perfect name and opened up all those delicious possibilities. The name and what Photo wanted Dream to do to her future patient had driven the price way up from “free” and resulted in a lot of haggling; subtle manipulation was one thing, a potential personality overhaul was another, then there was the amount of time it would take and how many cancelled appointments Dream would have to be compensated for.
In the end she’d worn Photo down, pointing out that Fluttershy’s return would earn the designer an entire planetary mantle crust more than Dream’s price. The old woman had agreed and Dream’s Hearts and Hooves day had ended with control of the greatest powers in Equestria as her own personal vanguard in her quest for world domination that much closer. And also she was going to get the pony who she’d had the biggest crush on since basically forever first! Dream was running over this for the eighth hundredth and first time when her intercom buzzed.
“You’re one o‘clock is here, Miss Dream Searcher!” came Trixie’s voice, somehow managing to sound syrupy even with the inside-a-tin-can quality of the speaker. Dream ran her tongue over her suddenly dry lips and settled on a game face for the occasion; professionally content with nothing to prove but still approachable and only slightly seductive if you knew what to look for.
She pressed the button. If you were to look at The Big Picture you could say, sure, that decision was probably where everything ended because that was what set in motion a series of decisions where everything began to go wrong for certain parties involved.
But if you couldn’t really do that and not take into account other factors, going back years ago when Luna’s jealousy created the creature that would necessitate the need for a new generation of Elements. Or Rarity’s networking bringing Fluttershy to Photo Finish’s attention at all. Or Dream’s decision to study psychology, leading to her fascination with hypnosis and domination. The picture becomes too big. So perhaps it would be better to think of this particular decision as the snowflake that would start the avalanche…
“Send her in please, Trixie.”
The door swung open, and there was Fluttershy, slightly hunched over, dressed in an ordinary yellow blouse, blue jeans and simple tan jacket. And still looking so stunning Dream just had to take a beat to admire her.
“Um…h-hello…?” Fluttershy adjusted the strap of her bag for something to do. Fidgeting. “I’m…”
Ever the polite hostess, Dream was prepared to wait for her patient to introduce herself even though she had been synonymous with every single fashion brand in Equestria. She wasn’t prepared for Fluttershy to mumble…was that supposed to be her own name?
“Pleased to meet you Miss Fluttershy!” she replied, brushing off these first few snowflakes “I hope you don’t mind a little unprofessional gushing, but I can’t begin to describe what an honour it is to be meeting one of the Elements of Harmony!”
“Oh, um, thank you!” Everypony, no matter the amount of self-esteem issues, enjoys a little flattery. Fluttershy’s ears bobbed as though she was trying to control the reflex to lower them in embarrassment. “And you are…Dr. Dream Searcher?”
Dream steeped up to the girl for a hoofshake, ignoring how slowly things were going. It was actually kind of charming, much like the chuckle she employed now. “I suppose I am, but I prefer either Miss Dream Searcher or even just Dream Searcher when I’m working. Dr. Dream, it-well, it makes me sound a little like a supervillain!”
She switched to a giggle. Fluttershy laughed politely but wasn’t charmed into stepping further into the office. Something seemed to be playing on her mind. Better for Dream to accommodate it until she could play with Fluttershy’s mind.
“Excuse me but, um…isn’t…isn’t your receptionist… the Great and Powerful Trixie?”
“Oh wonderful!” Dream beamed “You’ve met!”
“Um. Yes? Kind of?”
“The, heh, formerly Great and Powerful Trixie and I are very close friends,” Dream explained, trying not to sneer too hard when using her pet’s old title. “I helped her with her problems and finding a happier, healthier state of mind. When my poor secretary Soft Touch fell ill this week dear Trixie offered to fill in!”
This was true. Mostly. Soft Touch had contracted a nasty flu and, despite repeatedly offering to continue her duties over the phone, Dream had ordered her pet to lay back and let her friends, family and fellow pets look after her. Dream wanted her thralls to have fun obeying her, not work themselves to death.
She’d been checking in with Soft Touch over the phone while Trixie massaged her hoof after their latest night of passion. After she’d wished her secretary good night and a speedy recovery Trixie had offered to fill the position on the basis that a) she had experience assisting executives of several Equestrian movie studios, and b) she looked damn good in a secretary costume and glasses.
She hadn’t been lying.
“How nice of her…” It wasn’t that Fluttershy disliked Trixie, not at all, but something like accidentally causing an Ursa Minor rampage and using the corrupting powers of a cursed amulet to take revenge against the town that ruined you made a certain kind of impression. The pony Fluttershy had met outside Dream’s office was too…cheerful? Sweet? There was just something about this Trixie that didn’t mesh with her memories of Twilight’s would be rival. Too…tame? Still, she didn’t want to be rude! “Oh my! I like your office! It’s quite lovely!”
“Thank you!” Dreamed beamed. Fluttershy had good reason to like her overhauled office; the hardwood floors, the elegant country mansion furniture, the nature themed wallpaper with its spiralling leaf and vine patterns…hell, even the high end but still kind of folksy knick knacks arranged alongside Dream’s textbooks. Each and every single aspect of this office had been tailored to subtlety remind Fluttershy of her own home.
Moving the furniture down from the country estates of her richer pets had been easier than finding the right kind of knick knaks. Turned out Prince Blueblood had an extensive china butterfly and squirrel collection. Who knew?
Fluttershy still stood in the doorway. Dream fought the urge to beckon and took a seat besides the couch. No need to get imperious with the girl. Yet.
“Oh of course, I’m so sorry!” Fluttershy shuffled inside then looked around awkwardly for somewhere to put her jacket and purse. Dream was slightly bemused. She’d dealt with all kinds of personality types even back when she’d just been a friendly neighbourhood hypnotherapist but she’d never met one that didn't know what to do with their things.
“You can put your jacket and purse on any surface Miss Fluttershy, I won’t mind,” she breezed, levitating her trusty pad and pen over from her desk. “Now, as you seem comfortable, I would like to ask why you feel you had to consult me and if you would do so in your own words.”
An old and effective trick; if you wanted to get someone to open up you made them part of the process. It helped them feel like they had some level of control and made them more enthusiastic about talking to Dream, which was exactly what she needed to make them open to certain ideas.
“Um…” Fluttershy adjusted herself nervously on the couch and took a deep breath. “Well. I…think that my problem has always been that…I…you see…I…”
Fidgeting with her hooves again, Dream noted. And she’d chosen to sit left side on the couch, meaning the back of her head was facing Dream and she didn’t have to make eye contact. From what the therapist could see the mare was…almost trying to hide behind her own mane? “I’m not…assertive enough…”
“I see.” Dream made a few notes, underlining the last word. “Assertive. That’s an interesting word choice. And you’re certain these are your feelings? That this is something you would like to be?”
Fluttershy actually turned her head in that strange awkwardly graceful way. Dream’s first victory; the subject was curious and engaging with the conversation. “Um. Sh-should I not?”
“Well I’m always pleased when a pony who feels they need my particular expertise seeks me out. I believe some former patients recommended me to you?” And they had, happy to take a more active role in shaping the world for their Mistress. Fluttershy nodded.
“But you are the-” Dream made a show of checking another page of her notebook. Subtlety influencing someone for seduction was a lot like dating. Sometimes it paid to seem both interested…but not that interested. “Ah, yes, the Element of Kindness. Apart from saving the world from the forces of, let’s call it ‘disharmony’ that also requires a certain amount of social interaction. Are you involved in any social or charity work?”
As if Dream didn’t have an entire wing of filing cabinets dedicated to this Element alone, from a copy of her birth certificate to what kind of shampoo she used.
“Oh yes! I’m the town vet, so I’m a certified member of the Licenced Equetrian School of Veterinary Medicine. We often host charities and balls to raise funds for animals in need and promote awareness of environmental…”
“Not to interrupt,” Dream lied, “but animals? What about other ponies?”
“Oh?” Fluttershy was turning more to take Dream in, even smiling slightly. “Well I do try to pay attention when somepony is talking…it’s just, you know, polite…” Her ears drooped. “But yes, I’m really quite sensitive. It makes it so hard to read the room sometimes! And other ponies. If I can’t understand them I can’t…”
Dream Searcher waited patiently. Always better to let the patient try and articulate a feeling themselves unless the therapist doing it would form more or a rapport. Or just kill a few minutes while she doodled a few more hearts with her name and Fluttershy’s inside.
“…decide.” Fluttershy mumbled eventually.
“I see.” Dream nodded and jotted down notes on her pad. Actual notes about the patient’s case, not just their names together in little hearts. Time to get serious. “Is there a kind of decision in your life right now you’re not sure how to make? It would explain why you feel the need to change your mind. Literally.”
And this would be where the magazines she’d placed on the table came in. Specifically the fashion ones.
“Um, well, yes actually.”Fluttershy glanced at the door, as if Trixie would be out there with pricked ears and a glass against the wood. “Can you keep a secret? Oh wait, you’re a doctor so you legally have to, sorry. Well…oh gosh you’ll think I’m bragging but…well, I used to be a model! Honest!”
The only thing Dream Searcher had been looking forward to as much as bending the Element of Kindness to her will was the giant GAAAAAASP and hoof to her mouth she’d practiced in the mirror for weeks. “Oh my gosh! You’re THAT Fluttershy?!”
“Oh, um, I think so?” Fluttershy focused on her once again fidgeting hooves. In a weird way this was like one of their friendship lessons back home, mostly the part where it took her forever to realize she had to do something she really hadn’t wanted to do, but there was still something about this place that felt…odd. Which made her feel judgemental so she buried the instinct and focused on her first world problem.
“It wasn’t as glamorous as you might think. It was a little like being trapped in that one dream, you know, the kind where you’re in the school play but don’t know any of the lines, except technically I wasn't supposed to talk, Photo Finish said it would throw off my air of mystique. But Rarity and I managed to find the courage to come forward with how we really felt about the situation and I don’t regret deciding to leave the fashion world behind. Well, the catwalk side anyway!” Fluttershy giggled at her own sort of joke then turned so downcast that it was as if somepony had flipped a switch inside her. “But recently…well, you saw what happened with that awful Tirek person. We’ve all been acting on our potential a lot and it makes me wonder if there a certain things I could have handled better. More than usuaI mean.”
“I see,” Dream nodded, “do you mean you wonder if you could have handled your fashion career differently? Been more assertive about how to manage it?” Because if so it might mean that inside this so-innocent-she-couldn’t-not-be-sexy hippy there was the same kind of have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too compromising hedonist Dream Searcher had accepted she was years ago and built a secret fortune and life of adventure of turning into her personal religion.
“Yes, something like that!” Fluttershy was starting to get excited about this visit while also relaxing about it. It felt so good to talk about these things and Dream Searcher was so nice and attentive! She kind of liked being the centre of attention this way…“Photo, um, that’s what her close friends call her, or she said I could anyway and I’d like to think we’re friends because I really, really don’t want her to hate me…um, Photo looked me up recently. She has some new ideas she thinks I’d be perfect for.”
Reclining in her chair Dream also started to relax. Fluttershy was fidgeting from embarrassment but also smiling and blushing. While making eye contact. Hello, Ms. Hedonist. “You’re very lucky! It goes without saying not just anypony gets a chance like that, twice even! Some mares would kill to be the Photo Finish’s go to gal!”
The pale gold of Fluttershy’s coat drained even paler. Over the roar of sudden awkward silence Dream remembered that, oh, right, deranged ponies trying to throw the Elements of Harmony from moving trains or feed them to dragons or burry them in avalanches was enough of a weight to drag the expression down to the same kind of statistical probability as a short sighted card shark, who didn’t meet many new people, regularly plotted trajectories that intersected with black cats and, on top of everything else, had failed math since kindergarten winding up with cement footwear and a brief ocean side view.
“Or so I’ve been told…” she managed feebly. “But anyway! I take it this is the kind of decision you feel you struggle with and think you could afford to be more…assertive about, hmm?”
“Yes,” Fluttershy nodded solemnly. “I don’t need the money and I certainly don’t want the stress. But, well, sometimes it’s just as stressful helping animals. And that’s just in Ponyville! There’s so much I could do to help if we just had the money! Food, shelter, medicine, raising awareness…” She glanced from side to side before leaning in to whisper. “And, well, I don’t want to hurt Photo’s feelings either. I-I’m so worried…”
“Worried?” Dream asked. Better to learn of any potential problems now before they got down to business. She readied her pad again, quickly jotting down the basics of Fluttershy’s dilemma. “About what? About Photo Finish? About going back but not being able to get what you want for your animals?”
“No,” Fluttershy half sniffed, half whispered, “of hurting somepony.”
Dream stopped writing, now completely baffled. This big hearted, beautiful literal embodiment of kindness? Hurt somepony?
“W-well,” Fluttershy began then coughed to get her voice back under control. “W-well, you see, um, the year before Twilight became a princess I, um, w-well that is my friends sort of…I met this lovely fellow…he was a bit boisterous really, b-but anyway…I-I took one of those courses? F-for assertiveness? Putting your hoof down, that sort of thing, you know. Um. Have you ever heard of Iron Will?”
Dream smiled pleasantly at this. But only because almost every single muscle in her face and about 30% of her body had gone completely slack with shock. The rest had locked up with RAGE. Her Fluttershy. Her beautiful, sensitive, caring Fluttershy had been to one of those. Those. Those. Those grotty little “self-help” lectures. HA! Lectures. Dream Searcher had been to lectures. Dream Searcher had given lectures. At actual schools. Dream Searcher could have made a small fortune off her innovative research methods and insight into the equine mind. And who got all the big media appearances? Who had all the merchandizing deals? Who’s stupid ghost written autobiography had bumped her analysis of the pony condition, the book that had taken two years and hundreds of interviews with her pets and actual patients and professionals to write, down to fifth place on the New Yoke Times’ bestsellers list?
Iron Will.
Iron ‘If it rhymes it works’ Will. Iron ‘Just shout and they’ll believe you’ Will. Iron ‘I get to wear a cool headset just because I can pronounce the word professional with all the correct syllables’ Will. Her biggest crush out of all those cute-as-buttons Elements of Harmony had had her head filled with a bunch of cavepony drivel by that HACK Iron Will.
“Um, miss Dream? Are you alright? It, um, just looks like your horn is…burning…”
“Oh this isn’t about me!” Dream warbled, putting all her energy into sounding sane so she could actually turn her magic off. Papers that had started to rise from the static of her mounting fury wafted back into place on her desk. The water in the jug stopped boiling as Dream took her seat again with an even more forced smile. “Please, tell me about this…assertiveness course.”
Her expression eased up slowly but surely as Fluttershy told her tale. About how she’d taken Iron Will’s advice too far. About how the guilt over that event had made her think about other things. Like her freakout at the Grand Galloping Gala. Or any arguments amongst her friends. By the end of it Dream wasn’t sure if she should buy that loud mouth minotaur a thank you present for giving her the perfect psychological insecurity to exploit or if she still wanted to grab him by those overcompensating mantle place warmers of his and shove them up his-
“S-so you see,” Fluttershy whimpered into her second box of tissues, “e-every time I a-assert myself I wind up h-hurting somepony, b-but if I dooooooon’t do this for my animal friends I’ll never forgive myseeeeeeeelf!!!” And with that she dissolved into actual tears sobbing into Trixie’s shoulder. The other unicorn looked to her Mistress; she’d happily obeyed the request to bring fresh tissues and to hug Fluttershy when she’d started shaking but she was crying a lot and her secretary clothes were expensive and getting damp.
“It’s alright Miss Fluttershy, it’s alright!” Dream soothed, fumbling in her own suit pockets for her trusty pocket watch. “There, there! Please calm down! I believe your case and think I have a solution!”
“R-really…?” The way she looked up with those big wet puppy dog eyes almost made Dream melt.
“Oh yes! In fact if you’ll give me and Trixie a moment…”
“Yes Mistress?” Trixie whispered once they’d stepped outside earshot, bowing slightly.
“Alright Trixie, first off you have been a very good girl coming in today and I owe you a treat, secondly I’m going to put her under now.” She let out of a sigh of frustration and relief as she finally extracted her watch. “Heaven only knows what it’ll put the poor filly through if we keep talking about the problem!”
Trixie clapped her hooves (silently so as not to alert their target) with glee. “Oh Mistress, that’s so wonderful! Soon Trixie and all her friends will be able to serve you alongside an Element of Harmony! How can I help?”
“To be blunt dear, I’ve never seen a case of…I honestly don’t know, low self-esteem, over emotional sensitivity, but whatever it is I’ve never seen a case this strong! Ooh I’ll just bet that monster Iron Will made it even worse with his claptrap!”
Trixie helped lift her Mistress’s mood a little by spitting (neatly into Soft Touch’s pot plant so as not to make a mess) at the minotaur’s name as all Dream’s pets had been instructed.
“Good girl! Alright, this could take a while.” She levitated a key out of one of the reception desk drawers. “Can you go to the storage depo on 5th street and collect Vinyl Scratch’s Hearthswarming present to me from this locker number while you’re picking up my dry cleaning and booking us for lunch? I think I’m going to need it.”
“At once, Mistress.”
“Oh, and after lunch we’ll take a cab back to my penthouse, you know the one a block from here,” Dream grinned wickedly, kissing the showpony as she pulled on her coat, “and you’ll get your treat.”
Fluttershy seemed to have calmed down when Dream returned to the office. She just sat on the couch almost idly, examining a knick knack she’d picked up off the shelf. Encouraging! After the exhaustion of her outburst she was subconsciously responding to the room and the more secure a nervous subject felt the better. Dream took the opportunity to move her chair so she could look directly at Fluttershy and sat.
“Feeling better?”
“Oh, um, a-a little, thanks you. I’m so sorry, sometimes I just…”
“Nothing I haven’t seen before, I assure you! Fortunately this, ah, dilemma has convinced me that my brand of therapy can indeed help you!”
“Oh. That’s…nice,” Fluttershy was looking at the watch uncertainly, “go on, please?”
“Nothing too drastic!” Dream assured and she wasn’t entirely lying. But was hardly being honest either. “The technique I’m going to use is called positive reinforcement. After we see how well you respond to hypnosis I’ll try to ease you into a state where you don’t feel so, um, indecisive. It doesn’t eradicate stress of course but it can help a pony maintain an objective perspective and this works wonders for problem solving.”
“I do like the sound of at least less stress…” Fluttershy mumbled, providing all the consent her would be Mistress needed.
“Splendid!” Dream levitated the curtains not quite shut, leaving them open enough to gently illuminate the room while still dimming things nicely. “Lie back please, almost as if you were going to take a little nap in your own home. Feel free to use a cushion if it helps.”
To her delight Fluttershy did and not only that, she chose the makeshift pillow on the right so that she was facing in Dream’s direction when she leant back. The therapist was becoming a slightly stronger influence every minute.
“Good. Now you’ve probably seen something like this before but could you look at my watch please? Good. Good. No need to be nervous, you won’t feel anything yet. Just focus on my watch. The little things about it. The way it glints even in this dimness.”
“It’s very pretty…” the Pegasus whispered, already adapting to the mood of the room with the respectful hush of a cathedral.
“Thank you. Feel free to adjust yourself as you watch, the more comfortable you feel the better. This is all about making you comfortable. The more comfortable you are, the more you focus on my watch and so the more you focus on my watch the more comfortable you become. Easy, see?”
“I…think so…”
“Good. You’re doing fine, just fine. Just keep doing what you’re doing. I’m going to start swinging it just like you’ve seen in the movies. Okay?”
“Okay…”
“Going to start swining it in one…two…three…see? Swinging nice and slow. Nice and slow for you, because this is all about making you comfortable.”
Dream began to talk clearly but gently, making Fluttershy have to split her focus between the swinging watch and making sure she could hear what her doctor was saying. An almost unnoticeable effort that would slowly start to drain her stamina as if she’d run a marathon.
“And the more comfortable you become the more you focus on my watch and the more you focus on my watch the more comfortable you become. Yes. That’s good. Just enjoy the pillow.” And why wouldn’t she? It was the exact same brand as the one on her bed back home. “The nice cool pillow, nice and cool and soft, gently easing away any and all tension in your neck. Maybe even your back. A nice thought, isn’t? A nice, gentle feeling from your neck to your back. Coming from that nice cool pillow on this nice soft couch in this nice dim office. Nice and dim like if this were your bedroom, like you were relaxing on your own couch, your own pillow, after a long, hard day. Nice and dim, not too dim but juuuuuust dim enough that the only other source of light is this old watch of mine. Glinting and swinging in the dimness.”
There was also still enough light for her to see those crystal ocean blue eyes drift to her watch as Fluttershy unconsciously followed the trail of thought Dream was feeding her, already so influenced by her words.
“Glinting and swinging. Back and forth. Glinting and swinging. Back and forth.” Dream kept up her gentle tone, drawing out each second word juuuuust right in time with every graceful arc. Watching and waiting as Fluttershy’s eyes gently began to flicker with drooping eye lids. “You may feel your eyes starting to become heavy now. But that is perfectly normal. It means you’re doing well, focusing. Focusing on my watch. Watching it glinting and swinging. Back and forth. Glinting and swinging. Back and forth…”
“Glintin’…” Fluttershy intoned involuntarily. She couldn't help herself, the rhythm in front of her eyes and starting to enter her head was so perfect…
“Yes. Glinting and swinging. And as it glints and swings, back and forth, back and forth, you may feel your eyes start to get heavy. Heavier and heavier. That’s how focused you are, that it’s starting to take more and more effort. But that’s alright. If you need to lay back and shut your eyes that’s alright. You’re so focused you don’t need to see it glinting and swinging back and forth anymore, so you just lay back on this nice comfortable couch in this nice. Relaxed. Safe. Peaceful. State.”
The collection of perfect curves and silhouettes on the couch relaxed, still graceful even as Fluttershy’s whole body went limp. Dream restored the lighting and took a second for herself. Getting to this point had taken a bit more wrangling than she’d assumed it would. But time to make the best of it while she was here!
“Fluttershy? Can you still hear me?” she asked softly.
“Yes…”
“I want you to try and imagine something for me. To see and hold it in your mind’s eye. Do you think you can do that?”
“Um, I can try?” Fluttershy adjusted herself on the couch slightly.
“Good,” Dream soothed, “that’s all anypony’s asking. That you try. Try and see a butterfly. Flapping its wings.”
“Alright…” Fluttershy’s voice was already drowsy, but…“Oh, what family is it in?”
Dream blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
“What family is it in?” Fluttershy repeated, eyes still shut, voice still soft and distant. “Butterflies largely compose the order Lepidoptera along with moths and are usually part of the superfamily Papilionoidea, though it naturally splits into small subgroups such as-”
Dream stood staring as the Pegasus continued to explain the zoological quirks of colourful insects and wondered if she should let this serve as the induction instead. Maybe she’d talk herself into mindlessness. After five minutes she concluded that nope, Fluttershy just really, really liked butterflies.
“…how about the kind that make up your cutie mark?”
“Oh that would be nice…” Fluttershy smiled.
“Good. Can you see it in your mind’s eye?”
“Yes.”
“Good. That’s very good. Can you see what it’s doing? Is it even doing anything all? It’s okay if you have to look hard, the important thing is that you look.”
A pause. Then a slow smile.
“It’s flapping its wings…” Fluttershy smiled “Flapping like all butterflies do…its beautiful…” Her tone was more cheerful and, come to that, emotional at all than Dream would have liked at this stage but a happy subject was an encouraging subject and could be just as easily encouraged into being a happy sub.
“Wonderful! It’s so wonderful that you can see so clearly. That’s it. Focus on it, get it down in your mind. In this place, this wonderful, nice, safe place. Where it’s just you and those beautiful wings. Those beautiful wings and the feelings of peace they bring you.”
“Peace…” Fluttershy repeated. Dream clenched her hooves in triumph. That was more like it!
“Yes. Peace. Nothing to worry about, no big decisions to make. Not here in this wonderful place in your mind. With just you…the butterfly…and my words. It’s your mind but my words are helping you shape it, shape this state. You can trust my words, they brought you here. To this peaceful place. This beautiful image. You trust me to help you shape this state, don’t you Fluttershy? You trust my words? Don’t you?”
“Oh yes…”
“Good! That’s so good and you’re doing so well. Let’s keep going. Now, without taking too much effort I want you to try and imagine something else for me. Something you will see as well as those beautiful, flapping, mesmerizing wings. But the last thing I want to do is ruin that image for you when you’re doing so well. So can you imagine it for me, Fluttershy? Both things at once? It’ll be alright if you don’t think you can yet, that will just mean more time in this wonderful place.”
A pause. Fluttershy shifted slightly. Sometimes you just don’t realize how fast the avalanche is moving until it’s on top of you. “Alright…”
“Thank you. It’s so good that you can trust my words. Trust a listen to my words. Listen to my words as they shape your mind. It’s nice to let go so completely, isn’t it? Nothing but you and my words in this peaceful place, holding you there. And since you’re held there, nice and safe there, you should be able to think about all the things that worry you…without them worrying you. Doesn’t that sound nice? You’ll be nice and distant from all your problems, all your fears, all your worries, but you won’t be running away. Because they won’t worry you. Doesn’t that sound nice?”
“Yes…”
“Of course it does. Can you see them? Your problems? The one’s that make it hard for you to make the big decisions?”
Dream kept her tones soothing and hypnotic but one of Fluttershy’s legs was twitching slightly. Her wings started to flap spontaneously, jostling that swan like neck and the perfect curl of her mane. “Y-yes…,” Flutershy whimpered.
“Are there a lot?”
“Yes!”
“Alright, alright!” Dream was so startled she actually put her hooves on the pegasues shoulders to keep her in place. Normally it wouldn’t be recommended to touch somepony you were trying to influence like this, you might startle them awake among other things but nothing would undo Dream’s hard work like Fluttershy’s anxiety sending her tumbling off the couch. “It’s alright. Listen to my words, my words that have brought you here, brought you peace. If I tell you it’s alright then it’s alright. Can you still see the butterfly?”
Fluttershy started to go limp in Dream’s grasp. And…was that a purr of…pleasure coming from her throat? “Y-yes…”Fluttershy sighed.
“Wonderful.” Dream took her seat again, fetching herself a water but keeping an eye on her subject. It was more to buy herself time to calm down than to Fluttershy, but watching her rhythmic breathing in that blouse did help.
“Alright. Now you’re imagining both things at once. That’s okay, it’s going to get easier because soon you’ll only see one. So let’s start making it one. See how the butterfly flaps it’s wings? Good. Now can you see a box around all you worries? Try. My words, your mind, there’s nothing we can’t do together here. Don’t try too hard, just let it happen. Let it happen.”
“Box…” Fluttershy droned after a few minutes.
“Good. Now for the fun part. With each flap of its wings that butterfly is going to make the box around them smaller and smaller. Smaller and smaller. Each beat of those beautiful, peaceful wings is going to make that box and it’s nasty content smaller and smaller. Smaller and smaller. Repeat that for me please.”
“Smaller and smaller…” Fluttershy murmured drowsily.
“Very good. Let’s articulate it. Let’s take control of it. Say what’s happening.”
“Each time…she flaps her wings…my anxiety…smaller and smaller…” Fluttershy’s speech was starting to slur slightly. That was a good sign, meaning she it was taking more effort to get the words out and the more effort a subject took the more tired and susceptible they’d become. The only part that seemed a little off to Dream was that Fluttershy had given the butterfly image a gender. Maybe a name too. That was animal lovers for you.
“Smaller and smaller…” Dream repeated and Fluttershy followed, that soft smile spreading across her face. Not long now Dream thought. She kept the subject mantraing for another ten minutes just to be sure. The only thing bothering her now was that she was starting to get hungry.
“Okay! Even an imaginary box can only get so small. You’ve done soooooo well! You’re a natural. I think you’ll enjoy your new mindset very much. I’m going to slowly bring you back up now so you can try it out. And I have the perfect litmus test in mind too! This isn’t a big deal, the point it to help you make decisions after all, but I want you to do me a little favor, alright?”
“Alright…”
Dream would have done a little victory dance but she was wearing high heels. “You trust my words, yes? Good. Then you can trust me to make the first decision for you when you wake up. When you wake up, just accept the first suggestion I give you. Actually make that the second, the first suggestion is that after you wake up you won’t remember me telling you this. Alright?”
“I…think so…?”
“Then take a deep breath, that’s it, nice fresh air and five…feeling a slight surge of energy through your tired, peaceful muscles…four, slowly getting up from the nice soft couch but still feeling so peaceful…three, feeling that peace and that energy swirling inside you as you start to come up…two, coming up like you’re surfacing from underwater, feeling so refreshed…and one, wide awake! Hello, Fluttershy!”
“Oh, um…” the Pegasus was cut off by a yawn and a compulsive stretch as she straightened up. “Oh I beg your pardon! Um, hello Dream Searcher.”
“Do you know where you are?” Dream settled back in her seat, watching her subject with a critical eye.
“Hmm? Oh yes, just a bit drowsy…even though I feel really awake! That was…it felt good! Like a trip to the spa but deep inside my head and down my back and…”
“It can be a little weird the first time you wake up.” Dream admitted casually. “Take your clothes off.”
Dead silence.
“Please?” Dream tried. Sometimes it took a while for total immersion to set in. Phrasing it as a request could help, polite ponies liked to cooperate and what was Fluttershy if not polite?
“Oh of course.” Fluttershy smiled. Dream was slightly annoyed that it wasn’t the one of usual happy obedience, but not for very long. Fluttershy lithely shook her way out of her jeans and pulled up her blouse in the same fluid motion, as naturally graceful as any flight obsessed Pegasus. Dream could see exactly how graceful as the room almost seemed to light up with the unveiling of that perfect pale gold coat, almost changing the light so much it put her in mind of enchanted grottos and secret forest places and other things from her childhood books. The effect wasn’t marred even slightly by the presence of Fluttershy’s white sports bra and panties.
Dream’s golden eyes almost rolled loose from her head as she tried to take in as many details as she could, eventually deciding her favorite things (for the moment) were the slender contours of Fluttershy’s muscles she could see shifting under that beautiful coat and the by-accident tantalizing way the lowest butterfly of her cutie mark peeked out from under the arc of her panties. Fluttershy seemed to become even more slender and yet somehow also filled out as she straightened up, as if she’d been constrained by her clothing all this time, shaking out her mane and flapping her wings three rhythmic times, the ever present Pegasus instinct to keep them limber.
Dream slowly poured herself a glass of water with her telekinesis and took an even slower slip as Fluttershy made eye contact with her, still pleasantly at her disposal. “And how do you feel?” she managed when she was (almost) certain she could keep her voice from shaking.
“Hmm?” That perfect face didn’t even frown. Fluttershy’s hooves probed herself experimentally until, even in trance, she realized; “Oh! Oh my goodness! I’m…am I? I am! I’m naked!”
“Not really.” Dream corrected calmly. “Technically you’re in…let’s go with a state of undress.”
“Goodness…” Fluttershy repeated vaguely, looking down at her hooves as she rubbed her washboard stomach. In spite of the fact she was absolutely going to turn the beauty in front of her into a blissfully obedient nymphomaniac, Dream found it cute. Fluttershy wasn’t playing with herself, just testing to see if she really was standing in a therapist’s office in her underwear. After spending so many years with fellow kiny ponies like Trixie it was actually kind of sweet to see somepony taking a purely innocent interest in being in their skivvies.
“Yes, Ms. Fluttershy. I understand that this is a lot to absorb, but your current condition really will help us make progress. Would you mind telling me how you feel?”
“Um…hmmm.” Fluttershy was gazing at her right hoof now, like those cheesy movie depictions of a drug high where the hippy tries to verify that yeah, this was totally their real hoof, man. “I don’t really know how to put it, but I’m not…worried? It’s actually really nice, is this normal?”
“Yes!” Dream smiled and gestured for the Pegasus to sit down again. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s still common for a pony to undress in the privacy of their own home, although there are what some may describe as…alternative lifestyles…um, but anyway! The point is to demonstrate what hypnotherapy can do. You say you don’t mind standing here like this even though you know it’s not something you’d normally do. If you were to return to modelling treatment like this could help considerably ease your stress; if you can feel normal standing in front of a therapist in only your underwear why would you feel nervous about an audience watching you wearing a fashionable evening dress?”
“I see…” Fluttershy was looking at her hoof as if making sure it was still hers. “And this will help me become more assertive? Without hurting anypony’s feelings? Because it feels very nice so far!”
“Well since you mention it…” Dream glanced at her watch and then at the door. “Oh, excuse me a moment, I’m expecting a delivery.”
She opened the door, careful to block Fluttershy’s view of the office, and yes, she hadn’t imagined it. That shuffling noise had been Trixie returning and taking off her coat. Her face lit up when she caught her Mistress’s eye, just as Dream’s did when she saw the package on Soft Touch’s desk. Trixie picked it up and held it reverently out to her Mistress, bowing as she used her telekinesis to open it for her.
Dream looked into her golden reflection in the perfectly polished helmet inside and grinned. Vinyl Scratch’s Hearthswarming present, a magi-tech helmet that fed hypnotic images and soundwaves directly into the subject’s brain. Dream had been part of the team working on it back when it was just an experimental therapy tool with a rather unfortunate habit of making test subjects either think they’d been blown up (because of the tendency for the equipment to spark) or a chicken (because some ponies just really want to be a chicken) and had “persuaded” her old classmates to let her keep a copy of the blueprints. Last year she’d requested her pet Vinyl use her engineering skills to iron out the kinks so her Mistress could put it to kinky use. Like, say, turning the sweet but difficult to control Element of Kindness into her kinda gal.
“And here it is!” Dream cooed, rewarding Trixie with a gentle stroke and turning to face Fluttershy. Trixie respectfully pulled the door closed behind her Mistress. “This fancy looking salad bowl is a magical helmet that can help a pony achieve what they want though, you guessed it, positive reinforcement!”
“It’s very…shiny.” Fluttershy didn’t look at all certain but then smiled. Her doctor had gotten her this far! Why, it hadn’t even occurred to her to put her clothes back on yet. “And you think this, um, ‘Re-Enforcer’ will help further my treatment? In time? Photo gave me until the end of next week to decide.”
“Oh that long?” Dream waved the idea off casually, but did take a second to write down the name “Re-Enforcer” on her pad, that WAS a good name for it. “Well normally I recommend at least a week of treatment to see how it’s working out for somepony but between you and me, I’ve seen this baby help ponies come to a breakthrough in about a day!”
“Wow.”
“Indeed. If you consent to wearing this then the visor here will show you soothing imagery that will have the same soothing effect my watch did, helping you drift back to that peaceful state. And see these little black ears? Don’t worry, they should fit. There are tiny magic speakers in them that will play…well, positive reinforcement at you. After it puts you back under of course. We could try it now or you could take a break, you’ve shown a lot of progress and potential in such a short time!”
“Well…” Fluttershy hesitated slightly then felt how comfortable the couch still felt. She’d get to go back to that place of peace. She smiled slowly. “Yes. Sure! Why not?”
“Thattagirl!” Dream smirked. She tried to keep from laughing as Fluttershy fumbled to get the Re-Enforcer on. Pets deserved a Mistress who laughed at their antics, not at them personally. Eventually she managed to get it the right way around and cautiously slid it down over her head. The only adjustment Dream had to make before starting it up was making sure her left ear fit into the black latex muffler properly.
“Ready?”
“Um…as I’ll ever be.”
“Good. This may take a while so if you wake up alone just take a minute to get you bearing’s but please don’t leave the office. You at before we came like we discussed right? Excellent, excellent, then I’ll be out to lunch while you’re under and tying up some loose ends. Help yourself to the water on the desk if you get thirsty. And now…relax. Relax. Relax.”
And Fluttershy did as Dream flipped the visor down over her eyes, instantly filling her vision with the soothing sight of her watch glistening and swinging, back and forth, back and forth…
Once her subject was slumped and breathing gently but deeply in trance Dream began to adjust the Enforcer’s audio controls. Fluttershy’s ears would soon be filled with some of her patented magical audio files, informing her of her new state as she drifted in trance. Dream made sure there was a good deal about assertiveness, sure…but mostly positive reinforcement like increasing her awareness of her own beauty and an ample increase of her sex drive. If her subject turned out to be straight she’d still emerge totally in love with her own body and happy to show it off at any opportunity to her Mistress. If not then Dream could more than look at that body whenever she wanted.
“See you soon!” she cackled as the room filled with the sound of Fluttershy’s breathing and the whir of the Re-Enforcer’s magic at work. The quiet rumbling of the avalanche cascading towards Dream with no hope of stopping.
Dream Searcher got to enjoy her pre-hypnotized Fluttershy world a lot in the next two and a half hours. She had a nice hoof massage from Trixie on their ride over to a spa where she had a more professional and more relaxing one. She could see why Photo Finish had been so explosive, Fluttershy was so…so…innocent that trying to take control of her had been frustrating. Asking questions about butterfly families while going into trace. Honestly! Fortunately she had her Trixie around to sit in her lap and whisper her patented brand of devoted praise into her Mistress’ ear while they enjoyed the Jacuzzi together. Trixie continued to enjoy the honour of her Mistress’s lap on the cab ride over to one of Dream’s favourite restaurant, where Dream enjoyed her last sumptuous salad and oats a l'orange with red wine as a free pony. For dessert she had the Great and Powerful Trixie wearing nothing but those naughty little glasses.
She left her pet to sleep off a lovely trance about reliving her favourite sexual experiences, which would then repeat itself when Trixie went home, and returned to the office unconcerned about the fact she was wearing a change of clothes. If Fluttershy asked, well, she was going to be hypnotized anyway. Dream was expecting the Re-Enforcer to have change Fluttershy significantly when she stepped through the door. She hadn’t been expecting…this.
“What’s up, doc?” Fluttershy grinned. She was lounging lazily on her side on the couch reading one of the fashion magazines. Completely. Naked. Dream had fantasized but the reality and the sheer shock of it sitting there in her office after she’d come back from lunch (and Trixie) froze her in place for a few beats. Not that Dream could be sure her heart was actually beating anymore. She felt like she’d been hit by an avalanche.
“Um…” she managed once she’d pried her frozen lips apart. No, that was no good, she needed more than that, she sounded like, well, Fluttershy. “So…um. D-did the thingy...the Re-Enforcer! Did it…?”
“Work?” Fluttershy batted her eyelids in a parody of her usual innocent confusion and made a show of looking down at her naked breasts. “Hmmm. Gee, I’d say so!”
She laughed and casually tossed the magazine back on the table. “Man, you have no idea how good this feels! If your thing with the watch was like a spa then this, I dunno, this like a rollercoaster or something! I would’ve been fine with just plain old calm but this…” she shook her head in awe of herself, still laughing. “Guess this is what assertive feels like, huh?” She patted the space on the couch beside her invitingly.
“Well I certainly don’t need to ask how you’re feeling!” Dream felt her cheeks flushing even as her grin spread them as wide as possible. Who could blame her, she was sitting next to that PERFECT body. One of Fluttershy’s ancestors had to have inspired Pegasus sculptors centuries ago, they just had to. “Confidence is sexy! But so is…open mindedness. Do you feel up to trying something different?"
And that was when Fluttershy leaned forward and kissed her. “You tell me!” Dream heard her coo through the fireworks set to the 1812 overture in her head. “What did you have in mind?”
“This…” Dream managed, using her tekelenisis to pull the hidden lever in her desk draw. It wasn’t as smooth as her usual seduction routine went, she was still reeling from that glorious kiss and it took her a minute to realize she was trying to shove the now not so secret lever in the wrong direction before the wall slid back to reveal her hidden closet.
“Hmm.” Fluttershy peered inside, taking in the shapes and colors in the shadows. “You’re full of surprises, doc.”
“Oh you haven’t seen anything yet, pet.” Dream flashed one of her evil mastermind grins over her shoulder before running a hoof along the rack. “Now where’d Softy put it…oh, of course! And look, she even wrapped it!” She levitated the violet box with the red ribbon into Fluttershy’s hooves. The Pegasus kept smiling but raised one of those perfect eyebrows. God, she was built for seductive moves like that. It was taking everything Dream had not to use her magic to tear the box open and wrap her up in the contents already, nevermind just throwing her onto the couch and having at it!
“Do I want to know what’s in here?” Fluttershy stared Dream down but technically won by winking at her. “You seem real excited about it!”
Dream noted the out-of-previous-character-act of flirting/cheating but couldn’t be mad at her for it. “It’s important to the new you that you open it,” she explained softly, leading them both back to the couch. “I’ll help with anything you’re not sure about but it should be self-explanatory. Consider it a re-birthday present. I hope you like it.”
Fluttershy did.
She managed the gloves and boots perfectly, taking a few seconds to admire her forearms in the shiny latex before pulling on the corset. She did need some help with the last strap just at the small of her back where her wings and shoulder blades met and Dream was more than happy to feel those muscles as she tightened it. She’d have taken any excuse to be near this new creature, especially with her new latex skin. And with one last wave of her watch she’d have any and all reason to get as close as she could want.
Fluttershy had to admit while silk or taffeta were her favorite to wear she was enjoying the hell out of the way her new latex cupped and clung to everything. She stepped back from the doctor and out into the light of the office, checked out her new reflection in the full length mirror against the wall and saw that it was good. Damn good. The gloves and boots working in perfect harmony with the corset/leotard which was quickly becoming her new favourite piece of clothing ever, the black with red trim color scheme matching her new attitude in a words could never have articulated. She wouldn't have traded in any of her blouses, skirts or jeans back home of course but she was also now very interested in seeing what else this new style had to offer. If nothing else she it was fun to be a little taller from the height boost the platform soles of her new thigh highs gave her.
“Well?” Dream asked, wrapping her arms gently around her torso. “I think it’s very you.”
“No it isn’t.” Fluttershy chuckled, flashing her an identically wicked grin. “And that’s what makes it work so well. You’re going to have to thank Photo for me, Doc.”
Dream raised an eyebrow in surprise but didn’t let go as her somewhat impertinent soon to be pet turned in her grip to face her.
“Recognized the line work.” Fluttershy winked again. And paused as Dream gently cupped her chin, looking her over.
“God you have beautiful eyes…” Dream murmured almost to herself, “but with the outfit now, it needs an extra something…oh!” She grinned wickedly. “Oh I know exactly what you need to be the perfect masterpiece.”
“Does it involve letting go of my face?” Fluttershy frowned. Dream cackled, released her to put an arm around those slender and sinewy shoulders and led her back into the closet. Fluttershy went along with it but only out of curiosity. She liked the new her, how could anypony with eyes not like her body in or out of this great new outfit? But she hadn’t come all this way to be made into a new her and be led around by the nose like the old her.
It turned out to be worth it though as she was sat in front of a vanity table at the back of the secret closet. A brush levitated with Dream’s magic, a few dainty manoeuvres and a tube of Porkland Black from her personal stash and the masterpiece was complete. Fluttershy grinned at her complete new self. “Mmm, I look like a Nightmare Night treat…”
“You’ll be very sweet to eat, pet.” Dream agreed. “Though every treat needs a taste test…”
The new and more adaptable Fluttershy recognized the cue and together the two enjoyed Dream Searcher’s last kiss as a free pony. It lasted ten amazing minutes, a fitting countdown.
“Yeah,” Fluttershy smirked after they came apart, “we’ve got to talk about the whole pet thing. I’ve been doing some reflecting and issues aside, sure, I liked the old me. I think I just needed to see things from the other side of the mirror to realize it. But either me? Yeah, just because I sometimes wish I was a cute widdle cub of some kind doesn’t mean I relish the prospect of wearing a collar and doing tricks for you or anypony else. And assertive me? Yeah, that’s definitely not the kind of thing I’m going to let happen.”
“You say that now.” Dream grinned then frowned. Her hoof scrabbled around inside her pocket but still no sign of her watch. She knew put it back…
“Actually I say it’s pretty weird you’d think I wouldn't realize what you were up to.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Dream asked more calmly than she felt. Okay, her watch was missing but she still had her voice and her eyes, she could still take control of this…
“It means you didn’t just overdo it with trying to copy my house, you overplayed your hoof with the magazines. You know, the out of date ones. That all have Photo Finish on the cover in some way.” Fluttershy’s tone was cold but she was still smiling with her new black lipstick raising it from pleasant to cheerfully sinister. An angry goddess playing with her food. “Oh, and I found her business card on your desk while you were out. Reluctant model, demanding fashionista, helpful hypnotherapist. Wasn’t exactly hard to figure out. Now sit down.”
“You don’t tell me what to do,” Dream Searcher snarled, nostrils flaring and horn glowing with rage and power, “I am Dream Searcher, future Mistress of the World! My voice alone can unlock any door, pierce any armor and tame any beast! My hooves have sculpted the minds of geniuses and sorcerers and held them as my playthings, what chance do you have to defy me, you quivering little…little…little…pony?! HA! You’d still be scared of your own shadow if it wasn’t for me, and I’ll either have you begging forgiveness for this at your mistress’s hooves or-“
“Sit. Down. Doctor.”
Fluttershy didn’t raise her voice, she didn’t have to do more than carefully enunciate each word. Because she was using The Stare. All of Dream’s fury was blasted into powder and scattered to the wind by the force of those eyes. Buried under the other ponies willpower. She realized she was sitting on the couch.
“W-wha…? What the hell was…that…?” she trailed off, lost in the small reflection of herself in those beautiful blue eyes that seemed to grow to fill the world. She felt as if she was shrinking to match it.
“Oh dear! Seems somepony didn’t do her homework!” Fluttershy never stopped smiling as she reclined next to her victim on the couch, casually crossing her legs to enjoy the feel of her new boots. “It’s called The Stare. Come in handy making naughty bunnies do their chores. Don’t worry about it. So! All that pet talk, the manipulating and attempted brainwashing…” she reached out with one of those gorgeous new gloves and cupped Dream’s chine the exact same way the therapist had examined her a few minutes ago. “I take it you’re one of those naughty villains types who’re always bothering us, hmmm?”
“No…” Dream whispered.
“Oh?”
“’m better than…any of ‘em…” Dream was fighting to hold onto her usual bravado, summon all her willpower to set up some kind of defence but she couldn’t help it, the draining feeling, those eyes were so perfect…just like Fluttershy’s laugh.
“Oh! Oh, I like that! I really do like that. So what’s the plan?” Fluttershy’s voice was still cheerful, those pearly whites still shining through the black lipstick, but those beautiful blue eyes were wide, The Stare baring down on Dream like an avalanche, burring her deeper and deeper. “Brainwash ponies like me until you’ve taken over Equestria, or have enough thralls with power and influence until you might as well?”
“A-a little f-from column A, a l-little from column B…” Dream admitted.
“Well at least you’re honest. Now, anyway. Did Photo pay you to ‘convince’ me to make a comeback or did you just want your own Element of Harmony to play with?” Her eyes flashed like angry storm clouds. She wasn’t smiling now. “Was I just lucky enough to be the first? Were you going to try to make my friends into your little bimbos when you were finished with me?”
“Y-yes…n-no, I mean…” Dream whimpered. She was becoming so confused! All she knew was she liked the Pegasus, perhaps even loved her and couldn’t bear the thought of making her angry! “Ph-photo did pay me, y-yes…a-an’ I wanna rule the w-world…what…what little pony…doesn’t…p-please…I…I love…”
“Hmph!” Fluttershy’s smiled returned. “Lucky for you the new and assertive me had time to think Photo’s offer over. She talks tough but she wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of hiring somepony like you if she wasn’t prepared to pay any price to get me back. So she’ll pay mine. And just think! Without your ‘positive reinforcement I wouldn’t have come to this decision!”
Dream smiled feebly.
“Oh you’re not off the hook.” Fluttershy grinned even wider. Like a shark. “You’re the worst villain in Equestria! You told me so. You said you were better than all our old enemies. But lucky for you we like to try and make friends with our old enemies. Now, having a pet is a biiiiiig responsibility.” She pouted a little. “One I just don’t think you’re quite ready for, Dreamy. So let’s give you a little crash course.”
She beamed and Dream would have recoiled if not for the power of those eyes keeping her in place; the cheerful expression belonged to the old, sweet, helpful Fluttershy and that made it disconcerting to see coming out of the black makeup and tight black fetish outfit Dream had plastered on her. Among other things it made the innocent smile 30% more EVIL.
“W-what are you gonna…do…to…?”
Fluttershy held up her other hoof, dangling something glistening from it. Glistening and swinging. Dream forced her eyes to drag themselves away from those eyes to look at…her pocket watch. Her own pocket watch. The one she’d used to hypnotize all her patients and pets. The one Fluttershy had pickpocketed off her when they kissed.
“Uh oh.”
“Eeeeeyup.” Fluttershy beamed. And that was technically where it ended. Dream Searcher vs. the watch and The Stare at the same time? Please.
The climax came after another change of clothes for Dream, to say nothing of her attitude, a few phone calls and an agreement to meet Photo Finish at her estate in Manehattan’s countryside district. The new Dream, dressed in her best evening ensemble, a red silk dress with black latex trim, boots and gloves, stepped out of her private carriage and held the door open for Fluttershy as she stepped out, dressed in a trench coat that hugged her body and did nothing to hide her boots and gloves.
“Photo!” Fluttershy beamed, throwing her arms around the stone faced fashionista. “Oh it’s been so long! Oh, you do remember Dr. Dream right? She, heh, she volunteered to be my new personal assistant.”
Photo Finish raised an eyebrow as her former superstar put a motherly arm around her collaborator, who seemed…perkier? Then again she had blatantly been one of those fangirls when they’d met.
“Wasn’t that sweet of her?” Fluttershy cooed. “I figured it was the least I could do after she went to all that trouble to help make me so decisive. You should thank her.”
“Da, da,” Photo briskly turned back towards the mansion and waiting camera crew “, now once inside ve vant…”
“I said. You should thank her. Photo.” The older pony whirled on her heel to check that this calm but insistent speaker was in fact Fluttershy. It was. “Don’t be rude. Say it.”
They stared each other down for a few minutes before Photo smiled with begrudging respect. Fluttershy was letting some of those inner Magics® out. About time.
“Thank you for all your help, Dr. Dream Searcher.”
“Oh, it was my pleasure!” It wasn’t just the therapist’s outfit that had changed, the voice, the look in her eyes, they all belonged to a lovestruk 18 year old. “I’d do anything for Ms. Fluttershy! Anything at all! Oh, and speaking of, time for me to do my new duties!”
Her horn glowed, summoning legal looking papers into her grasp out of thin air. She held one out to Photo. The mare read it in stony silence, adjusting her shades a few times. “This has to be a joke.”
“I assure you Miss Photo this is entirely serious. Double her old salary. Firstly, well, look at her!” Dream gestured to Fluttershy who opened her coat to pose in her new outfit. “She’s the most beautiful pony in all of Equestria! She’s worth a million times what you could offer her! But all she’s asking is twice what you’d pay her so she can spend it on charities and resources to help her animal friends! You’ll not just be bringing ponies art, Miss Photo, you shall be helping their champion save the environment. You can’t buy that kind of good P.R, especially considering how much more you’ll make with somepony like THE Fluttershy selling your lines. Exclusively.”
“Exclusively, you say.”
“Yes. My mistre-er, I mean my client wants to be represented by your agency and only your agency.” Dream sighed, well, dreamily and looked back at Fluttershy who hadn’t done her coat back up. “Isn’t she wonderful like that?”
“Very kind.” Photo agreed, deftly signing the contract with a quill she’d also summoned from nowhere. “It will be a pleasure to do business with you again. Let me just take a quick check.”
Fluttershy blinked with innocent bafflement, clasping her gloved hooves together.
“There she is!” Photo gestured to the mansion. “We have wardrobe waiting for you in the living room, lots of nice sofa and fireplace shots, then some garden ones. Avanti!”
“I want my Dreamy in some of them.” Fluttershy said simply as they entered the hall. Dream gasped with awe and gratitude, looking as if she may weep for joy. Photo shrugged. She’d have found the therapists new subservient attitude strange if she’d given a damn about anything other than the Magics® . Fluttershy put her arm around Dream again, who nuzzled up against her Mistress as much as she could without impeding her walking.
“Thank you Mistress,” she whispered reverently. “Thank you so much! I don’t deserve to be seen by your side!”
“Oh now now Dreamy! This is all about redemption! If I can get Discord to change his ways I can certainly help you!” Fluttershy giggled to herself. “You know, it’s funny but he couldn’t get me either. Ah well. But you remember our terms, yes?”
“Yes Mistress! Of course Mistress!” Dream nodded with mutual solemnity and gusto. “No more schemes to conquer the world.”
“Good girl.”
“And when you and your wonderful friends can’t make a villain change their ways I’ll help you behind the scenes to, ahem, change their minds so you don’t have to worry about them ever again.”
“Good girl.”
“And I’m to start helping future patients feel better instead of hypnotizing them into my personal slave army.”
“VERY good girl.”
“And even though I’m taking on no more pets, I still get to keep and take care of all my current ones because we all make each other happy.” Dream smiled genuinely at that.
“Good girl!”
“Oh, and of course I must follow and obey you for as long as you’ll keep me! Personally I hope it’s forever but this is about what you want Mistress!” Dream bowed as she helped Fluttershy out of her coat so she could pose on the couch for the crew.
“Mmmm. We’ll see! If you want to make a good impression, come to my room this evening! I’m in the mood to have you spend the night!” Fluttershy tickled Dream’s chin with one of her gloves. Her new pet looked like she might burst into tears of joy from that simple gesture, but even buried under a hypnotic avalanche Dream Searcher was a professional.
“Oh thank you Mistress, but are you sure? It’s only been a few hours since I swore to obey you forever!”
“Of course, Dreamy! This is a redemption story! And every redemption needs a little…” the new Fluttershy grinned in her new black lipstick and winked one eye with her new black eye shadow. “…positive reinforcement.”
