Hitomi was on her way back to her room after having seen a late night magic show. She was still amazed at the wide variety of activities going on aboard the ship at all hours of the day. For now, though, she was sleepy and needed to rest. Maybe a shower too since she'd been wearing her favourite yellow singlet and denim jeans all day, even during her morning workout. Her mind wandered back to the hypnosis show she'd been to after the aforementioned workout. She giggled at the image of Ayane acting as a chicken and Kasumi as a cat. Speaking of which, she wondered if they were awake right now. She turned the corner and got her answer: she saw the two coming out of their room.

"Kasumi! Ayane! How are y...?" She stopped mid sentence when she noticed that the two were wearing their sleepwear; Kasumi in the bikini Hitomi had lent her and Ayane in her own bikini and a shirt. But more the more pressing issue was that they were walking with their arms outstretched in front of themselves with their eyes half closed and their mouth slightly open. The two continued past the perplexed Hitomi without a single word. Hitomi regained her senses and ran after the two.

She caught up and began to jog alongside them. She waved a hand in front of Kasumi's face. "K...Kasumi? Hello?" No response. She didn't even blink. "Hello? You in there?" No response. Were they sleepwalking? Both at the same time? Unlikely. What could be making them both leave their room in the middle of the night in a zombie-like trance...? "That hypnotist!" she gasped. He must have brainwashed them into doing something. Most likely going to visit him. She had to wake them up and fast!

She snapped her fingers in front of their faces. Unfortunately, this did nothing to deter their march. She'd need another approach...That's it! She cleared her throat and said in a clear, confident voice, "Kasumi, Ayane, this is your master speaking. I command you to stop."

They obeyed with a "Yes." They stood motionless, arms outstretched and sleepy faced waiting for the 'master' to give them another command. It was working!

"Erm, lower your arms."

Again, with a "Yes," the two did as they were told. It was really working! For now, Hitomi had to get them away from here. Waking them up here would do no good if their confusion at waking up in the corridor distracted them long enough for the hypnotist to arrive and re-induct them. "Return to your room," she commanded.

"Yes." The hypnotized sisters turned robotically and marched back they way they'd come. Hitomi followed a few steps behind, keeping an eye out for the hypnotist. Fortunately, they arrived back in their room and Hitomi locked the door behind them.

Culp was growing impatient. Their room was only down the hall. How could they not be here yet? Maybe he'd not been specific enough with his command. That couldn't be it; he'd specifically told them to come to room ten. There weren't any other room tens were there? Could they have been discovered? Given the number of people aboard the ship, it was certainly possible. No doubt, it would be bad if two hypnotized teenagers were linked back to him. And he was the only hypnotist on board. He should have gone to them instead. He opened the door and set off to find them.

Hitomi turned to face the sisters, who were stood at attention facing away from her. Now, she could wake them up and explain without the threat of the hypnotist discovering them. She again adopted her confident voice and- wait. Would they believe her? They should do but what if they didn't? She had an idea. She commanded, "Whenever I say the phrase 'you are feeling sleepy,' you will go back into a trance like the one you're in now. Do you understand?"

"Yes," the pair replied together.

"Good. Now...wake up." Ayane and Kasumi awoke on Hitomi's command and began looking around, confused.

"How did I...?" Ayane asked.

"Where am I?" was Kasumi's question.

"Hi," they both jumped and turned to see Hitomi standing behind them.

"What are you doing in our room?" Ayane questioned angrily.

"Is that any way to speak to the person who just saved you?" Hitomi shot back.

"Saved me? What the hell are you talking about?"

"You were both hypnotized."

"You're still bringing that up?"

"No, I mean you were both still under his control and were walking down the hall like zombies or something. So, I took control and brought you back here."

"No way."

"Then how do you explain waking up stood up on the other side of the room?"

"I was probably sleepwalking."

"Fine, I'll prove it. Kasumi, would you mind if I demonstrate on you?"

Kasumi replied, "I guess not."

"Thank you. Okay, Kasumi, you are feeling sleepy." Immediately, Kasumi's eyes closed and her head dropped. Hitomi turned back to make sure Ayane wasn't under too since she needed to be aware of this. She wasn't but she didn't look very impressed. Hitomi turned back and issued her command: "Kasumi, stand on one leg." She raised her head, eyes half open and obeyed. "Jump up and down." She began jumping on one leg. "Stop." She stood motionless on one leg. "Put your foot down." She lowered her leg and stood at attention. "You're a cat." She got down on all fours like in the show and began licking the back of her hand. "A dog." She stuck out her tongue and began barking. "Wake up."

Kasumi's eyes opened fully as she looked around in disbelieving shock with her eyes, not moving her body at all. As realization sunk in, she quickly jumped to her feet, averting her eyes as if not seeing the others would stop them from seeing her, despite it being quite impossible to miss the bright red colour her cheeks had turned.

"See?" Hitomi said turning to Ayane.

"For all I know, this could just be a stupid prank you two are trying to play on me," Ayane responded. "There's no way you were actually controlling her just now."

Hitomi, growing annoyed at Ayane's insistence, angrily said, "Fine! Ayane, you are feeling sleepy." Ayane's eyes shut as soon as the word 'sleepy' left Hitomi's lips.

Kasumi looked on in awe. "Is that what happened to me?"

"Yeah. Now I'm going to prove to her that she was hypnotized. Please sit on the couch and put your feet up on the coffee table." Kasumi was a little confused by this odd request but she did as she was asked as Hitomi whispered into Ayane's ear, "Ayane, I want you to sit on the coffee table and massage Kasumi's feet."

"Yes," Ayane replied in her dull monotone. Ayane sat on the table and placed Kasumi's bare feet in her lap. Kasumi, meanwhile, was shocked and nervous about this as she began to dread what Ayane had been commanded to do. She got her answer when Ayane began to rub her left foot. Somehow, Ayane was very good at this. It felt great in fact. Kasumi had never felt anything quite like it. Ayane's delicate hands were put to excellent work, hitting just the right spots with just the right amount of pressure. It was heaven. What made it even more amazing was that Ayane wasn't even looking at Kasumi's feet as she massaged them; she was looking directly ahead with a blank expression on her face.

Hitomi was surprised at how much Kasumi was enjoying this. She sat on the couch on the other side of the coffee table and watched. She just couldn't help herself anymore. She slipped her boots off and raised her legs towards Ayane. "Ayane, I want you to massage my feet next," she commanded, wiggling her toes.

"Yes," Ayane responded. She place Kasumi's feet on the floor and turned to face Hitomi. She took Hitomi's feet and placed them in her lap as she had Kasumi's. She started to massage Hitomi's left foot and Hitomi saw what had caused Kasumi such pleasure. Ayane was a master at this. The bliss overtook her as she began to consider keeping a trigger in Ayane so she would do this any time she asked. She quickly discarded the thought as it would be wrong to do so. Still...no. As pleasurable as Ayane's massage was, it wouldn't be right to take away her free will. She decided it best to stop now before she was tempted again. "Ayane, wake up."

Ayane's face came back to life as she looked down and saw that she was holding Hitomi's bare feet in her lap. She turned and saw Kasumi staring at her. Her expression shifted to horror as she realised that Hitomi had been right: she was still hypnotized. Her horror turned to anger as she threw Hitomi's feet off her lap and quickly changed clothes.

"Where are you going?" Kasumi asked as Ayane ran to the door.

"Isn't it obvious!?" Ayane snapped. "I'm going to teach that bastard a lesson!" She ran out the door and down the hall.

"Ayane!" Hitomi immediately ran after her without stopping to put her boots back on.

Kasumi was worried that if they just barged in, he would put them into a trance again. She had to get help. She needed someone who definitely wouldn't be hypnotized like they were. But who...? Hayabusa! He'd given her a scroll to use in case of an emergency. She took it out and read it. It was a communication-based ninpo art. She prayed it would reach him as she performed the spell.

Ayane raced down the corridor to reach the hypnotist's room. But she had to slow down as she didn't actually know which room it was. Hitomi caught up to her and grabbed her shoulder. "Ayane, stop. If you go in there now, you'll just be put in a trance again."

"No, I won't! I'll be ready this time!"

"You can never be ready when he can put you under with a simple phrase!"

Ayane knew Hitomi was right but she didn't want to admit it. Admit that someone had that kind of power over her mind. She started to calm down. It would only hurt their cause if she were to be put under again. She swallowed her pride and agreed, "You're right. Let's go-"

A door opened nearby and a voice said, "Good girls obey." After that, Ayane knew nothing.

To be continued...