Cloud stared off into the blinding lights of the stage and tried his hardest not to think about what he had just willingly volunteered for. He had made the decision to come up here to be hypnotized, and it was too late to turn back now. But nothing had happened just yet. The hypnosis was probably just a sham, like Biggs said, and he would be doomed to be a bumbling mess with Aerith for the rest of the trip. Cloud tried his hardest not to think about the hundreds of eyes that were surely now staring at him and his spikey blonde hair; thankfully, all he could see when he looked into the crowd was the bright lights, which helped his nerves slightly.

He turned his head and saw Andrea slowly pacing the stage, his hands moving effortlessly from one grand gesture to the next. "Thank you to all of my willing volunteers. I hope we can make some magic together tonight. I'd like all my volunteers on stage to start by first, closing your eyes. I will move around the stage but I want you to follow my voice and follow my words. I may tap you on the shoulder and tell you to return to your seat. Do not be alarmed; just follow my voice."

Cloud closed his eyes as he was told, but secretly wondered how long it would be before he'd inevitably get a tap on the shoulder. It would certainly make things easier. His eyes closed and the darkness set in; soon, he started to forget about the hundreds of eyes focused on him. His other four senses heightened and his earlier worries seemed to drift away. The music stopped and Andrea's voice became deeper and more pronounced. Cloud could sense Andrea pacing around the stage while he spoke.

"Yes, your eyes are closed and you are starting to feel relaxed. Very relaxed, indeed. If your arms are in your lap, they will fall to your side. You are going to sleep. You feel so relaxed."

Without hesitation, Cloud felt his arms fall limp to his sides and Andrea continued.

"Yes, both arms are so relaxed right now. But, what's this? It's your right arm. I've tied a balloon to just your right hand and you feel your arm slowly lift. Slowly lift."

As if on command, Cloud's right arm slowly drifted upward. He didn't have time to think about the fact that nothing was actually attached to his arm.

"Yes, this arm is slowly lifting up. It's just one balloon. Just one. But now, I will tie more balloons to your arm. Just your right arm. More balloons filled with helium. You feel your right arm getting higher and higher as it moves with the helium. You don't know how much higher your arm can go."

Cloud's right arm almost pointed towards the sky at this point, and he could feel the stretching in his armpit. It seemed like Andrea was talking just to him, even though he could have sworn there were so many others on the stage, too.

"And now… you can release. I've cut the cord from the balloons and they are all floating away. Your right arm drops as the balloons fly away. Look up and watch them float into the sky. Who knows where they will go next."

Cloud's arm dropped completely at his side once more, mirroring his left. Still with his eyes closed, he craned his neck to follow the imaginary balloons.

"Now you have both your arms at your side. You are sitting in your chair and you are feeling relaxed. You are falling into a deep sleep. So relaxed in a deep sleep that all your muscles are going limp. Your head falls, your body slouches. You may even fall out of the chair, onto the floor. It is okay to do as some of you may fall into an extra deep sleep. If this happens, do not worry. I will catch you and make sure you land safely. Deep sleep. You are falling into a deep sleep. You are completely and utterly relaxed."

With Cloud's hands still limp at his sides, he started to slouch and felt his body slide out of the chair. He kept sliding and sliding down, feeling the edge of the chair make its way slowly up his back. He felt himself falling out of his chair and onto the floor. A hand guided him safely to the floor, so that he could lie comfortably. He embraced the cold of the floor and he pressed his cheek against it.

"Yes, yes. You are feeling completely relaxed. Completely comfortable. You could sleep here forever. In a moment you will wake, but you will remember this feeling. You will remember this sense of deep sleep. And throughout the show, everytime I say the word 'sleep', you will fall back into this relaxed state. You will follow the sound of my voice. Everytime you hear the word 'sleep'. But for now, on the count of three you will wake up and open your eyes. 1-2-3 .. wake up."

Upon hearing the words "wake up", Cloud's eyes bolted open. He could see the harsh bright lights once again, but noticed his angle was different than before. Wait… his body was in a different position than it had previously been. Something felt cold on his hands. Why was it cold? Cloud surveyed his surroundings and realized he was face down on the floor. How did he get here? Cloud struggled to pull himself up and make sense of the situation, and Andrea elaborated right on cue.

"Now that you have woken up, some of you may see yourself in a strange position than when you first came on stage. Do not be alarmed. You allowed yourself to fall into a deep sleep and experience the true power of hypnosis."

Across the stage, people were pulling themselves up from the floor, also seemingly just as confused as Cloud. He fumbled for his seat and slowly regained his composure, still not completely sure of what had happened.

"Perhaps there are some skeptics in the crowd who are starting to believe. But I'm sure there are some of you that are still doubtful. You will need more time, I understand. Before I begin, there are a few of you who I will now send back to your seats. If this is you, thank you for your participation today. Only a few of you will remain on stage."

Now that Cloud could actually see again instead of just having to rely on his hearing, he watched Andrea walk confidently down the stage. Andrea made his way down the line of chairs, stopping at a few key people. He put his arm out on a participant's shoulder, leaned in, and said, "You may now return to your seat." He did this with a few others, picking out key participants and uttering the departing phrase with a sense of sympathy and warmth. Soon, Andrea was almost to Cloud. Would he tell Cloud to go back to his seat, too? That might have been for the best. Cloud didn't want to end up on the floor again, or some new place that was even worse, wondering how on earth he'd gotten there.

Cloud's eyes followed Andrea closely and he jumped slightly as Andrea approached him. Andrea reached out an arm and Cloud braced himself, knowing this was the goodbye. But he did not feel Andrea's hand. He stood for a moment, puzzled, and then realized Andrea was putting his hand on the person's shoulder next to him. The participant nodded and rose, making their way off stage, and Cloud felt the space beside him open up.

He kept his gaze on Andrea, watching his next move. Andrea locked eyes with Cloud, gave him a sly grin, and moved on down the line. It appeared that Cloud was stuck on the stage for a little while longer, at least.

Andrea returned to his place at the center of the stage and continued talking once again to the remaining participants. "Now, you will close your eyes once more. Just relax and go to sleep. Your body is relaxed again."

Cloud followed orders and let his body go limp again, his eyes shutting without a second thought.


The show was already a half-an-hour in, but Aerith was still in shock, as were Biggs and Wedge. None of them could believe that Cloud, the same guy who barely said much all trip, had just willingly volunteered to be hypnotized. Even more impressive was that he was still on stage, even after some folks had been eliminated. They all had started with some level of skepticism, but as the show went on and they watched Cloud easily comply with Andrea's commands, they were all starting to wonder if there was some truth in hypnotism.

"I've never seen Cloud like this," Biggs whispered. "And I've known him for over a year."

"I saw he had a couple drinks," Wedge remarked, "But nothing too out of the ordinary. Maybe Andrea really did cast a spell on him."

So far they had seen Cloud lift his hands with imaginary balloons and fall completely to the floor in a surprisingly deep sleep, along with several other people who also appeared perfectly normal otherwise. They all waited with baited breath to see what new antics Cloud would get into.

Aerith turned her focus back to the stage where the remaining hypnotism participants sat, a few empty seats peppered in between them, a reminder of the folks who had already been sent back.

Andrea paced the stage and continued his presentation, directing his speech to the participants that were left. "Now, your hands are empty, you are relaxed. But in a moment, you will hear an orchestra playing, and you will be part of that orchestra. You can play any instrument of your choosing, and you are the master of this instrument. Any instrument you choose. But only when I count to three. Are you ready? 1-2-3…"

Symphonic music faded into the theater from all around, making it feel as though an orchestra really was presen. Aerith kept her focus on Cloud, excited to see how he'd react, and what instrument he would choose to join with. He raised his hands in position in front of his body, setting his pretend violin on his shoulder. Cloud waved his bow back and forth with one hand and the other steadied the imaginary instrument.

Aerith turned her attention to the rest of the participants on stage, and saw that they were each excitedly playing a fanciful instrument of their own, as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world. One woman waved her fingers in front of her face and puckered her lips for her trumpet, and another man had his hands positioned to play his tall upright bass. Aerith returned to Cloud. He played his imaginary violin with such vigor, synchronizing his movements to the beautiful sounds of instruments playing around him.

Andrea continued to move around the stage, admiring each of the participant's instruments. "Yes, you are playing so well. You are masters of your craft. You are the best of the best."

With Andrea's praise, everyone on stage played more enthusiastically than before. Even Cloud increased the speed of his imaginary bow, pretending he was living up to his world-reknown reputation as the master violinist.

"Yes," Andrea continued, "the orchestra is playing. But now, what's this? The music has changed and you are all now at a heavy metal rock concert. Put down your instruments. You are no longer in an orchestra but are hearing one of the hardest rock bands to ever grace the scene. Feel the heavy music pulse through you."

With these words, the mood immediately shifted in the auditorium. The symphonic music faded away, and in its place, a heavy rock song blared through the speakers. Once the music shifted, Aerith watched Cloud toss aside his violin, clearly no longer needed. The new song featured a wailing electric guitar and a pulsating drum beat. Cloud began banging his head frantically in time to the rock music, each head movement becoming harder than the last.

Andrea's voice was a little louder now, so he could be heard over the music. "Yes, you are all such fantastic rock stars. You are feeling the music, I can tell. But now, the music will stop and so will you."

Right on cue, the music cut off and it was quiet once more. Cloud ceased banging his head and fell relaxed back into his chair.

"Good. You are relaxed. You are feeling very relaxed. You are at ease. Now, it is time to move on. One of you will feel my hand and will follow my instructions."

Andrea slowly moved his way over to Cloud, grabbing his limp right hand at his side and brushing his fingers.

"If I'm touching your hand, I want you to stay relaxed in sleep. So relaxed. But on the count of 3, something will be different. You will be given a dress to put on, and you will slip it on as though it is the most normal thing in the world. Then, you will hear music behind you once more and dance the wildest you've ever danced."

Aerith took a pause, taking in what Andrea had just said. Cloud, the guy who wouldn't even join them at the jukebox, was actually going to put on a dress and dance? There was no way. This had to be the part where Cloud would finally snap out of it and reveal the whole thing was just an elaborate hoax.

"Cloud doesn't dance," Biggs whispered, "So this will be interesting."

Andrea continued his instructions. "Yes, you will put on this dress and dance like you have never danced before. But only on the count of 3. And only when you open your eyes. 1-2-3.."

Cloud opened his eyes, looking a bit confused. He appeared to look out into the crowd for a brief moment, but then turned his head toward Andrea. Two stage hands instantly appeared from backstage, carrying a large sundress, and holding it over Cloud to slip into. Without thinking twice, Cloud wriggled into the dress and let it fall over his body, the bright colors swaying to and fro reflecting off the stage lights. Upbeat music began to play and Cloud immediately began to dance to the music, the fabric sashaying to the tune along with him.

Aerith snuck a glance at Wedge and Biggs, who were transfixed on what was unfolding before them, a dumbfounded look on both of their faces.

"Still think it's all a hoax, Wedge?" Aerith whispered, giving him a nudge on his arm.

Biggs never took his eyes off the stage. "I—I don't know. I'm still in disbelief."

Andrea continued to talk over the music as Cloud danced. "Yes, you are dancing to this lovely song. It is the best song you have heard in your life. As the music continues you just want to keep on dancing. You are moving all around and nothing can stop you. This is your favorite song and your favorite dress. You love to wear it and show it off."

Cloud moved his body all around the stage, his hands waving around in time to the music, and the chair he sat in moments ago becoming a distant memory. If Aerith hadn't known any better, from the way he was moving, he seemed to be actually enjoying himself. Any onlooker would have thought he never had any hesitations and always loved dancing in this favorite dress of his. The crowd roared and cheered, and Cloud's movements became even more pronounced. Even Aerith had to admit his dancing wasn't half bad, making her wonder why he was so reluctant any other time.

Aerith and the guys couldn't help but get wrapped up in the energy of the crowd. Soon, they were cheering and hollering too, even though they weren't quite sure what to make of what was going on.

Andrea continued with his focus on Cloud. "You are amazing. You are free. Perfection! True beauty is an expression of the heart. But soon, the music will end, and so will your dancing. As the music fades away, you will dance back to your seat. You will take off your dress and toss it to the side. You will leave the rest of your clothes on. You will sit down and relax into sleep once more."

Right on cue, the celebratory music began to slowly decrease in volume. Cloud turned himself towards his original chair on the other side of the stage and started to make his way over. He was still dancing, but his movements weren't as grand as before, and he seemed more determined on making it back to his seat. The music became softer and the distance between him and the chair grew smaller.

As he headed towards his seat, Aerith wondered how exactly he was going to get himself out of this dress. Without missing a beat, the stage hands magically appeared once again to help Cloud out of his new clothing. Their movements were so quick and unified, probably from the countless shows where they had done this same trick before. Cloud lifted up his hands and wriggled his body free, letting the dress raise up above him and leaving the rest of his clothes intact. The music finally stopped and he plopped into his seat one more, instantly relaxing his body and closing his eyes.

Andrea continued talking. "You are relaxed. You are at ease. You've never been more relaxed. But you will soon return to normal. On the count of 3 you will open you eyes, you will awaken from this trance, and return to your regular body once more. 1-2-3…"


Cloud heard a snap and instinctively opened his eyes. What was going on? What had he done? The bright stage lights filled his vision once more. He could have sworn he was wearing a dress a moment ago, but when he looked down at himself, he had on the normal clothes he always had. Was he dreaming? He had to be. He couldn't see his friends past the blinding light, and he suddenly felt a sense of unease.

The stage show continued with Cloud's brain in a foggy haze. He glanced around the room and saw other people doing seemingly unusual things too, although it was hard to make out exactly what. He heard a mixture of laughter, applause, and music from the audience, but couldn't piece together all the details. What was going on?

Soon, he heard Andrea's voice once more and the familiar tune from the beginning of the show played a final time.

"Well, we have reached the end of our magical journey tonight. I hope I have turned some of you skeptics into believers, and thank you to my wonderful volunteers for allowing me to demonstrate the power of hypnosis. Give these folks a round of applause and they will make their way to their seats."

Cloud got up from his chair along with the other participants, and the crowd roared with cheers. Still unsure exactly what had just happened, he hesitantly made his way back to his seat to meet his friends. Maybe he had just fallen asleep on stage. Maybe it was nothing.

But as his friends came into view, he could see the look of shock and awe on their faces, something Cloud had never seen before. His stomach dropped, instantly realizing he had done more on that stage than just fall asleep.

"Cloud!" Aerith squealed as she ran up to him, her pink-bowed braid bouncing up and down. "You were so amazing, I couldn't believe it! Those dance moves. That dress. You were on fire."

Dancing? Dress? What on earth was Aerith talking about? She had to be joking. This was all just a cruel trick.

Cloud continued to give them a puzzled look. He tried to remember his time on stage, but it was all a blur. Why on earth would he willingly put on a dress and dance? He did not dance.

"I did what ?" Cloud blurted out in an attempt to get some clarity.

"You danced in a gorgeous sun dress," Aerith said with a smile. "You were so pretty, too."

"I didn't know you had it in you," Wedge added, giving him a playful shove.

After a few moments of studying their faces, Cloud finally realized his friends were serious and not pulling his leg. That's when the embarrassment began to set in. It had happened; it wasn't just a dream.

They were all laughing, but Cloud felt shame. He just made a fool of himself in front of his friends and his crush. He was mortified and wasn't sure he was ever going to live this down.

He was going to need a really stiff drink after this.


A/N: This was a fun chapter to write, but also a hard one too. I had to watch a few hypnotist shows to remind myself how they work. I've been a spectator for a few, but I've never been hypnotized myself, so it was fun to imagine what a participant experienced. Andrea's show is loosely based on the Marc Savard Comedy Hypnosis show in Vegas, although there are other hypnotists that come and go too. For those that have never been to a hypnotist show, it's very common for them to start with simple acts and build up from there. So the balloon hands, falling out of a chair, orchestra playing, and rock music were all things I've seen used before. Only then can we go to the crazy stuff - like Cloud dancing in a dress.

It's also common for hypnotists to eliminate people from the stage as they go through different scenarios so they can find the "best" participants.

Did you catch that I referenced a couple lines from the game too?

Thanks again for reading! Also shoutout to AnriMia24 who has been leaving me the BEST comments on my last few chapters!