“and… [i]UP!”[/i][u][i] [/i][/u]

The ringtail loudly snaps their fingers, and the fox sitting in the chair jolts awake at the sound. The ringtail’s subject grasps for the armrests of the chair and his eyes dart through the audience, shocked at the sudden awakening, but the red panda wasn’t planning on keeping him like that for long. Before the fox can even respond again, they’re already dangling the pocket watch strapped to their long tail in front of the fox’s eyes.

“Good boy. Eyes back up at the pendulum again. Easy to follow its’ sway, easy to let your mind sink… right… back… [i]Down.” [/i]Lux says with a confident grin, tapping the forehead of the fox, whose eyes roll back up into his skull before his chin sinks down to his chest again, just like his mind has sunk all the way back down into the nice trance he’d only just woken up from.

“And that’s how ya do it, folks!” Lux proclaims loudly, taking off their hat before making a deep bow, typical for a performer. The loud applause following their bow is enough to wake the fox back up behind him, who – in the confusion of it all – immediately joins the sea of clapping audience members.

Lux smirks and turns around, looking at their subject sitting behind him. They closely inspects the fox to see if he needs any additional waking, but he seems fully up. The ringtail steps closer to their subject, and reaches out a hand to help the volunteer back up to his feet. The fox thanks Lux with a handshake before – wobbly and slowly – making his way back to his designated chair in the cabaret club.

Once the applause has died out, Lux looks around the audience in search of a new volunteer.

“Would anyone else like to come on stage and experience what it’s like to go under hypnosis?” The ringtail asks, wiggling their fingers to emphasize that latter word. Of course they’re making it a bit more scene than they [i]have [/i]to, but this is entertainment. It has to be a little scene for the sake of entertaining their audience. The red panda strokes the scruffy fur on their snout while looking around, as if they’re thinking hard about who to pick, until the voice of a lone heckler pierces through the audience’s murmuring.

“I doubt you’re able to [i]actually[/i] hypnotize someone.” The voice says.

Lux can’t help but smirk. Sceptics are the most fun to put under. A little ‘told you so’, so to speak.

“Very well, you’re not the first who thinks hypnosis isn’t real. Allow me to change your mind!” The red panda says whilst pointing at the empty chair in the center of the small stage.

From the audience, a fennec fox rises from his chair. He’s neatly dressed – much like Lux, just without the hat – and walks towards the stage, scooting through the dead silent audience. It doesn’t take long for the fennec to arrive at the stage, helping himself up and coming face to face with Lux.

“Oh no, no. You misunderstand. I[i] [/i]am well aware that hypnosis is very real. You just like to pick on easy prey.” The fennec says, throwing a glance at the fox that had previously sat in the chair. “I wonder how you’d fare facing a fellow hypnotist.”

That changes things. Lux’s smirk changes into a slightly more determined smile, but a smile nonetheless. Rather than a ‘told you so’, the stakes have raised to comeuppance. After all, this fennec just challenged them to a hypnotic face-off [i]at their own show. [/i]It takes balls to do that, or maybe the fennec is just messing with them. Regardless, Lux rubs their paws together.

“Very well, what did you have in mind?”

The fennec smiles. “I’m glad you asked. You try to put me under with that silly little pendant of yours, I try to put you under using just my words. Whoever enters a state of trance first… loses, obviously. Though it won’t be me.”

“I accept these conditions,” Lux says, “and what does the winner get?”

“Honor. And a cute assistant for the rest of the show.” The fennec replies. “Now, let’s start, shall we?”

Lux rolls up their black-and-white sleeves up to their elbows, revealing even more fur. They then move their long tail up behind their back, and allow the pendant tied to it to dangle between the two hypnotists on the stage again, just like they’d done when putting the fox under.

“Yes, let’s.” Lux replies, tugging their tail gently, bringing the watch in motion.

[right][i]Right[/i][/right]

[right]“Now, all of these tools are… fun. And a little scene. But the [i]real[/i] magic of hypnosis lies within… our words, wouldn’t you agree?” the fennec fox says.[/right]

[right]Lux isn’t an amateur, though. Asking a closed question like that is clear yes-set bait.[/right]

[i]Left[/i]

“Ah, I can’t say that I disagree, the key is indeed what words we choose. But using a tool to guide one’s focus can definitely help with that.” Lux replies. “And… if I didn’t want things to be a little scene, I wouldn’t have become a stage hypnotist… wouldn’t you agree?” they continue with a wink at the end, replicating the fennec’s question at the end.

[right][i]Right[/i][/right]

[right]“Yeah… I suppose that makes sense,” the Fennec responds, “at least you’re not using a projected spiral or a visor.”[/right]

[i]Left[/i]

“Hah, wouldn’t that be something? Though they’re both fun in their respective situations. Pocket watches and pendulums are a bit easier to use on stage, though. And still so very easy to stare at and follow, right?”

[right][i]Right[/i][/right]

[right]“Yeah, it is quite pretty. But it’s much easier to just relax and follow along with my words, focusing on your breathing rather than that silly thing… in and out. Nice and deep.”[/right]

[i]Left[/i]

“Back and forth… Matching your breathing with the swings. Following the swaying with your eyes… and it’s already so hard to focus on anything else… Wouldn’t you say so, my dear fennec?” Lux continues.

[right][i]Right[/i][/right]

[right]“Ah…” The fennec’s facial expression begins to shift from focused and determined to a more labored expression, evidently struggling to resist the fog that’s already starting to drape over him. His body has gently started to lean forward ever so slightly, subconsciously desperate to get closer to the pocket watch. “Yeah…”[/right]

[i]Left[/i]

“That’s it. You’re doing great.” Lux too, leans forward a bit. Not because they’re losing the battle, but to get closer to his subject. To close the gap between them and the fennec. “All you need to do is to keep staring at the sway, allowing it to guide you deeper down into that relaxed state of mind. No thoughts, no cares, no worries.”

[right][i]Right[/i][/right]

[right]“No… worries…” the fennec weakly responds. His eyelids are unevenly opened, and he’s starting to nid-nod in a desperate attempt to remain awake. His body is following the sway of the pendant ever so slightly, and he’s leaning forwards even more – almost touching the pendulum attached to Lux’s tail.[/right]

[i]Left[/i]

“You’re out here downplaying the usage of tools… but trying for a yes-set too, as if that isn’t one. Very cute… But yes, you do agree that they’re useful now, don’t you? It does feel good, doesn’t it? Knowing that that yes-set of yours has been turned back on you… just like the direction of this battle… because it just shows you were [i]looking[/i] [i]to lose…”[/i] Lux continues teasingly.

[right][i]Right[/i][/right]

[right]“Yeah… it feels… so good…” the fennec fox replies. His voice is barely a whisper now, monotone and slow, and his eyes are fighting to stay open. The only motivation to keep them opened anymore is the sweet, addictive sway of the pendulum.[/right]

[i]Left[/i]

“Good subject… you listened so well… followed the sway so closely… now all you’ve got to do is surrender to that sweet, soft trance and…” Lux stops the swaying of the pocket watch by swishing their tail backwards and tapping their forehead against that of the fennec.

“[i]Drop.” [/i]

The red panda places a single fingerclaw underneath the chin of the fennec fox as they move their head away, as to not make the fennec slump forward completely under his sleepy weight. With the finger still underneath his chin, Lux redirects their attention towards the audience.

“And that is a yes-set induction, ladies and gentlemen! Now, let’s give my fellow hypnotist here a hand for helping me demonstrate that!” Lux says, repeating the same bow that they’d done when their previous subject had succumbed to trance.

Before the audience can wake the fennec with their applause, Lux turns back to the fennec and snaps him awake. He groans for a second, the knowledge that he’s lost setting in, but he can’t help but chuckle once he realizes that Lux turned the yes-set on him.

The fennec is definitely no sore loser though, because the first thing he does once he’s up from his chair again, is point both arms at the red panda, inviting the audience to applaud. Lux bows a third, and final time.

Lux gets upright again, leaning down close to the fennec’s ear, whispering something before the applause dies down.

“By the way, if you want to… take revenge, so to speak, meet me backstage after the show. It’s clear that you know your stuff. Switch’s honor, aye?”  

The fennec looks at Lux for a second and laughs.

[right]“I might just take you up to that offer, wah.”[/right]

