Hazel plots more captures

After the humiliation she'd suffered, Hazel was **** to get Dell in front of the computer. In fact, she wanted to get all of them in front of it. Not because she had visions of becoming some tyrannical dictator—at least, that's what she told herself—but because she needed insurance. She couldn’t “play” safely unless she controlled the variables. That was her justification, anyway.

She was walking with Azure toward the clubroom, half-listening to ideas as they discussed how to make it happen. Technically, they were on their way to a meeting where Pascal would reveal the club’s next weekly “research” topic—but neither of them cared much about that anymore. The only thing either of them could think about was the machine.

They'd tossed around a few loose ideas by the time they reached the door. Hazel glanced sideways.

“Awaken,” she said quietly.

Azure blinked, her stride faltering for just a moment as the shift took hold. Her mind reoriented with uncanny ease, and she straightened without comment.

They pushed open the clubroom door to find Winona and Dell already seated at the central table.

“Hey,” Winona called, waving. “Whoa, Azure—no bra today?”

Hazel had still not given Azure the ability to wear one. Azure instinctively covered her chest with both hands.

“So what? It's a free country.”

“Of course not,” Winona teased, all innocent smiles. “You’re a feminist icon. Dell doesn’t mind. Do you?”

“Not at all,” Dell said, smiling easily. “I think she’s gorgeous just like that. Maybe we could—”

“Fat chance,” Azure snapped, flustered. “Down boy.”

She dropped her hands and shook herself out like a cat who’d just been splashed. She was the one who teased. Why was she the one embarrassed?

Because Hazel had wanted her to be. Just for fun. And Hazel had known Winona would bring it up, had to in fact. Hazel had programmed Winona to tease Azure about it every chance she got. In fairness to Azure, and at the request of 'assistant' Azure, Hazel had also forbidden Winona from ever wearing panties.

Azure, visibly trying to reclaim her cool, pivoted, “So, any guesses what Pascal’s bringing us today?”

Right on cue, the door burst open behind them. “Good evening, ladies and gentle—well, man,” Pascal announced, breezing in. “Are you ready to explore your past lives?”

“Huh?” Hazel blinked.

“It’s called cryptomnesia,” Pascal said, brandishing a paperback triumphantly. “Using hypnosis to unlock memories from past incarnations. I read a book about it.”

Azure squinted at the book. “Pascal… is that a children’s book?”

Pascal quickly stuffed it behind his back. “That’s beside the point. Look, I thought it would be fun. We pretend to be someone else. Dress up. Throw a themed party. Old-fashioned drinks. Candlelight. You know—academic rigor.”

“Drinks? I’m in,” Azure said immediately.

“I do have some vintage clothing…” Winona offered.

“I’m pretty sure I was rich in a past life,” Dell added with a shrug.

Hazel had frozen on a single word: hypnosis.

It was perfect. She smiled, maybe a little too quickly.

“Great idea, Pascal. I love it.”

At that moment, the door opened one more time and Dotty strolled in. Everyone looked at her outfit—a chaotic layering of velvet, feathers, and lace, all clearly secondhand.

As one, the group said:

“She’s in.”

Pascal was in charge tonight, so nobody objected as he passed out pens and papers and told everyone to scatter. Hazel, sitting at the far end, tapped her pen against her lip and tried not to look too eager. One by one. That was all she needed. Just get them all in front of the screen. She'd have to see where he was going with this, but he'd used the word hypnosis. If he wanted hypnosis, she could give it to him.

Pascal finally stood, cleared his throat, and said, “So, obviously, none of us are actually regressing into past lives. That’s not the point. It’s about imagination, immersion, and improvisation. So I propose: we each write a one-paragraph backstory for the person we ‘used to be.’”

Dotty raised her hand immediately.

“Can mine be a sea witch who seduced kings and lived in a lighthouse?”

“Absolutely,” Pascal said, without missing a beat. “Just keep it historically grounded-ish.”

“...Then no.”

“The idea,” he continued, “is to get into character. Maybe even put yourself into a suggestive headspace. Like, self-hypnosis-lite.”

Hazel’s heart jumped at that. Perfect. They’d all be expecting a little mental haze.

“Maybe we can even record the scripts and listen to them as we ‘enter the trance,’” Pascal said, using air quotes.

“Or,” Hazel said, casually but firmly, “we could use the old club computer for it. I’ve been fiddling with that ancient thing. It doesn't really work but the monitor will flash though a bunch of symbols. It's really trippy."

Pascal frowned, "I don't know..."

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" Winona said quickly.

"Yes, I'm in!" Azure said. Her two 'pets' coming to her aid, just like she'd intended.

With the other two staying quiet it was 3 against 1. "Well...ok. Yeah. I had wanted them all to be a surprise..."

"Even better. We'll all leave the room except the person undergoing hypnosis and me, to run the computer." Hazel said.

"Why you? I-" Pascal said.

"It's her computer, what if you broke it?" Azure asked.

Pascal looked at the ancient thing. Breaking it would probably increase it's value. He sighed, "Fine. You win. Let's do a first draft of our characters tonight and we can work on our costumes and party planning during the week and throw a big bash next Saturday. Any objections?"

"What's our budget?" Dotty asked.

Pascal raised an eyebrow, "I don't know. What is your budget?"

Dotty sighed, "It's just I saw this beautiful vintage gown..."

"How much?" Hazel asked.

"Hazel." Pascal was worried Hazel was about to promise some of their limit budget for Dotty's costume.

"Only $200! It's a steal, really."

Hazel nodded, "Let me see what I can do. We have that meeting with our faculty advisor this week..."

Pascal was shocked, "Hazel...there is zero chance Dr. Coppin gives you money for a dress."

Hazel smiled and shrugged, "Never say never. Don't worry, I won't do anything to threaten the club."

Pascal sighed, "Fine. Although if she does give you money I'd rather spend it on booze..."

"Why not both?" Azure said, "But seriously, Hazel...I love you but..."

"Just trust me."" Hazel said. After all she had a magic computer. The impossible was now within her grasp.

"So you really think you can get Dr. Coppin to sit in this chair? She's not dumb you know." Azure, in her helper mode, said.

Hazel nodded, "I know that, but she'd never think that magic is real. Why would she be suspicious of me? But, I do need help. That's why I asked you here."

"Of course. Even if I wasn't hypnotized into obeying your every command I would do anything to get that woman under our thumb."

"Well you're going to love this," Hazel said, "I need you to hypnotize me."

Azure beamed, "Really? YES!"

"Not whatever you're thinking," Hazel said quickly, "I need you to make me more confident, more dominant...and to get rid of the guilt...playing with you has been really fun but..."

"Yeah. Guilt sucks," Azure admitted, "So are we talking full psychopath or..."

"No! Not like that. Just...massage it a little. Don't make me a monster. I just want to feel good about playing around a little. And make it temporary."

Azure frowned, "Fine..." She quickly smiled again, "And can I throw in something for fun?"

"..." Hazel stared at her, "What exactly?"

"Well if I told you it wouldn't be fun," Azure said, "Something like how I can wear bras and Winona can't wear panties."

Hazel hesitated, but eventually conceded, "Fine. Something FUN. For both of us. And make so I remember all the changes you made...except your fun addition...and can cancel them at any time by saying 'Kumquat' aloud."

"Oh fine. Come on, let's do it! Have a seat...Mistress!" Azure said, standing up and patting the back of the computer chair.

Hazel sighed, "Yeah yeah. Let's do it."