Sue Storm Instinctively Resists Hypnosis

"...you can try," Sue Storm said. "But, um, I've had a lot of experience with telepaths, empaths, hypnosis, mind control, all that sort of thing. I've developed a lot of mental resistance, according to some of the telepaths I've spoken to. A natural resistance. Not an immunity, but..."

"I see," Dr. Stone said. "Well, perhaps we'll try something more physical then."

"Like yoga?" Sue said.

"Not exactly," Dr. Stone said. "More of a scalp massage. You don't mind, do you?"

"I guess not," the heroine replied.

Dr. Stone stood, and maneuvered herself to around the back of the Invisible Woman's chair. The psychologist touched a hidden lever, and the back of the chair lowered a little, until the back of Sue's head came to rest in a dip in the head of the chair. The blonde heroine couldn't see the much of the other woman from this position. If she rolled her eyes to their limit, she could catch the curve of the other woman's breasts, but that was about it.

Cool fingertips made contact with Sue's temples. They just rested there for a moment, and Sue realized that the doctor was letting them warm up.

"Studies have shown that human touch can help relieve stress," Dr. Stone said. "Many primates like to make contact with each other, to maintain social bonds. Bonobos, of course, take things much further with casual sexual contact almost all the time. Ironically, humans as naked apes, are often more resistant to such casual contact."

The tips of Dr. Stone's fingers began to rub Sue's temples in small circles. There was a little pressure, but not enough to hurt. In fact, Sue found it quite soothing.

"Some people understand this naturally; those are the people that often consider massages part of their regular physical maintenance and well-being. Do you enjoy massages, Mrs. Richards?"

"Susan," the heroine said automatically. "And no, not really. Sometimes I can convince my husband to rub my shoulders or feet, but that's about it."

"That's a pity. Husbands and wives should celebrate the opportunity to touch each other's bodies. Erotic massage is often a great help when it comes to building or re-building bonds in relationships," Dr. Stone said. More fingers touched Sue Storm's scalp, just above the hair line. The Invisible Woman felt a slight prickle of unease, but the doctor kept her fingers in place until the blonde relaxed. Sue could not see the pale glow that covered Moonstone's fingertips. Before Doom had implanted devices to refine and augment her powers, such subtle low-level manifestations of her gravity manipulations would have been impossible.

"Of course, some people are averse to any sort of touching," Dr. Stone went on, her soft, mellifluous voice steady. "Are you like that, Susan? Are you a touch-me-not?"

"No," Sue said, almost without thinking about her answer. It had just come out automatically. Moonstone gave herself a little grin as her microgravitic manipulations lowered the heroine's inhibitions and increased her suggestibility. She would have preferred to put Sue in a hypnotic trance first, but there were things she could do, manipulating Sue's nervous system directly, which would bypass any psychic defenses.

"So you enjoy being touched?" Dr. Stone pressed.

"Sometimes," Sue replied. Then added: "By my husband."

"Have you ever been touched by anyone else?"

Sue tensed, but the strong fingers of Dr. Stone continued on gently but firmly kneading her scalp.

"I mean, I've been kissed by...various villains that wanted me for their bride. Namor, of course. Nothing happened with him, but has always made his admiration quite clear. I've had to draw strict boundaries with him."

"Did you enjoy that?" Sue said. "The kissing. By someone other than your husband."

"I..." Sue hesitated, and Dr. Stone went on as though she had only paused.

"It's quite alright if you have. Kissing is a perfectly natural physical activity. One of those actions that you are supposed to enjoy. Some people are more given to kissing than others, but its not like it's sex, is it?"

"No," Sue agreed, and the tensions seemed to flow out of her in relief.

"Do you kiss your husband often?" Dr. Stone said.

"Every day. A peck on the cheek, I mean. Nothing...sensual," Sue felt oddly ashamed to admit that.

"Hmm. Perhaps you need a little more human contact," Dr. Stone said. Her eyes began to glow. "Perhaps..."