Phase 2: Acceptance

As he helped her to her feet, Ada grinned gratefully at him. "Whew, thanks. That was... fucking unbelievable. I think I pulled a muscle."

"Sorry I surprised you..."

"No, it was perfect," she panted. "We gotta try some more stuff. You could make me a sexy nurse or something."

"Sexy nurse? Are you an Animaniac? Ada, I think you're in Phase Two."

"Phase 2?" she asked. "Acceptance?"

Chris grabbed the literature. "It says that it often manifests as friendly camaraderie. The student treats their own mind as an object of study, often fascinated and eager to experiment."

"Look," Ada sighed. "I'm clearly already affected, which means this is the most I'll ever be able to consent. Every second that passes my 'yes' becomes less meaningful."

"Look, Ada, I told you-"

"Let me finish," she cut him off. "You don't have to cross any sexual boundaries. You could mess with my mind a little. Here, we can try something now. Do you want me to fall into a deep meditative state, experiencing incredible inner peace?"

"What?" Chris asked.

"A trance of self-actualization. It'd be cool to see me in that state, right? And it would be good for my... mental health..."

Ada's face became preternaturally serene and her posture relaxed. Her hands returned to her knees and she smiled.

"Thank you," she said. "This is extremely nice. I wish you could experience it with me."

"How does it feel?" Chris asked.

"Like nothing else," she said. "From the bottom of my heart... thank you, Chris."

Chris stared at her. Her eyes were half-lidded and an understated but deeply content smile lingered on her lips.

"You're still in the trance, aren't you?"

Ada closed her eyes and nodded. "My mind is wide open but still operational."

"What does that even mean?" Chris asked. Ada opened her eyes and regarded him with a deep, warm empathy.

"I am undistracted and unperturbed. Even the loss of my free will is of no matter to me now."

"Can you move?" Chris asked. In response, Ada got to her feet and approached him, her movements slow and precise. She put her arms on his shoulders and laced her fingers behind his back.

"I can move," she said softly. "I can do anything you want. Do you prefer me like this?"

"...not right now," he said, and she blinked several times before breaking into laughter.

"Oh, man, that was great!" she said. "We should do it again sometime. I felt amazing! It was like I was floating above the planet, able to see everything with perfect clarity."

"So, Phase 2 is well underway... what do you want to try next?" Chris asked.