BML-20XX 2

Natsumi's legs dangled and swayed over the edge of Harumi's computer desk as she carefully pulled a string loose from the sleeve of her school uniform. Satisfied that she had enough length, she bit down and severed it, then reached into her pocket with her now free hand. Seconds later, she produced a ¥5 coin. Careful not to drop either the string or the coin, she removed her plastic, red-framed glasses and placed them at the top of Harumi's keyboard, then focused her attention on threading the string through the hole in the coin.

"Tada!" Natsumi proudly chirped, showing off her coin-pendulum. "Okay, ready to study?"

Harumi fidgeted nervously as she leaned back in her computer chair, eyes already starting to glaze over just at the sight of the pendulum before she responded, "Alright."

"Just watch the coin, focus on the coin, and relax..." Natsumi calmly commanded, a hint of playful mischief infected her voice.

Harumi's eyes followed the coin vigilantly as her eyelids started to droop.

"Relax, take a few deep breaths, in... and out... in... and out..." Natsumi commanded.

Harumi's breathing slowed and her body started to grow limp.

"It feels nice to relax, doesn't it?" Natsumi asked.

"...yeah..." Harumi dreamily sighed.

"And my voice is so soothing to listen to right now, isn't it?" Natsumi asked.

"...uh huh..." Harumi uttered.

"And it feels really good to watch the coin, listen to my voice, and relax, right?" Natsumi asked.

"...it... feels really good..." Harumi said.

"You know what else would feel nice and relaxing? Turning on your seat massager." Natsumi stated. "Why don't you go ahead and set it to medium pulse. I bet that'd feel really nice, don't you?"

Harumi's arm flopped to the side of the chair and fumbled lazily for the control. Her finger found the switch, and in moments a soft buzzing noise started to pulse from the backrest of the chair. Another dreamy sigh escaped Harumi's lips.

"Very good. That feels so nice, doesn't it." Natsumi praised Harumi. "It feels so nice to watch the coin and listen to my voice as you receive a gentle back-massage. So nice and so good that you can't think of anything else you'd rather be doing, right?"

"...can't think... of anything else..." Harumi uttered.

"God, you're so cute." Natsumi gushed. "Nobody else goes under this easily, did you know that? You're the easiest person in the world to hypnotize."

Harumi's face flushed a little.

"Okay, now I'm going to slowly count backwards from ten." Natsumi stated. "And with each number, you're going to go ten times deeper under hypnosis. Okay?"

Harumi nodded in affirmation.

Natsumi started the countdown, "Ten. Feeling nice and relaxed."

"Nine. So relaxed, and so good."

"Eight. Deeper and deeper."

"Seven. Calm and relaxed."

"Six. Getting hard to focus."

"Five. Hard to see anything but the coin."

"Four. Hard to feel anything but the massager."

"Three. Hard to hear anything but my voice."

"Two. So hard to think."

"One. Out."

Harumi slumped back in the chair, eyes closed, and breathing slowly and deeply. Natsumi leaned in close to Harumi's ear and whispered, "Zero."

Harumi took a sharp breath as her entire body briefly tensed up.

"Okay, enough screwing around." Natsumi coldly stated. "My word is truth, my word is law. You will retain and learn anything I say immediately after I say the word 'fact.' Understood?"

Harumi nodded.

"If for any reason you don't you will let me know so that I can repeat myself." Natsumi commanded. "Now, open your eyes."

Harumi complied. Her eyes shot open, but showed no spirit or emotion.

"Lets start with something simple." Natsumi opened her notebook and started reading, "Fact: When you multiply the cubed radius of a sphere by four thirds of pi..."