"...And from now on, you shall look up to us. Do you understand?"

"...Yes..."

"And if you ever see that girl wander in your sight, you will scorn her, try to kill her on sight. Understood?"

"...Understood..."

"Good. Now go to him."

Dark threads surrounded a group of the desert citizens of Lior. They cocooned, tightened, and then wrapped away, the people gone.

Dani smiled to herself. After she had finished her task in escorting a new ally to get herself a ship, the Hypnotic Seductress had went on with her main task to collect followers for herself and her dear partner. It was much easier than she originally thought, what with how weak-minded these many fools were. However, she felt it wouldn't be long before she ran into one who would resist against her powers, like the soldier woman before.

The woman had to frown at the thought. Really, the only people she had successfully put under her control were natives to the worlds. Interferences and the like seemed to be more of a challenge. Troublesome, really; if she were to ever encounter her former host, she would probably have difficulty forcing her to commit suicide. Then again, that little girl was just as weak-willed as the world residents.

Thinking back on that girl, however, had her wondering: What was her dear Samurai doing...?

[size=1](Sorin only, please)[/size]

====

Her dear Samurai was making his way through Lior.  He hadn't been to the world of Atermis in a while so he just happened to drop into Lior.  Sorin really didn't have anything to do right now so he was just walking through, buying a few things here and there but nothing really important.

The Samurai could have walked right by Dani and not have recognized her.  Since the only times he had seen her was when she had the form of Daniella from Haunting Grounds.  Now that Dani had her own form, it would give her a one up on the Samurai.

====

Indeed, for the minute she started wondering, Sorin had entered her line of sight. Even with the new look on him, the woman could still recognize the former Dark Samurai. For a minute, Dani stood there, quite surprised in fact. She had not expected to see him anytime soon, much less expect such coincidental timing.

Her surprise was soon forgotten, however. Instead, she allowed a smirk to cross her face. Now was as good a time as any to get him on her side, make him forget that petty girl he would call his love. He was going to be all hers.

So the hypnotist turned on her heels and walked after the Solar Samurai. Once she got close enough, she spoke, loud enough for her to be in earshot. "Hello, Sorin. It's been a while, has it not?"

====

Sorin stopped once someone said his name.  The voice sounded familiar but Sorin couldn't put a name to that voice, let alone a name.  So the strange woman that obviously called out to him, had Sorin rather confused.  Actually, the woman did seem a little familiar, like saw her out of the corner of his eye.  But how did she know him and what did she want.

"How do you know me?"  Sorin asked cautiously.  He could never be too sure.  He had made a lot of enemies and any of them could have had allies.  Still the woman was showing no signs of aggression yet so Sorin wouldn't draw his weapons but he was going to be sure not to get caught off guard.  Whoever this woman was, Sorin was getting the feeling she was very dangerous.

====

Dani knew that Sorin wouldn't recognize her, so she wasn't surprised to his question. She did have to give a playfully hurt look, even giving a mock gasp and putting her hand over her chest like a blow to the heart. Really, she was doing all she could to hide her amusement; she would not put him under her spell just yet. The woman wanted to catch up on a few things with him first.

"Why, Sorin," she started, her tone also mocking any hurt feelings, "I would have thought you would at least recognize the voice...or at least this."

And she pulled off her shades, revealing familiar gray eyes. Eyes that Sorin would recognize when she would have taken over Audrey in the past.

====

Sorin did indeed recognize those eyes.  Eyes that instantly put him on guard.  "Dani..."  Sorin said softly as he looked over the woman.  It seemed like that she had gained her own body, just like Ignis had done.  But if Dani had done the same thing, it made Sorin suspicious.  Dani had been a rather annoying counterpart, one that he didn't mind disappearing but now that she was back with her own body, it made him worry.

"How did you get your own body Dani?  Better question; how did you even survive when Akyra and Drega didn't?"  Sorin asked.  He needed to get some answers at the very least.

====

Truthfully, Dani was expecting a bigger reaction from Sorin. She knew he would start to get suspicious, but she would have liked to see something more shocking than that. It was a bit disappointing, but at the same time, she had to remind herself that this wasn't the first case someone came back from the supposed dead. Besides, while her Samurai now knew she was back, he didn't know about her knew powers. She had a chance to throw him off very soon.

"I used the power left within that man's glass trinket," the woman answered, giving a small smirk to the young man. "As to how those two didn't make it, perhaps either they couldn't make it in time, or they simply weren't strong enough. I would like to say the latter, really." She then feigned a sad sigh, despite her amusement right now. "It was a sad day, wasn't it? Not only for them, but for you as well. The loss of your powers was rather unfortunate."

It was here she moved closer to Sorin, lowering herself just enough so that she revealed some of her cleavage to him. "But it was not all that bad, was it? After all, your new powers...Earthshine, I believe, is much more useful. Perhaps I should call you my warrior of the earth instead?"

====

Sorin had to try not to look at Dani's cleavage.  Not even he can resist the male gaze but now was not the time.  But he had a more important thing to worry about right now.  What Dani was planning.  Dani had to have something planning, or why would she not try to show herself off earlier, especially to him.  He would think that Dani would try to show off her new body to him.

"So what are you doing here Dani?"  Sorin asked, ignoring her question.  "I wouldn't expect to see you in a world like this."

====

Dani sighed, straightening back up and hanging her glasses by the chest-line of her dress. Again, she was disappointed that he wouldn't fall for that. She did see that he was trying not to stare, but it was still upsetting. Oh well; again, that wasn't important.

"Oh...I just thought visiting a desert city would help get some color on my skin," she lied. He'd probably catch that, but she wasn't about to admit the real reason why she was here. Her eyes began to light just a bit, but she dimmed them quickly. There was one more thing she wanted to know before she could attempt putting the Samurai under her control.

"And what about you? Shouldn't you be with that pitiful little girl that you would dare to call your love?" The woman's tone had turned venomous, and she did all she could to hold back a sharp scowl. "You are still together with her, are you not?"

====

"Yes we are."  Sorin said as his eyes were now narrowing.  While Dani always had a thing for him even when she was Audrey's counterpart, but hearing the tone Dani had put Sorin on edge.  Dani had never refered to Audrey with such a tone.

"So what are you planning on doing now that you have your own body Dani?"  Sorin asked.  He had to know if Dani wanted to go after Audrey like Ignis was so he could warn her.  The last thing they needed was for Dani to attack Audrey by surprise.

====

Unfortunately for Sorin, he wouldn't get that chance now. Dani was not about to reveal her true plans, nor was she going to let the Solar Samurai go. It was here that the Hypnotic Seductress smirked again; this time, it had evil intent written all over it.

"Oh, I've been doing a lot, my warrior of the earth." There she went with the blatant title drop again. "This lovely body of mine really does have its uses, wouldn't you think so?" She held in the urge to show off her body again, since she knew it wouldn't work. Plus, she was done wasting more time. And so she looked straight into Sorin's eyes, her own giving a small flicker.

"However...I do have other plans besides that. Among them..."

And finally, her gray eyes began to glow very brightly, trying to draw the Samurai into them.

"...is to make you [i][b]mine[/i][/b]..."

====

Sorin tensed, Dani was offically up to something, but what?  Whatever it was, Sorin was too late to stop her from doing it as she looked right into his eyes.  The second that happened he could feel himself losing control of himself.  Sorin grit his teeth and tried to look away, but that simple action took so much more effort than it should.

He had to get away from her, had to look away.  Whatever Dani was planning on doing, he wasn't going to let her do it easily.

====

As Sorin tried to look away, Dani held her hand out to him, about ready to grab him. Before she did, she summoned her threads of darkness to hold him back. They wrapped around his ankles to keep him in place and his wrists to keep him from lashing out. With that, the woman then grabbed Sorin's jaw tightly, forcing him to look straight at her.

"That pathetic girl is nothing. She does not deserve you." Her eyes were glowing brighter as she spoke these words. "You will forget everything about her and love me. I am more than what she could ever be."

====

"N-No..."  Sorin muttered.  With the threads holding him there was little Sorin could do to get away.  Still he would keep fighting.  If he managed to fight it for long enough.  He might be able to wear out Dani and then escape.  He wasn't going to go and betray Audrey for Dani.  Even with Dani's mental attacks.

Still it was getting even harder to fight it.  Dani must be putting her all into trying to get him under her control.  Sorin would believe it seeing for how long Dani was after him.  But he won't lose to her.

====

Just as he wouldn't lose to her, Dani would not stop her attempt to bring Sorin under her control. Seeing as how he was still fighting against her, she put more effort into her hypnosis. The glow in her eyes brightened to great lengths, almost blinding. In fact, the level of the glow had reached the point where now the shadow of her skull could be seen right through her skin, like an X-ray effect. She could even feel the burning within.

This was how far the Hypnotic Seductress was willing to go for her precious Samurai.

[i]"Forget her..."[/i] Her voice was no longer monotone, but now melodious; another way to attempt to draw him in. [i]"Forget her and love me...love me forever..."[/i]

====

Sorin's defenses were falling.  Try as hard as he could, Dani's powers were powerful.  He was at the point where he couldn't even tell her no anymore.  But that wasn't going to stop the Solar Samurai.  He wasn't going to stop fighting until it was over.  If Dani wanted to control him or hypnotize him or whatever she wanted to do, she would have to fight with all she's got for it.

Still...Dani was rather beautiful...No.  Sorin wasn't going to admit defeat yet.  He could still keep going, still keep fighting.  His mind was getting clouded though.  More difficult to think.  He had to keep going though.  He wasn't going to betray Audrey.

====

By this point, Dani was gritting her teeth, both in frustration and in pain from the burning her heightened hypnosis gave. Sorin's will was stronger than she thought; she didn't even have this much trouble with that Azumi woman before. But despite the burning and the weariness beginning to creep up, she wouldn't fall back. The Solar Samurai was going to be hers, whether he liked it or not.

[i]"You..."[/i] The melody in her voice left her, her tone instead growing deeper...more monstrous, [i]"are...going...to [b]love me..."[/b][/i]

====

It was finally too much for the Samurai.  Not even Sorin's will could handle fighting against it for that long.  [i]Sorry Audrey...[/i]  Sorin thought to himself as he totally lost control of his body.  The Samurai's eyes seemed to go dull as his face lost all expression.  He was now totally under Dani's control.  "I love you..."  Sorin said, in a monotone.

====

The bright glow in her eyes faded out then. Dani took a deep gasp for breath, having worn herself out with her hypnosis overload. Even now, she could still feel the burning in her skull from having pushed far beyond her limits. She would have to avoid using her power for a day or two now.

But that didn't matter to her. In the end, it was all worth it. Sorin was now under her control. He was all hers, just as she always wanted...

Looking into his blank eyes, Dani smiled to herself and said, "If you really love me..." She placed a hand on his face, "then kiss me..."

====

Sorin said nothing, his eyes still empty and his face emotionless as he leaned in close to kiss Dani right on the lips.  The kiss lacked any kind of passion or desire behind.  It was a kiss from a person who could not control their own actions and just did what they were told.

Still despite that Sorin kissed the Hypnotist.  He wouldn't break the kiss until he was told to or Dani herself broke it.  Just the problem of someone who is under a mind control.

====

Even if Sorin's kiss lacked the passion behind it, when Dani returned the kiss, she put everything behind it. All the passion and desire, even eliciting a small moan. This was what she had always wanted, but could never get, even when she was Audrey's counterpart and could take control. But without those petty restrictions, she finally had the Samurai all to herself. And she would keep him for as long as she stood in this universe.

The kiss didn't last too long before the woman broke it herself. Looking straight at her victim's face once more, she said, "You will love me, stay by my side forever. You will never think of going back to that pathetic little girl. If she ever enters your line of sight, you will eliminate her on the spot. Do you understand, my warrior of the earth?"

====

"I understand."  Sorin said with an emotionless voice.  While he was under Dani's control he was essentially a robot that only did what she tells him.  He had no will of his own.  Only doing what Dani commands him to do.

====

"Hm...we may have to find a way for you to start emphasizing," Dani muttered. Despite that, she was otherwise pleased with herself. Sorin was now hers and willing to do everything she said. And there was little to no chance of him breaking free, or anyone else doing so. Granted, she would not be able to use her hypnosis for a while, meaning she had to hold off on finding more followers for her and Ignis...

Actually, she might have to check on the Nightmare Illusionist. He may want to know of her retrieval of the Solar Samurai. With that thought, her dark threads began to wrap around the two of them as she said, "Let us be off then. An old friend would absolutely [i]love[/i] to see you..."

And with that, the threads tightened around them before they unraveled, the Hypnotic Seductress and her Warrior of the Earth gone from the desert city...