Ayane lay on her bed on the cruise liner, thinking about all that had happened in the last few days. She had discovered that her half-sister, Kasumi, whom until recently Ayane had been determined to kill for her desertion of the Mugen Tenshin ninja clan, was travelling to a desert island after hearing a rumour that their brother, Hayate, was there. Ayane had thought it odd that Hayate, now the master of the Mugen Tenshin clan, would be in such an out of the way place without telling anyone in the clan. She had figured that Kasumi must have also thought of that. Which meant she must have been so desperate to see her brother that she had followed the rumour for even the slimmest chance of seeing him.

Stupid. She had thought. Though she couldn't deny that she would probably do the same in Kasumi's position. She had followed Kasumi onto the cruise ship that was to take her to her destination. While watching Kasumi and the other guests, Ayane had noticed that there were very few men on the ship. In fact, most of the men on board were waiters, chefs and the like. Most of the actual passengers were women, including those that had entered the Dead or Alive tournaments. It was at this time that Ayane had felt a sense of déjà vu.

This was because the exact same thing had happened after the third tournament: the women from the tournaments were invited to take part in a 'fourth tournament' on 'Zack Island,' only for it to have all been a hoax created by an African-American man by the name of Zack for the sake of taking the women on a holiday and watching them play volleyball. Not that she hadn't had any fun of course, but Ayane had felt nothing but contempt for that deceitful, perverted, egotistical bastard. First of all some of the 'competitors', herself and Kasumi included, were underage in both their native Japan and his native America. Then there was the fact that he had bought an island and named it after himself. What made the whole thing worse was that the money had had used to buy the island had originally come from his winnings in the third tournament; which she herself had technically won but, having no need for the money, she had simply left after her victory, making Zack the winner by default.

As she was having these thoughts, just like the last time, Zack had appeared and announced that it was indeed another hoax and that it was too late for anyone to leave. She had taken this as a sign that the rumour of Hayate being on 'New Zack Island' as Zack called it was also a lie. Seeing as there was no other choice, she had decided to make the most of it and joined the others. Since their relationship had softened somewhat since the fall of DOATEC, Kasumi had felt the need to spend every waking moment together and even forced Ayane to share a room with her. Of course, Ayane had fond memories of their playful childhood days too, but that didn't mean she felt the need to try to relive those days. It was in the past and Kasumi needed to accept that. It was this same lack of maturity that Ayane believed had let Kasumi to leave the clan for revenge, instead of waiting to be given the go ahead by Master Shiden.

So here she was: lying on her bed, dressed in a black leather jacket with rolled up sleeves, black pants and boots, a brown belt and black wristbands. She left her belt and jacket open. While this left her black bra exposed, she wasn't going to make herself sick from overheating for the sake of modesty. As she pondered what mundane activities Kasumi would force her to take part in today, the door opened and in walked Kasumi herself. Kasumi was wearing a white, lacy dress with a red pull-over, see-through top and pink trainers. Her long, copper-coloured hair was kept in a ponytail by her favourite yellow ribbon.

"What do you want now?" Ayane asked, not even looking at Kasumi.

"Um, Ayane...do you have any plans today?" Kasumi asked timidly. It seemed that she had finally realised how much her constant nagging was annoying Ayane. Not that this would stop her, of course; she would just be a little more cautious about asking Ayane to go somewhere with her.

"Well, I was planning on relaxing by the pool today. Why, what amazing activity do you have planned for us today?" she responded, letting more anger into her tone than she intended.

"It's just that there's going to be a stage hypnosis show at noon and I was wondering if you wanted to go..." She trailed off at the end, apparently realising how stupid here request sounded as she was saying it.

Ayane sat up, furious. "You came here to ask me to watch a man with a pendulum pretend to put people to sleep!? Just how stupid are you!?" Kasumi jumped back at this. Ayane knew that a shinobi must master his emotions, and somewhere deep down a part of her did want to be friends with her sister again, but this was just too much. It was an outrage for her to ask something so ridiculous.

Kasumi, clearly shaken by Ayane's sudden outburst continued with her request: "But aren't you curious about how it works?"

"Curious? What is there to be curious about? It's just a staged event where a bunch of people who are in on it pose as volunteers and pretend to be put to sleep. Tell me what you find curious about that!"

"You don't believe in it? What about that time when you were brainwashed?" Kasumi shot back, much more assertively.

Ayane felt a pang of embarrassment. It wasn't one of her proudest moments. Shortly after Master Ryu has slain the tengu, Gohyakumine Bankotsubo, she had been brainwashed by Master Genra and made to fight alongside a clone of Kasumi against Masters Ryu and Hayate. The difference was that only a high level shinobi could bend another person to their will. There was no way a mere commoner was capable of something like that. "Th-that was different," was all she could say in response. She was clearly flustered and there was no way Kasumi had missed that. She had to reassert herself or Kasumi would win and she would have to go. "Th-that was Master Genra who controlled me! He was a master of the ninja arts! This and that are two completely different things!"

"Are you scared that you'll realise that a normal man can do what you thought could only be done by someone who's obviously more powerful than you?"

"Why you-!" Ayane yelled, getting to her feet. It wasn't true! That wasn't the reason! She just didn't want to waste her time going to a clearly staged event...right? Kasumi's words had cut deep into Ayane's heart. She wasn't even sure of her reason herself anymore. Maybe...maybe Kasumi was right after all. Maybe she just didn't want to admit how weak her will truly was. No! That wasn't it! She had to prove it. Both to Kasumi and more importantly, to herself.

"Alright," Ayane responded with newfound purpose. "We'll see how good this guy is."

Kasumi's face lit up, though she was clearly trying to cover up her excitement. "Okay, I'll see you at noon in the auditorium. See you then." She left the room with a visible skip in her step.

Ayane had no idea why Kasumi was so excited to see the show but it didn't matter. As she sat back on the bed, Ayane suddenly realised, "She tricked me."

At noon, Ayane headed to the auditorium. When she arrived, she noticed Kasumi sitting at a table with Hitomi, the girl who had looked after Master Hayate during his brief spell of amnesia. Kasumi waved her over and she sat down. The show began and an old man with white hair and a beard walked onto the stage. He gave his name as "Roger Culp." He didn't look very special, but then again appearances could be deceiving. She decided to give him a chance. After half an hour, however, he had only performed acts such as making a few of the guests act like various animals or the opposite gender and think their shoes were phones. Ayane was thoroughly unimpressed. She was sure now: she was only manipulated in the past because Master Genra was so powerful. As she got up to leave, Kasumi grabbed her wrist.

"Excuse me!" she called to Culp. "We'd like to volunteer!"

"What are you doing?" Ayane whispered furiously.

"Just having a little fun," Kasumi replied. Was she really willing to go to these lengths to stop Ayane from leaving?

"Good luck, you two!" Hitomi called as Kasumi dragged Ayane onto the stage.

"Ah, we have two lovely volunteers here, ladies and gentlemen," Culp announced. Ayane felt uneasy about the emphasis he put on 'lovely'. "So, young ladies, what are your names?"

"I'm Kasumi, and this is my sister, Ayane!" Kasumi was too into this. This excitement she was displaying didn't seem right. Maybe she just wanted to have fun with Ayane now that she had the chance. Whatever it was, it would have to wait until later.

"Alright, Miss Kasumi, would you and your sister like to take a seat just there? Make sure you're comfortable." Kasumi sat Ayane down in a chair and sat in the next one. Culp walked behind them and held out on old pocket watch. "Okay, girls, if you would please follow this watch with your eyes as I swing it back and forth."

As Culp began to swing the watch, Ayane took a glance at Kasumi, whose eyes were glued firmly to the watch. Ayane was surprised at the level of attention Kasumi was paying to it. She took a closer look herself, trying to figure out what exactly had transfixed Kasumi to such a degree. She couldn't see anything all that special about it. It was just a watch after all. A very shiny watch to be sure, but nothing else. She spared another glace at Kasumi who had already fallen asleep, her legs opening up a little in her relaxed state, exposing her white silk panties. This made Ayane more than a little pleased with herself as it proved without a shadow of a doubt that her half-sister had a much weaker will than she did. She found herself drawn away from her personal victory as she noticed the watch again. There was something...compelling about the watch even though she was still unsure what was so special about it. Maybe that was part of the charm: it was hard to notice at first glance but given time and attention, its mysteries would be unlocked.

Ayane felt the urge to continue looking, searching for the answer to the mystery. The watch was the only thing she could see, all she could think of. She felt that she couldn't look away from it even if she wanted to. Which she didn't. She enjoyed the rhythmic swing of the watch, the way the light reflected off its golden surface. She found it all so...mesmerizing. She felt a wave of tiredness wash over her whole body. Her eyes were growing very heavy. Heavier than they had ever been before. Even so, she felt compelled to continue watching. She felt that she was beginning to see. The watch wanted her to relax. It wanted her to open herself up to it. If she just gave in to the watch's power, let it take her over completely, she would surely find complete fulfilment. As Ayane's beautiful red eyes rolled back into her head, she let her eyes close and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

When Ayane's eyes finally closed and she slumped into her chair, Culp took the watch away and begin to issue their commands: "Okay, girls, when I clap my hands and say 'Awaken,' you will wake up. But when you do, Ayane, you will be a chicken and you, Kasumi, will be a cat. And when I say 'Freeze,' you will both freeze exactly as you are, as stiff as statues. Do you both understand?"

Inside Ayane's mind, she could hear a voice giving her orders to follow. While normally, it would be outrageous for someone to give such orders, in her current state, the voice's wish as law. She would become a chicken if the voice so wished. She would become a statue on command. She then heard the voice ask if she understood. Of course she did. But she must allow the voice to know that too. "Yes," the two girls replied in monotonous unison.

"Very good. Now...Awaken!" Culp clapped his hands and the two girls' eyes snapped open. Ayane stood, arms tucked in to form wings, and began walking around the stage, flapping her arms and clucking like a chicken. Kasumi, meanwhile, had slid onto the floor and was now on all fours with her hands curled into paws, rubbing her head up against Culp's leg.

Back in the audience, Hitomi found this to be the funniest thing she'd ever seen. She took out the digital camera she had brought for the trip and took a few pictures. She wondered what Ein- or rather, Hayate, would think when she showed him.

Culp decided to change things up a little and said, "Freeze!" Both girls immediately froze as they were: Ayane with arms tucked in and one leg in the air behind her, and Kasumi with her head against Culp's leg with a very cute kitten-like expression on her face. Culp stepped away from Kasumi, her head fixed in place, and began his next set of suggestions. "This time when I clap my hands, you will both unfreeze and you will both become young children, playing together by the river. Do you understand?"

Ayane heard the command the voice had given her. She would be able to relive the happier times; times before she knew her heritage, before Kasumi left the clan, before the war against DOATEC. She was so grateful to the voice. She must show her appreciation for the voice the only way she could; she would accept its words and obey. "Yes," she replied alongside Kasumi. Culp clapped his hands and the two girls stirred. As soon as they saw each other, they ran over to each other and hugged. The audience let out an audible "Aaaaaaaaw" at the sight. They began playing in the river, trying to catch fish with their hands. Ayane 'caught' one but it managed to get away.

They continued to play this way until they heard the word "Freeze!" Both froze on the spot with Ayane crouched down, reaching for a fish and Kasumi watching her with an excited expression on her face. Culp walked over, put an arm around each girl and said, "Sleep," in a commanding tone. Both girls closed their eyes and their bodies went limp like ragdolls. He carried the two over to the chairs while whispering into their ears, "When you hear the phrase 'Good girls obey,' you will enter a trance just like the one you're in now and you will do anything I ask. Do you understand?"

Ayane was told to obey the voice's will when she heard a certain phrase. Of course, this was a given. Why would she not obey like a good girl? She of course replied, "Yes."

Satisfied with the his response, Culp sat them down in their chairs and stood behind them. He commanded, "When I clap my hands, this time, you will both awaken, feeling completely refreshed and remembering everything that you did while you were under." He leaned in facing down to hide his mouth from the audience and quietly added, "But not my commands." He stood tall and clapped his hands. The sisters woke up and began to look around, their embarrassed expressions making it clear that they remembered what they had done while under. "Let's give our brave volunteers a hand, folks." The auditorium was filled with applause as the two embarrassed girls stood, took a bow and left the stage.

The show continued for another half hour before it ended. The second Kasumi, Ayane and Hitomi left the auditorium, Hitomi began questioning them. "What was it like? Being hypnotized?"

"It's strange," Ayane replied. "I remember doing the things he told me to but I don't remember actually being told to do them. It felt like I wanted to do them."

"I know what you mean," Kasumi said. "But it was fun! Don't you think so, Ayane?"

"What? Oh, uh...I guess so," came her flustered reply. She really didn't want to admit that a commoner could have ordered her around like that and she really didn't want Kasumi to rub it in her face. It had felt good to just give in but she'd never admit such a thing out loud.

To be continued...