//------------------------------//
// Mesmerized Musicians 
// Story: Bad Therapy 
// by Rathbane 
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Bad Therapy

Chapter I  Mesmerized Musicians


Vinyl Scratch watched as Octavia paced back and forth throughout the waiting room.  They were in the new psychologist’s office in Ponyville.  The renovations to the building were so recently finished they could still smell faint traces of fresh paint. 
“Calm down Tavi you’ll be fine,” Vinyl said.
“What if I’m not? What if this is permanent?  What if I’m stuck playing nothing but cider halls the rest of my life?” Octavia said, turning towards Vinyl, her eyebrow twitching.
Before Vinyl could respond the secretary pony stationed at the desk on the far side of the room said, “Ms. Octavia the doctor will see you now.”
Octavia took a deep breath as she readied herself and walked into the open door on the other side of the room.  Inside she found herself in a small room, with a couch, a small potted plant, and anther couch on facing the other couch, a saddle bag sat beside it.  A diploma from Canterlot University was hung on the wall.  She was still taking in the room when she felt a presence behind her.
“You must be Octavia,” said a young unicorn mare with a teal coat and long straight navy blue mane.  Her cutie mark was a pocket watch overlapping a black and white spiral.  She looked at Octavia with her grey eyes before continuing, “I’m Dr. Spiral Swirl.  What seems to be troubling you today?”
“Hello doctor, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Octavia said, giving a slight bow.
“It’s nice to meet you as well.  Why don’t you get comfortable on the couch and we can get to the bottom of what’s troubling you like I said.”
Octavia did as Dr. Spiral Swirl asked and lied down so she was facing her, “It’s quite embarrassing really, you see I’ve developed a bit of stage fright these past few days.”
“Has that ever been a problem for you before?”
“No never, my whole life has been up on the stage, performing at venue after venue in front of everyone from fellow musicians to Princess Celestia.  But it’s this latest one that has me all shook up.”
“What’s so special about it?” Dr. Spiral Swirl asked.
“Well I’m performing the cello works by Johann Sebastian Trot at the Canterlot Amphitheater, but it’ll be in front of all four princesses for the first time.”
“That sounds exciting.”
“It is, but every time I go out there to rehearse I lock up and have a panic attack. This has happened three times now.  And I constantly find myself drifting into thoughts about the consequences of if I perform terribly,” Octavia said, shuddering slightly.
“And what consequences might those be?” 
“Dreadful things, like Princess Celestia banishing me to sun, or Princess Twilight magically transforming me into some sort of horrid abomination, even though I know they’d never do such things.”
“I see, and do you only think about these things during the day?  Have you ever dreamed about them?”
“No never, because I’m sure Princess Luna would visit me and my dreams, like I hear she tends to do.”
“I see.  Well this sounds like a problem that is definitely being generated subconsciously.  So in order to help you, we’ll need to access your subconscious mind,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said.
“How…how do we do that?” Octavia asked, slightly nervous about what the answer might be.
“Have you ever heard of something called hypnosis?”
“A little bit, it’s a relatively new thing from what I’ve heard.  Though Vinyl Scratch has talked about her little sister being able to do it, she says she’s not a big fan of it.”
“I see,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, her horn glowing navy blue as she activated her unicorn magic and directed it at the saddle bag, “I however am quite the fan of it, and I feel it would be perfect for you.”
“What do you need me to do?” Octavia asked.
At that point Dr. Spiral Swirl had succeeded in levitating what she need out from the saddle bag.  It was a gold pocket watch on a chain.  She directed her magic so that it was suspended in the air at Octavia’s eye level and made to swing back and forth by the chain in front of her eyes.
“I just need you to relax and watch the watch Octavia,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said.
“O…okay,” Octavia said, feeling slightly nervous.
“Yes that’s it, just watch the watch.  Watch it swing back and forth for me.  Following it with your eyes as it swings.”
“Yessss, watch the watch,” Octavia said quietly to herself, as her eyes followed the watch.
“Still focusing on the watch as you begin to relax for me Octavia,” Dr. Spiral Swirl continued, “So relaxed you are beginning to feel tired. Tired and drowsy. Sleepy even. So sleepy your eyelids are beginning to grow heavy. In fact as I count from 1 to five you will no longer be to hold them open. 1... Relaxing for me more and more.   2... You’re doing so very very well concentrating only on the watch and listening only to my voice. 3... Feeling ready to fall into deep hypnosis. 4... So sleepy, eyelids so heavy. 5... Now sleep for me. Relax. Allow yourself to sleep for me. You did so very well Octavia.”
At Dr. Spiral Swirl’s count of five Octavia’s eyelid’s locked shut as she fell into a deep hypnotized sleep.
“How do you feel Octavia?”  Dr. Spiral Swirl asked, putting the watch away.
“Wonderful.”
“Very good.  You are deeply asleep, completely hypnotized.  Your mind is empty of all thoughts.  You have no stresses, no cares no worries.  You are only focused on one thing…obedience.”
“I am only focused on obedience,” Octavia repeated.
“Very good, and since you are obedient only to me, that makes you my hypnotized slave.  Do you understand Octavia?”
“Yes Dr. Spiral Swirl, I am your hypnotized slave,” Octavia said, her voice now nothing more then a monotone.
“Oh please, there’s no need to be so formal.  You can just call me Mistress, my slave.”
“Yes Mistress,” Octavia said.
“There we go.   Now open your eyes Octavia but remain hypnotized.”
Octavia’s eyes blinked open, revealing that they had turned into black and white spirals.
“Now then Octavia, whenever you are not in a hypnotized trance and you hear me say or write the words ‘trance time’ you will immediately fall back into this obedient hypnotized state.  Do you understand?”
“Yes Mistress, I understand.”
“Good, now then as far as your little bit of stage fright goes, when you wake up it will be gone, replaced only by confidence and a desire to put on a great performance.”
“Thank you Mistress,” Octavia said.
“I can’t have you getting suspicious if you wake up and nothing’s changed can I now?” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, smiling, “Also, it’s been so hectic since I’ve moved to Ponyville, setting up a new practice, getting my new home in order, ect.  I haven’t had a good home cooked meal in forever, so why don’t you invite me over to your place for dinner to thank me for helping you.”
“I’d be happy to invite you Mistress, it’s just that I’m Vinyl Scratch’s roommate in her shop and she doesn’t usually like the idea of me inviting company over since that means I’d make her cleanup her…unique way of displaying her merchandise,” Octavia said, a trace of sadness seeping through her emotionless monotone.
“Oh please, you don’t need to clean up on my account.”
“Then I’ll be sure to ask her.”
“Very good, now it’s time to wake you up.  When I count to three you will come out of your trance and return to normal.  You will forget everything that happened while you were hypnotized, but all of my commands will remain buried within your mind.  Do you understand?”
“Yes Mistress, I understand,” Octavia said.
“Very good, then on the count of three you will wake up, feeling happy, refreshed, and wonderful.  1…2….3.” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, putting emphasis on the ‘3.’
The spirals soon faded from Octavia’s eyes and she shook her head a few times as the effect of being hypnotized wore off.
“So how do you feel?”
“I feel…wonderful,” Octavia said, happily, emotion returning to her voice.
“And your fears about performing?”
“…Gone!” Octavia said in shock, “I…I don’t remember what happened though.”
“That’s perfectly normal.  It’s called post-hypnotic amnesia.”
“Is there anything else you need me to do?”
“Nope, go out there and enjoy life,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, smiling.
“Oh I will!” Octavia said, jumping off the couch and leaving the room.
Enjoy it while your free will lasts my good little slave, Dr. Spiral Swirl thought.

Out in the waiting room Vinyl Scratch’s boredom had gotten the better of her and she was now using a rolled up magazine to create an improvised drum set out of her chair arms and the coffee table.  When she saw Octavia approaching and more importantly saw the death glare she was sporting, she dropped the magazine and smiled sheepishly.
“Hey Tavi, you feeling better?”
Octavia focused her death glare at Vinyl for a few more seconds before she burst out laughing.
“Oh Vinyl I haven’t felt this great in years!” Octavia said, as she took Vinyl’s front hooves in hers and began twirling the two of them around.
“What the heck did she do to you?” Vinyl asked, as Octavia twirled them straight out the door.

A short while later they arrived back at Vinyl’s record store/home on the outer rim of central Ponyville.  The House of Vinyl was small but it stood out, having been painted the color of Vinyl’s mane, a poster announcing her next appearance as DJ P0n3 hung in the window.  As they stepped inside Octavia let out her customary sigh upon seeing how Vinyl displayed her merchandise.  In traditional Vinyl Scratch fashion records were haphazardly piled on shelves or just stacked on the ground, some piles having collapsed into heaps, and yet Vinyl always knew exactly where all her product was.
“So Vinyl I was thinking,” Octavia said.
“That’s never a good thing,” Vinyl said, eliciting another death glare from Octavia, “I kid, I kid.  I kid because I love.”
Octavia let out a loud sigh, “As I was saying, I was thinking we should invite Dr. Spiral Swirl over for dinner, to thank her for helping me.”
“Yeah, I’m gonna have to say no, since you’re going to make me clean aren’t you?” Vinyl said.
“Oh no, you don’t need to clean.” Octavia said.
“Just what the heck did she do to you?” Vinyl asked.


Later that night Vinyl, Octavia, and Dr. Spiral Swirl were all gathered around the dinner table.
“Oh my, this is simply delicious,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, “What is it?”
“It’s vegetable lasagna.  I prepared it using a slow baking process using the finest and freshest vegetables from the Ponyville Market,” Octavia said.
“And I helped,” Vinyl Scratch said proudly.
“Vinyl dear, all you did was put the forks on the table,” Octavia said, with a hint of annoyance.
“Like I said, I helped.”
Octavia let out another sigh before taking a drink of water.
“So doc, what the heck did you do to Octavia?” Vinyl asked.
The bluntness of Vinyl’s comment caused Octavia to do a spit take.
“Vinyl!” She shouted, “Don’t be rude.  I’m pretty sure Dr. Spiral Swirl doesn’t want to talk about work.”
And I don’t like the idea of my psychology sessions being part of the dinner table conversation either, Octavia thought.
“Oh I don’t mind.  In fact I’d be happy to demonstrate if she’s genuinely curious,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said.
“Yup,” Vinyl said.
“Alright then, I need you take you sunglasses off and we can get started,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, focusing her magic on her saddle bag.
By the time Vinyl got her sunglasses off, Dr. Spiral Swirl had her pocket watch dangling in front of her eyes.
“Okay Vinyl, I just need you to watch the watch,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, as she began swinging the watch back and forth, “Watch it and relax. Relax and just focus your attention on my watch. Let the relaxation flow through your whole body. From your head to your hooves. Let your muscles grow limp and relaxed. Relax even further for me. You are beginning to feel sleepy. So very sleepy. So sleepy your eyelids are growing heavy. So heavy that by the time I count backwards from five to zero you will be unable to hold them open any longer. 5.. Still focusing all your attention on the watch. 4... Forgetting about all the stresses and worries in your life. 3... Eyelids so heavy. They feel like they are made of lead. 2.... So very sleepy. 1... Eyelids barely open so insanely sleepy. All you want to do is fall into a deep sleep. And finally zero. Now sleep for me.”
At Dr. Spiral Swirl’s count of zero Vinyl’s eyes blinked shut.
“Oh my,” Octavia said, “I must admit it is quite shocking to see that happen to another pony after having experienced it my self just a short while ago.”
“I can imagine.  Oh and Octavia?” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, as a smile appeared on her face.
“Yes?”
“Trance time.”
Octavia let out a gasp as her eyes turned back into black and white spirals.
“How may I serve you Mistress?”  Octavia asked.
“For now you can just continue to stand there and look pretty,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, before turning her attention back to the hypnotized DJ, “Can you hear me Vinyl Scratch?”
“Yes,” Vinyl said, her voice quiet.
“You are deeply hypnotized Vinyl.  I am the hypnotist and the hypnotized subject always obeys the hypnotist.”
“Always…obeys…the hypnotist,” Vinyl repeated.
“And since you must obey me, that makes you my hypnotized slave.  Do you understand?”
“Yes, I am your hypnotized slave,” Vinyl said, her voice becoming a hypnotized monotone as well.
“Very good, now open your eyes but remain deeply hypnotized.”
Vinyl’s eyes blinked open, revealing they too had turned into black and white spirals.
“Now then a few quick questions, Octavia mentioned your little sister can also perform hypnosis, is she a better hypnotist then me?”
“Of course not Dr. Spiral Swirl,” Vinyl said. 
“Call her Mistress, she likes that,” Octavia said.
“You’re a much better hypnotist Mistress,” Vinyl continued, “Plus she doesn’t use a pocket watch like you do, and she doesn’t like the idea getting inside someone’s head and taking control so she rarely uses it.”
“I see,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, “And unfortunately for you and every other pony in Ponyville I love getting inside ponies heads and taking control with hypnosis.  Now then Vinyl whenever you are not in a trance and hear me say or write the words ‘trance time’ you will fall back into this deep, obedient hypnotized state. Do you understand?”
“Yes Mistress,” Vinyl replied.
“Very good,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said as she turned and walked away from the dinner table and down the hall at the back of their living quarters.  Not knowing what else to do the two hypnotized ponies began following behind her.
Dr. Spiral Swirl opened the first door she came to and observed what had to be Vinyl’s room judging by the unmade bed, rock band posters on the wall, dirty clothes on the floor, and strange green substance dripping from the ceiling.  The next room was without a doubt Octavia’s since the bed was made, everything was orderly, and the case for her cello along with cases for every other stringed instrument sat along the wall.  The third door she opened housed Vinyl’s DJ equipment.
“What’s this?”  she asked, pointing to a small set of speakers mounted on wheels with a  red button on top.
“That’s my bass cannon Mistress,” Vinyl said, with as much pride as her hypnotized monotone would let her.
“And that?”
“That’s my turn table.”
“And that?” Dr. Spiral Swirl asked, pointing to a piece of equipment at the back of the room that featured a turn table and a microphone.
“That’s my small scale recording equipment.”
“I see.  I’d like to record something if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not Mistress,” Vinyl said, as her horn glowed, as she turned on the machine and placed a blank record on it, “It’s all ready for you Mistress.  Just talk into the microphone.”
Dr. Spiral Swirl approached the mike and spoke into it, “Hello everypony, this is Dr. Spiral Swirl.  If you are facing great stress in your life, relationship issues, perhaps you need help with a phobia, an addiction or obsession, or any other psychological issue, make an appointment with me.  I’ll be more then happy to help you out.  I’m always happy to see new patients.”
She then walked back over to the two hypnotized ponies.
“You will make a loop of that recording and play it at a low volume along with whatever else you happen to be playing at one of your DJ shows,” Dr. Spiral Swirl commanded, “You will do this even when not in a hypnotized state.  Deep down you might wonder why you are doing it, but in the end you just won’t care.  You will do it without hesitation or resistance.  Do you understand Vinyl Scratch?”
“Yes Mistress I understand.  I will obey,” Vinyl said.
“Very good my slave.  The subliminal effect of that recording will certainly help drum up business at my practice wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes Mistress,” Vinyl and Octavia said in unison.
“Now then why don’t we return to the dinner table so I can enjoy some desert while you two shower me with praise?”
The trio returned to the dinning room and after Octavia served Dr. Spiral Swirl a muffin from Sugar Cube Corner she and Vinyl began complimenting her.
“I think you’re awesome Mistress,” Vinyl said.
“You are the world’s greatest hypnotist, Mistress,” Octavia added.
“I really like your mane Mistress,” Vinyl said.
Dr. Spiral Swirl sat back and enjoyed the praise while she enjoyed her muffin.  After a half hour though she began to grow weary of it since the two had run out of original things to say and were either repeating earlier comments or just flat out making up amazing feats she had done.
“And I think it’s truly amazing how you helped Princess Twilight Sparkle defeat Tirek, Mistress,” Octavia said.
“Alright that’s enough,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said, “Now then it’s time for me to head home.  So, on the count of three you will both come out of your trances.  You will forget about being hypnotized and what you did while hypnotized.  Every command I gave you while under hypnosis will remain strong though.  Do you understand?”
“Yes Mistress,” the two said in unison.
“Very good. 1…2…3.”
At Dr. Spiral Swirl’s count of three the spirals faded from their eyes and they shook off the effects of the hypnosis.
“Thank you for the lovely evening ladies, but I must really be going now.”
“Thank you for joining us,” Octavia said, “And once again thank you for all your help today.”
“Oh it was my pleasure,” Dr. Spiral Swirl said as she gathered up her bag and left.
Once outside she observed the few ponies that were still milling about the town square.
That’s two down, and oh so many more to go, Dr. Spiral Swirl thought.