though adrianus had given victor his lab months ago, the way they walked around it, it felt like they still owned it.

"ah, yes, i've had a new device installed here," they told him, gesturing toward the lab chair.

he didn't recall asking for anything like that, but he supposed he shouldn't complain about it - it was free, and perhaps he could have some use for it. "what is it?"

"i could explain, but... why don't you try it out for yourself?"

he stepped closer to the back of the chair, thinking he was going to go press some buttons there, or that they would hand him a remote, or something, to activate the device himself, but they stood between him and the controls, their body facing toward the seat. they stared at him, their eyes simply tracking him as he moved, with the same placid smile that they always seemed to have on their face. it felt almost like a video game npc, silently staying in its spot, waiting for him to activate the next trigger. and it seemed that it was not triggered by him approaching the buttons.

victor blinked, before smiling and forcing a small chuckle. "i'm ready for you to show me how it's operated," he said.

their expression didn't change. they looked especially uncanny under the green glow of the laboratory. almost unmoving, they simply replied, "good. then let me show you."

they both stood and looked at each other, with only the sounds of various machines humming and whirring, chemicals bubbling, and victor's heartbeat pounding in his ears.

"the machine is ready," adrianus said.

"then... i can start it, if you... tell me how..."

"i'll be the one starting it."

"you don't mean..." he trailed off.

"is something the matter?" they asked. "the chair is much more comfortable than it looks. the restraints won't hurt you."

he laughed. "you- you're- you mean you want to use this device on me? you want to subject me to... i don't even know what exactly this does. you expect me to try out a random..."

they continued to stare, not reacting in the slightest. it gave him this odd feeling that it was pointless for him to argue. that nothing he could say could change the situation. that perhaps his thoughts didn't even matter to begin with.

but of course they mattered! he swallowed, his eyes darting between them and the chair. "why don't you... explain it, first, actually?"

their face finally changed, ever so slightly, their smile widening, just a bit. their expression seemed... softer. "you don't trust me?"

"it isn't about that, i just- i would like to... know what exactly i am getting into. i mean, it- you gave me this lab, so i don't see why you would... hurt me, or anything, but..." he tried to maintain eye contact. "i'd just like to know what to expect... what you're going to... do to me."

"it's just a brainwashing device," they said.

he could only stare, unable to react.

what would be the appropriate reaction? they had said it so casually. it was so surreal that the usual feeling of danger one should have from such a statement was drowned out entirely by pure disbelief. was it a joke?

"excuse me?" he finally asked, his voice quiet.

"it's a brainwashing device," they repeated, with the same tone.

"you want to brainwash me?"

"i thought i'd let you give it a try. it's quite an amazing device."

a chill ran down his spine.

it was strange. all of it was strange. there was nothing stopping him from running away, or even just refusing. if they had wanted to force him to do it, they wouldn't have just asked him, they wouldn't have just told him what it was.

somehow, that was all the more unsettling. it was as if they expected him to just comply. as if they didn't think it was a particularly big deal. as if it was so obvious that he would let them brainwash him, that they didn't have to do anything except ask.

for some reason, rather than arguing, he meekly spat out a few questions. "what exactly does this brainwashing... entail? is it permanent? what exactly do you plan on doing to me?"

"it feels very good," they said, caressing the device as they spoke. "it feels tingly. your brain is overloaded with pleasure. it runs all the way down your spine, through your whole body." the words were punctuated by a single finger trailing down the machine.

his turtleneck and lab coat were starting to feel uncomfortably warm. "but what would happen to me? my personality? my self?"

"you'll still be yourself. i wouldn't want to change that. in fact, you'll be able to be returned... mostly to normal, even afterward. it's more like another state you can enter." they tilted their head, that same smiling expression on their face. "it's really something you have to experience for yourself."

his fingers ran through his hair, his eyes wandering to the tile on the floor. "but what is that... other state, exactly?"

"of course it varies a bit for everyone, and also depends on the settings in the machine, and what someone tells you as you are being brainwashed. but, perhaps it could be described as your mind being opened. just feeling a bit more willing to listen. to act without having to think so much."

there was no circumstance in which he should even consider such a thing. even though he knew that, the casual way they explained it had almost made it feel safe, harmless. normal.

"and what would you be telling me, while i was in such a vulnerable state?"

"oh, just to listen, and obey, and to enjoy the feeling of being brainwashed."

he nearly shivered.

"is there something specifically that you want to make me do? is there any reason you need me to be more obedient? i just- is there something that you want to use me for?"

"i don't think you understand, victor." even that simple statement made him squirm. "if there were something in particular that i wanted to use you for, i wouldn't have to resort to something like this. i am already the one providing you with this lab, and all of these machines. even your outfit. in a way, you could almost say... that i own you, or at least your villain persona."

"i- i wouldn't go that far..." and yet, it certainly felt that way, with how they spoke to him.

"i only want to see the blissful look on your face as you give in to it."

his mind went blank. this was... this was...? what was this? flirting? sexual intent? somehow, this felt even more perverse than the scenarios that had been flashing through his head, of being turned into their henchman, or their drone, or emptied out entirely and made into some sort of husk. this wasn't about some sort of special evil plan of theirs, about accomplishing some sort of goal, it was about him.

"don't you want to try it? don't you want to know how it feels to be deeply brainwashed? i would love to brainwash you, victor."

their voice was slow, gentle, seductive. he could hear his own breathing becoming heavier.

"why don't you just remove your lab coat, and sit down?"

he found himself taking off his coat, staring ahead with wide eyes at nothing in particular, as if they had already done something to him, though he was pretty sure they hadn't. he was more reluctant to follow the other part of their request. his eyes focused again, looking back at adrianus.

"you... you really aren't going to... do anything else to me..."

"would you want me to do anything else?"

"no, no, of course not," he said quickly, throwing his coat to the ground. "i- i'll just... get in the chair..."

he was really going to do this. he didn't entirely understand his actions himself. he supposed he... was a bit curious, and it didn't seem as though adrianus had bad intentions... he would just... try it.

the seat was quite comfortable, and adrianus adjusted the restraints for him, asking him to try and move, until they were tight enough that he hardly could. they had lingered on that for just a bit too long, until it really began to sink in that he was now completely at their mercy. he couldn't help but pull his arm more seriously, as if he was really trying to escape. he was thoroughly restrained.

"that's right," they murmured. "that's perfect."

what was the point of the restraints in the first place? to prevent him from backing out of it? or was the brainwashing process intense enough that he would have to be held in place for his own safety?

or perhaps adrianus had just wanted to see him struggle against it.

they pet his head, lightly scratching it with their gloved fingertips, a strangely tender gesture which caught him off guard.

it made him feel sort of like a dog. not quite a possession of theirs, but still... theirs, when you came down to it. this was what they were doing to him, while he was stuck here, while they knew he couldn't resist, or do anything about it... petting him.

he became very aware of the fact that they had encouraged him to wear a harness when picking out his outfit.

"are you ready to be brainwashed?" they asked softly.

sure enough, there was affection in their voice, almost like the way you would talk to a pet, although there was an undertone that certainly wouldn't be present in that case.

"i... i suppose i am."

"good," they said, pulling down the helmet.

when it made contact with his head, he realized there were little bumps all over the bottom of it, slightly pressing into his scalp and part of the back of his neck. there wasn't a visor, or headphones, but it seemed as though either or both of them could have easily been attached to it. the holes for the headphones allowed it to accommodate his twin tails. or... were they specifically there for that purpose in the first place?

come to think of it, didn't his hairstyle sort of look like big, fluffy ears?

"just relax... i'm going to switch it on in a moment."

"ah, right..." he still felt tense from the anticipation.

"oh, it's alright. even if you cannot relax now, you'll relax very soon."

the helmet vibrated, the little bumps providing something like a massage. that sensation alone made him tremble, but then he could feel... shocks? it didn't hurt, but he didn't know what else he would call it. they were sudden and powerful, and sent waves through his brain, down his spine, all the way through his body. he couldn't stop himself from shuddering and squirming, just out of sheer... pleasure. it was good, it was so good... he could hardly believe it. he could hardly even think.

suddenly, it was like some sort of switch had flipped in his body, and even though the tingling had only become more intense, his shoulders sank, his body going limp. as if all he could do was give in to the feeling.

all the while, adrianus had been watching him very intently. he felt their gaze, even as he had stopped thinking about it, but he became aware of it again. he was... being brainwashed. in front of them. they were brainwashing him.

he was supposed to be... bothered by that, wasn't he? or at the very least, embarrassed. he could feel the heat in his face. it must have been bright red. no, his whole body... his whole body was warm.

adrianus cooed at him, telling him how good he was doing, that he could just relax and give in, as the shocks seemed to become gentler, slower. their words produced a similar sensation to the machine, each sound that came from their mouth reverberating through his mind. he could almost feel it in his brain, a dull, tingly feeling in his head, pulsing, releasing something... signals, chemicals, dripping down... down... down.

"you're responding very well to this. as i expected... you love being brainwashed, don't you?"

he nodded, overcome with something almost like dizziness.

"you want to be good for me, don't you?"

he nodded.

"very good."

the machine sent another shock through him, making him twitch. as if the sound of those words alone wasn't enough of a reward.

his muscles relaxed again, perhaps even more so than before. he felt entirely and utterly helpless already. it wasn't impossible to think, but he could only think enough to be aware of the fact that he would likely do anything they asked. that he wanted to do anything they asked. he wanted to be rewarded, praised, until his brain was fried, until his body no longer responded to his own commands.

there was this sort of emptiness, this quiet that came in response to those thoughts. he expected to feel something, some sort of pushback, fear, unease. but there was almost nothing. just the slightest trace of resistance, so faded it was hardly there, like when you erase something that you had written in pencil, and if you look closely, you can see that light gray smear, but you can't quite make out what it used to be.

"it's good for you, you know," adrianus said. "it's good to be brainwashed. it can help you relax. it can help you with any goals you might have. you can change things about yourself..."

it was as if the words were slipping directly into his very being.

"i like your stubbornness, of course..." they caressed his cheek. "there's no need for you to always be so open... but i suppose that's why it's such a treat when you are."

a treat... that's exactly what it was. he melted at their touch, or perhaps he was melting at the words, or the machine, or all of it at once. it blurred together.

"it feels good to be brainwashed. you'll let me do this to you again, won't you?"

he nodded.

"that's right... very good."

another zap, followed by another wave of deep relaxation.

"do you want me to train you? even if your personality is in tact, wouldn't it feel good if i could override it with just a few simple commands? if you could follow without even thinking about it? without even being able to fight it? even while you were awake?"

he found himself nodding, even as something tugged inside of him. it was an exciting idea, one that made his heart speed up, that felt oddly satisfying, that felt right.

adrianus seemed satisfied, as well. "perfect..."

shock.

relaxation.

"it's so nice to obey me, isn't it? why don't you tell me that, out loud?"

"it feels... good to obey you..."

"very good."

shock.

relaxation.

it did feel good.

"listen very closely," they said. "when i tell you to watch, you will look at me, listen to me, only me, and wait for another command. do you understand?"

"yes..."

"watch."

though he hadn't been looking at much in particular before, his eyes focused again, pointing directly at theirs. his thoughts, which had already been sort of distant and blurry, almost seemed to freeze.

"very good."

zap.

release.

weakness.

"watch."

he straightened up and stared.

"good."

zap.

release.

"even when you aren't connected to the machine, when you hear that command, you will stop and listen. you will know when i mean it as a command. it is not about the word itself, but the way that i say it. do you understand?"

"yes."

"very good."

there was no shock this time, but his body still reacted almost the same.

"i'm going to turn off the machine. your thoughts and focus will return to you, but you may still feel a bit fuzzy for a while. this is normal, and nothing to be concerned about."

as soon as the device was shut down, and the helmet lifted from his head, he blinked rapidly.

at the very least, he was back to normal. he was himself again. he could feel it. even some of his tension returned to him, although his body did still seem more relaxed than before.

"how do you feel?" adrianus asked.

"i- i feel... clearer, i guess. but..." he pulled against the restraints.

"ah, you're still trapped in that chair, aren't you?" they said, not making any effort to move or change that.

"yes, i am..." he paused for a moment, but they remained still. "we- we're done with the brainwashing, aren't we?"

"are we?"

he struggled a bit more, not quite panicking, but with a vague sense of confusion and desperation. his heart pounded in his ears again. how long were they going to keep him here? what had he gotten himself into? he had only agreed to try it. it should have been over now, shouldn't it?

they seemed to enjoy watching every second of his squirming. their gaze as they looked down on him put a sort of pressure on him, a pressure he could almost feel, weighing him down until he was too self conscious to continue moving.

"victor."

"y... yes?"

"watch."

his eyes widened, fixed on their face.

"very good."

the same feelings from before flooded through him, making him shudder. he hadn't thought about it earlier, but it was sort of humiliating, reacting so visibly in front of them. it was like being naked before them, allowing them to see everything, to touch him however they pleased.

"watch."

his eyes were forced back up to them, his embarrassment becoming just a warm feeling in the back of his awareness.

"relax."

the tension left his muscles immediately, his shoulders sinking back down, a mild tingling sensation running through him.

"what is... how..."

he did remember the command they had given him earlier, but it was another thing to actually experience it, to know it worked.

"you're doing so well."

he tried to resist, but the nice feelings from the praise still went right through him.

"you... you said that you just wanted to see the look on my face, didn't you?"

"oh yes," they said. "but is it so wrong for me to want to see it a few more times?"

it was dizzying, in an entirely different way from the machine. his tension, his nervousness, his... excitement, those were the things that were frying his brain now, in a much more metaphorical sense. he was all too aware of their enjoyment of this, the way they were staring at him, teasing him. the way that, at any moment, they could simply lower the helmet again... just thinking about it gave him chills, and he had been feeling so much of that that his back was starting to feel weird.

"i find it very interesting," adrianus said, in a low voice, "how at no point have you told me to stop. you struggled, but you did not ask me to free you. you asked if we were done, but you didn't tell me you've had enough. how do you really feel about this, victor?"

"i- i just- it's a habit of mine, to be polite, and... especially when it's... you. you're..."

"watch."

he obeyed.

"tell me if you want to stop."

"i don't," he said in a flat tone, the words escaping his lips before he could even process them.

he blinked. "i-i mean- that's- i..."

their hand moved back to the helmet, the simple gesture sending his mind into a frenzy. "you love being brainwashed, don't you?"

"i... it... i mean, it felt good, but... you can't just..."

he froze as the little bumps made contact with his head.

"just indulge me for a little while longer, alright?"

the shocks returned. his body twitched and spasmed, strange noises escaping his throat, before going limp, completely still and quiet.

"very good."

it was so nice. it was so, very, nice.