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It wasn't Pyrex's fault that Vycor had decided to be really mean that day. In fact, it wouldn't have been Pyrex's fault even if it had happened any other day.

As the boney kobold paced erratically and bit his claws, nervous as a bag of mice, that thought was getting increasingly hard to hold onto. Instead, the well-known guilt was creeping through his mind like a worm in an apple, opening the way for a very persistent sense of dread that he wasn't entirely sure he should be feeling.

Well, what was he supposed to do? After walking through the whole room and around his friend approximately a million times, Pyrex sat down on the floor and tried to think rationally about the problem.

There were certain things Pyrex could do thanks to his condition. He could brag of having new, pointy fangs. He could fly, theoretically! He could stare into other people's eyes and force them to do his will, which was an idea that didn't sit comfortably with him. Perhaps it never would.

However, there was Vycor! Rigid like a statue. His stupid face was frozen in a mask of blank bliss. At least it seemed he was enjoying himself, Pyrex thought, although he wasn't entirely sure whether the situation would have been more or less embarrassing if the other kobold had been having a bad time. He really hoped Vycor wasn't turned on by the whole thing, which would have made things even more uncomfortable. He knew some people...

But his thoughts were wandering off again.

Vycor. The other kobold had been mean to him, which was something Pyrex wasn't expecting. They were both perfectly ordinary kobolds! Er, except for the vampire thing that afflicted Pyrex, sure. But still! He didn't one to get bullied, let alone by someone he considered a friend.

He knew there was a certain order for how bullying worked. There were people who most certainly would never get bullied. Lucky! Then there were people who get bullied - and among them, there was a sort of pecking order. Some people were more prone to be bullied than others. Even by people who had been bullied themselves.

Given that Vycor and he were both kobolds, Pyrex had thought they must have been in the same position in the totem pole. But then stupid Vycor had started saying everyone believed Pyrex was a freak! When he had tried to ask who or why, the other kobold has just laughed and refused to elaborate.

At that moment, Pyrex had felt the familiar, tingly sensation behind his eyes. And the next thing he knew Vycor's mouth was hanging open like an idiot's.

So what was he supposed to do now?

Well, he didn't want Vycor to stay like this forever. It had been pleasing when he had shut up - and a part of Pyrex really enjoyed the thought of having someone at his mercy so easily - but he couldn't possibly keep him in that state. Plus, Vycor had mentioned he had to go the dentist earlier.

What if the dentist called? What if they figured out Vycor was hypnotized? Perhaps hypnosis worked better than anesthetic when trying to remove a molar?

No, Pyrex had to wake Vycor up. But how? He had hypnotized his friend without his consent. That had been rude! Not that Vycor didn't deserve it, of course, but rude! He could always command him to be okay with having been hypnotized, but that only made things worse. Perhaps Vycor would never know, but Pyrex would certainly remember.

Obviously, if he didn't do that, Vycor would be really mad at Pyrex for having hypnotized him. That was the only possible outcome.

Unless...

Pyrex glanced at the mirror in the room and considered a distant possibility that grew nearer the more he thought about it. Yeah. Perhaps there was some way to fix things. Not necessarily fix things, but flee from them, which was as good of a conclusion as any other.

The mirror thing was like the garlic thing after all - just a myth. And Pyrex was glad some things remained that.

Myths.

But perhaps he could have some fun first, just to teach Vycor a lesson?

Well, he thought. He's not going to be able to get mad at me whatever I do, I think, so I might as well take advantage of the situation.

The small kobold sighed and stood up with a soft whine. This is definitely the last time I zonk someone by accident, he told himself. Too much anxious thinking involved.

Vycor woke up with the feeling that someone had been touching his teeth.

It was the weirdest awakening he'd ever had - partly because his mind was still trying to get rid of the last remnants of hypnotic influence, and partly because it was true. Someone had been touching his teeth when his eyes had been too busy being gazing into the vast nothingness inside his brain to care.

He glanced around and tried to remember where he was. Pyrex's room, yeah. He'd visited the other kobold before his appointment at the dentist. Then he'd said something that had made Pyrex very angry...

Pyrex. The boney fellow was standing in front of the mirror, staring into his own eyes. Vycor got closer, wondering if this was some kind of prank, but then realized the kobold's body was looking extremely relaxed and lax, like all the tension had been ripped of his muscles. He was barely standing up, but it seemed a mysterious force kept him upright.

It must have been those eyes, probably.

There was a note next to Pyrex. Vycor grabbed it with still-weak claws and read it, blinking a few times:

To whom it may concern, which is Vycor:

I'm sorry I zonked you! That was very rude of me.

I'm also sorry that you made me zonk you. That was rude of you as well.

But now I've zonked myself, so things are even. See? Well, I hope you can.

If this doesn't work, explaining this note is going to get even weirder.

You were doing a few embarrassing things under trance, but nothing you should worry about.

Also, I checked your teeth. I have no idea why you have to go to the dentist. They're looking good. I think the dentist might be trying to get your money.

Then again, I'm no dentist.

Signed,

Pyrex

Vycor left the note on the small table near the mirror and took a new glance at the other kobold. Had he really tried to hypnotize himself? He must have succeeded, judging by the drool trickling down the corner of his mouth.

Surprisingly unabashed by the situation, Vycor licked one of his fangs to get rid of the weird feeling of having been touched. They were still perfectly normal-sized.

What a freak, he thought.