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The soft silence reigned for only a few minutes before they shook off the pall that had fallen over them.

"sSo, tell me, Shouyousei. What about you? I've told you my life sstory, where do you hail from? What drivess you into the untamed wilderness, searching for a monster sstraight from legends?"

"Me? I grew up in on the other side of the mountain, a few miles south along the range. It was a smaller town, I wasn't... I didn't get along with many. My head is too often in the clouds for their liking. I explored my passions, and finally picked up my feet and left. Professionally, I'm a dancer in Angel Fire, but it's a very complicated position, I decided to take a hike into the mountains to relax and set my mind at ease... though I have to be careful not to get hurt. There isn't really anything else to my story... I'm no different from any other girl who dreamed of great things."

"There is nothing wrong in dreaming of greatness... it is only ever a misstake to waste your life waiting, in hopes that greatness will come to you. I think you might accomplish much, if you put your mind to it. I am curious though, you ssaid you were a... dancer? Please, do tell me more. This word, 'dance'... it does not translate well, I think."

"Mm, I perform ballet, specifically... I dance on a stage, with many others. Doing complicated twists and twirls. I'm a bit..." She flushed, almost ashamed, as her hands came up to touch her chest, and slid down to her hips. "A bit too wide... other ballerinas think I don't deserve the positions I get." The unspoken part of that sentence seemed to be that she didn't think she deserved them either. It was slowly coming to light the self-image issues the wolf girl had, but she shook her head some and forged ahead. "I can do one better than tell you, after we eat, I can show you."

"I would not call you wide. You are fluffy... perfect for hugging with every inch of my body, and I would not trade an ounce of you away. Dance is... movement, then? On a stage, for the enjoyment of others? If so, weight is meaningless, it is all about how you perform. There is only one 'dance' the sSerpentss perform, more of a fight really. You must force your opponent's head to the ground without using your arms. It is often used to ssettle disputes, but there are yearly tournaments to sssee who is best. The year I left, a tiny slip of a ribbon snake won by hurling herself into the air and landing on her opponents. She was thought to be too small to stand a chance, but the cheeky thing won the entire tournament. Perhapss... ballet... is different, but I would think that the medals and honors should go to whoever has the most skill... not who can starve themselves into the thinnest shape. I truly would like to see you perform this dance. Legs fascinate me; I cannot fathom how you can remain upright on only two limbs."

His words sent a surge of warmth through her, and her heart fluttered a little bit. A deep blush settled on her cheeks, and she took the compliment with clumsy grace. "Thank you, Khaesho..." It was a murmur, and she smiled to him. She was truly grateful for the gentle encouragement. Fluffy, and perfect for hugging. More than that, he didn't want anything about her to change - that was a pleasant thought. Someone liked her enough as she was. He tossed the ball ahead, and she continued walking after it, but Khaesho fell behind a coil so that he was directly behind her. As she walked, he watched with great interest, even going so far as to run a light hand from her plump rump down to her ankles. She glanced over her shoulder at him - only for her slightly damp fur to fluff out when he stroked her leg. Beneath the fur and the flesh, he could feel the muscles. They twitched with her movements;0 she was strong, in ways he hadn't even realized.

He easily felt the corded muscles flexing beneath her hide as she propelled herself forwards with a mixture of balance and momentum. He was curious how a person could even move like that, permanently in danger of toppling over, but in the same manner bipedals wondered how snakes got anywhere at all. She let him look and even touch his fill, let him enjoy her flesh as she knew it was different from his own. Not that she hadn't taken her time exploring his hide when she could the night before. He took advantage of his position and her momentary lack of focus to pinch her right on one plump cheek, earning himself a squeal and a glare. He laughed, and dashed ahead to dodge her rebuke; he could see sunlight just around the corner.

Shou laughed brightly and eagerly gave chase, sprinting after the surprisingly fast snake. Her joy only doubled as she noticed the sunlight, how could it not? She loved the sun. But more than that, much as she enjoyed being in the cavern with him, she loved the outdoors as well.

"Khaesho! I will get you for that!"

"You have to catch me Firsst!"

The cave narrowed into little more than a tunnel before finally breaking through to clean air. Breathing fresh, clean air was wonderfully refreshing after the stagnant miasma of sulfur, dust, and snake musk. Khaesho got out first, and immediately circled back and went up the slope, so he'd be practically right above her as she got free. He crouched there, ready to spring down upon Shou the moment she cleared the cave.

She laughed, unable to help herself, and bursting from the cave into the light she took a moment to savor it. In the bright light of the sun, he could see her grey and silver fur. The single lock of purple dyed fur fell over her eyes before the wind swept it up, tugging her hair back away from her face. The whorls under her eyes were shimmering almost the color of moonlight. It was only after she felt the sun on her body that she remembered her clothing had been abandoned in the cavern, and her cheeks flushed in shyness. Eyes darted this way and that looking for Khaesho.

She didn't look up. No-one ever looks up. Not even birds look up. With a joyful hiss, he launched himself from his perch, tackling her and sending them both rolling down the mountain. His hiss prompted her to look up, but she had only enough time to see a lunging serpent before she was caught. As they tumbled, he spun himself around her, until they came to a rest with her neatly trapped in his coils. He lowers his face to hers, and his silver eyes dance with mirth. A yelp and laugh as she was curled into him, squirming just a little bit as she was wrapped up like a pig in a blanket. Her ears perked and she smiled up to him, nose twitching just slightly. Her own laughter escaped as she ineffectively squirmed, halfheartedly trying to escape.

"My my... I, do, think... I've, caught mysself a ssssssssssnack."

"Are you going to eat me, then, dearest?"

"I do believe I have done that once already."

He licked her cheek as he laughed wickedly, then rolled himself out, into a straight line. As he rolls, she spins, and though he sets her on her feet, she is momentarily too dizzy to move. She went stumbling just a little bit as she fell and settled on her rump, laughing. Eyes bright as she looked at him, and blushed deeply.

"What a pretty ssight you make! sSurely, we need only wait for sssome hapless animal to wonder out of the foresst and be dumbsstruck by your beauty. Then we may easily capture it!"

"You are far too kind..."

"Oh, wait, that remindsss me, do you eat raw meat?"

"I can, though I often prefer mine cooked."

"I can agree, but I am sssomewhat short on cookware and seasonings. Fresh meat must ssuffice. Kalokin? A hand, if you would?"

"Sure thing, boss."

Khaesho began to glow again, until the glow separated itself from his scales and expanded outwards into the surrounding forest and bathing everything in blue light before vanishing. Nothing seemed like it had changed, but Shou immediately felt a compelled to walk over to Khaesho. It wasn't a physical force, but a tugging on her mind, an insistent whisper that bypassed her conscious mind and spoke to all of her subconscious desires. He has what you want. Go on, go a little bit closer. Crawl to him on your knees and beg. She offered a soft murmur, watching him. Tilting her head some, she let out a surprised little noise. Shivering as she felt the impulse to move towards him. The feeling was compelling and she squirmed a bit as it rolled through her. Her breath escaped in a soft rush, and her ears pricked forward.

"K...Khaesho..? I want to... what's this... feeling..?"

Khaesho looked at her, chuckled, then snapped his fingers three times: right, left, right.

"Kalokin?"

"Sorry, let me just... there we go."

A soft blue glow wrapped around her, and the all-consuming urge to hurl herself at him dissipated. She whined, and let out a breathless little groan as she leaned back on her hands. Her shoulders trembled a little bit, and her tail twitched as she looked at him.

"That is what we use to make hunting easier. Kalokin is a tricksster, a god of thieves, yes? In addition to the sort of magic you'd expect goes with trickery, he's also crooked good at mind magic. What you felt is something he calls an 'aura of attraction.' We've never had a chance to use it on a Sentient, and I don't think he meant to include you; We use it to attract game, to get things closer enough for me to handle, it's easier, and it means I don't have to spend all day roaming the forest looking for food."

Her eyes half lidded as she took in what he said; it felt strange, but knowing that magic had just been used on her had her aroused all over again. Why? Not that she would explain it, just yet, but she had perhaps just a tiiiny fetish for bondage. A small smile, her ears splayed a little and she squirmed in the grass.

"Well, I will keep that in mind. Appreciated for taking that... compulsion away, Kalokin."

"Ya welcome, dame."

Khaesho snapped his fingers again, shushing them both.

"Even with magic, you can't make a deer walk up if we're making this much racket. Settle down, and breakfast will walk in on us before you know it."

She shushed, with a small smile. Inclining her head just a little bit, and she stood quietly. Watching and listening, ears pricked forward and her breathing was soft, gentle. Silence fell over the forest. After five minutes or so, bird calls returned to the air, and faint scampering could be heard through the underbrush. Time ticked slowly, with Khaesho curled comfortable in the sun, but soon enough, a rabbit hopped out of the undergrowth. It froze at the sight of them; the compulsion had drawn it near, but its fear at staring down two predators was enough to overrule even the strongest of magic. That was where Khaesho came in.

Staring into any Snake's eyes is a dangerous business, especially if the snake in question is host to a god skilled in manipulation. Shou had already felt the effects of his stare, but now she got to watch as Khaesho cast his hypnotizing glance towards another. The rabbit froze absolutely still, and it made not a movement but for the heaving of its lungs and the overtime beating of its heart. It stared at Khaesho as he stared back. Slowly, calmly, Khaesho uncoiled himself and started slithering towards the rabbit, never once breaking eye contact. It's pupils dilated, and its heart nearly burst from its chest with fear, but it remained immobile as Khaesho crept inexorably closer. Finally, Khaesho was close enough. There was a blur of black scales and a flash of movement, and then the rabbit was skewered on Khaesho's fangs. He turned, returning to where Shou stood, and dropped the kill at her feet.

"Ladiess firsst. There will be plenty more to come." She stared at it a moment before her attention turned up to him, and her ears perked a little.

"Appreciated..." Her cheeks were flushed, and she felt pleased. There were those who would say such an act was affection.

"You are welcome." He smiled back at her through a blood soaked mouth, and then he settled down to wait again. Her claws made quick work of skin and fur, and soon she was digging into the rabbit. Blood smeared her claws and the fur of her face. Not that she seemed bothered by it. She sat down to enjoy her meal, still watching Khaesho curiously as he awaited further prey.

Time began to drag again, and Khaesho's hunger only increased with the taste of blood in his mouth. While Shou quietly munched on a satisfying, if slightly bland, breakfast, an armadillo wandered past. Armadillos are nearly blind, almost totally deaf, and find their way around by sense of smell alone. Usually the scent of blood would have made it wary, but the magical compulsion overrode the death in the air, and he waddled right along until he ran headfirst into Shou's ankle. She had seen a few in her life, and was actually quite fond of the clumsy creatures. Setting the bloody remains of her first rabbit aside, she moved to scoop the animal up. A thoughtful look at it, and she gave a small hum. Glancing up at Khaesho, she smiled sheepishly.

"There isn't a whole lot of sport in hunting something that can barely see, or hear for that matter... I'll share my rabbit if you let this lil'guy go of that compulsion to wander off on his rolly polly life?"

Gentle eyes contrasted her bloody smile. It was quite a trick, but somehow she looked peaceful, soft, and adorable despite the blood on her fur and the scent of fresh meat around her. Khaesho slithered over, and knocked sharply on the Armadillo's shell. The dim-witted creature turned towards him with a dopey smile, wiggling his paws through the air as though swimming. Shou chuckled softly at his squirming and simple smile. It warmed something in her, reminding her vaguely of a favored pet. Khaesho too, had a soft spot for them. They acted somewhat like armored children, with single minded wandering and searching for food, trusting their shells to protect them from everything that they didn't really care about. More than that though, they were inedible, the bone plates had given him horrible indigestion the one time he'd tried.

"I think we can find food enough that this wanderer can walk free. He does look rather cu-... wait, Kalokin."

"I see it..."

Shou petted the adorable walking rock lovingly and glanced up at him as he started to speak. Ears pricked and she nodded. Something odd twisted in the air, and all noise vanished. Shou tried to say something, only to find that her words made no sound. For a moment, panic warred with curiosity, but curiosity won as she watched Khaesho, who had frozen stock still. Cuddling the small armadillo to her chest, she leaned to the side just so. Khaesho had his back to her, and was staring rather intently at a section of brush. He raised his hands as if he was a puppeteer, and pulled back gently. He spoke, and his words carried through the air in an odd fashion, reverberating and sinking into her mind. Shou felt calmed just hearing him, and he wasn't even talking to her.

"Come to me... There is no blood... There are no hunters... You...Are...Safe..."

As he spoke, Kalokin layered multiple enchantments upon something just out of sight. Finally, unable to see, smell, or hear, its feeble mind succumbed to the pull, and a healthy wild boar stepped out of the brush. Its eyes were blocked by dark hemispheres, and its muscles trembled as if it might soon collapse. It stepped closer, another step, and Khaesho went to meet it. He crept slowly, barely making inches at a time, acting as if the boar couldn't see him even though he was right there. Then, he was close enough to strike.

With a screaming hiss, he lunged forwards sank his fangs into the boar high on the right shoulder. The illusions remained in place, but no illusion could stop the boar from feeling pain. I screamed and jerked, trying to dislodge the hunter stuck to his shoulder; to no avail. Khaesho had already wrapped himself once around the bucking pig, and he continued to wrap more, squeezing tighter with every coil until the boars ribs cracked with an audible snap. Paralyzed by the poison and quickly suffocating as Khaesho squeezed its lungs into nothing, the proud beast sank to the ground.

Sure that it was dead, he tugged and pulled, then yanked his fangs out with a sick squelch. Khaesho hissed a steady stream of nonsense and curses, and Shou wondered why until she saw the shard of gleaming white bone still planted in the beast's back. He opened his mouth wide, showing the fang that had snapped during the boar's wild struggles, and massaged the roof of his mouth around the broken bone. The broken stump would fall out soon, and a new fang would grow in about two weeks, but in the meantime it hurt like hell. With visible effort, he dragged his kill the rest of the way out of the underbrush, and made it just a few feet from Shou before he collapsed, panting.

"ssSnack time iss over. Can't have breakfassst without a little ham."

His pain had not gone unnoticed, and she cooed over him, wanting to help. Gently she set the armadillo to the side, turning him towards the forest and safety. A lingering pet to the animals head, before she rose up and approached the panting Naga. Crouching down by him, she reached out to cup his face, and tilted her own as she leaned close to him.

"Are you alright..?" Concern shimmered in her bright eyes as she carefully looked him over.

Like any man, Khaesho was loath to let another see him weakened, especially a female he liked. He clutched his jaw, and turned his head from her before answering.

"Itsss nothing... Nothing that hassn't happened before, at leassst....Shaethrehothiszarilhathashel, wass not expecting him to jerk quite ssso forcefully... broke a fang..."

"What?!? That's horrible!"

"Not as... not as bad as you think. They grow back... jusst hurts like any broken bone."

His voice betrayed his words though. He couldn't complete a full sentence without wincing, and Shou thought it likely he'd cursed that air blue when he momentarily spoke in the Snake's Tongue. With effort, he lifted his head higher and tried to act brave, digging in with a talon to pull his broken fang from the beast's back. He spat blood and venom to the side, wincing again. Shou's ears pinned back to her head then she huffed softly. She shifted her weight to her right foot, hip cocked and her tail lashing a little bit. Then she hummed a bit as he pulled the half of his fang from the creature. An inclination of her head.

"Care for *ackgh* for a sssouveneir?"

"I would, but you wait here."

She gave him a firm look before she turned, trotting towards the forest. It didn't take her long to make her way into the woods, and digging around. A small sniff here, a dig there, and her ears twitched. She knew they grew around here, and would still be around this time of year. A triumphant noise escaped her as she found what she was looking for. Gathering several bundles of the plant she had found - including the flowers. She headed back towards where she had left him behind. Ripping the plant into pieces, and twisting it together, when she reached him she held out the bundle for him.

"Here, this is Prickle Poppy. If you chew the leaves, it will help numb your pain."

"I... did not know you were ssskilled in... medicine. If you... sssay sso."

He massaged the gum around the stump, then yanked it out with a twist. More hissed cursing, then he took the bundle wrapped his tongue around it, squeezing it as he soaked it with his saliva. When his tongue an throat started to go numb, he carefully maneuvered the wad of leaves into the hole where his fang had been anchored. Almost immediately, he felt the herbs go to work, and he quickly lost feeling in his mouth.

"'Ank you... 'al'ing will 'e 'iffi'ul'..."

The narrow, pained look left his eyes though, and he relaxed... perhaps a little too much. Prickle Poppy was a cousin of the same plant used to produce opiates of all kinds, and it contained many of the same alkaloids. It wasn't as strong or as dangerous as medicinal or recreational drugs, but it was certainly enough to make Khaesho a little dozey. Gesturing towards the boar, he tried to talk again, gagged on the sill leaking blood and venom, and spat again. Shou reached up and cupped his cheeks fondly, gently prying his mouth open to inspect his injury. She hummed thoughtfully, ears pinned back with concern, but her face brightened when Kalokin started to speak.

"Let me help, boss. Khaesho wants ta know what you're gonna do with bacon legs over there."

Glancing at the boar, she shifted her weight a little and scrunched her nose.

"I couldn't eat even half... but I could likely consume at least a haunch... I can split it with my claws and leave the rest to you." Looking up at him, she blinked owlishly. Bloody hands lowering from his face. "If that's alright?"

He waved her on in a dismissive manner, and Kalokin played translator again.

"He says to cut off what you want, because he's eating the rest. We don't waste anything, and snake are fond of large meals over multiple meals any day. This will keep him fed for a good three days, probably. You ever seen a snake eat something girlie? Oh, wait, yea, you've been down that road already, or should I say 'that throat.'"

He laughed while Khaesho glared, but he was helpless to try and reign in the deity. Shou was grinning though, her weight shifted to her left foot now, and her hip cocked. "You're right, I have been down that throat, and I plan on doing it again sometime in the future. I'll be sure to put a little extra pep in my step knowing that you're watching, feeling and experiencing it all as well... if you think you can handle it."

"I LIKE this one. She's FEISTY. Finish your breakfast silly mortals, you have more important things to do."

She swished her tail hummed, turning and wandering over to the boar. Then she was bent over, and dragging her through skin and fur, skillfully removing the hide. She cut and sliced until she had freed a haunch of meat from the beast. She tossed seductive, saucy little grin over her shoulder as she was still bent over. A wink to Khaesho, and her tail flicked to the side, giving him a naughty glimpse before she straightened and went to take a seat before he could move to grab her. Khaesho blushed a little, a rare occurrence, and Kalokin whistled long and loud.

Khaesho tried to laugh, but it turned into a gag, and he spat out more blood. The whistle had Shou smirking, and she gave Khaesho a sheepish little smile, uncertain if she had upset the Naga or not with her blatant teasing. She dug into the haunch she had severed, bloodying her face and paws even further. An occasional glance at him, to see how he ate - how he managed to swallow all of it. Khaesho fished the bundle of herbs from his now numb mouth and turned towards the boar. He pulled his body straight, in line with the boar's, and slithered forwards, chest on the ground. He stretched his jaw wide and pushed the head into his mouth, then crammed the front legs in beside it, then pulled the beast into his throat inch by careful inch. He slithered forwards as much as he pulled the beast back, and his neck and chest stretched to truly fantastic sizes as the beast's wide shoulders passed through. His ribs weren't joined in the middle, which gave them the much needed flexibility to bend wide for prey wider around than he was. By the time he was halfway done, his chest had expanded to twice its normal size and his skin and scales acquired a taunt, glossy sheen as they were pulled taut. Soon enough, only the tail could be seen sticking out from between scaly lips, and then that too vanished down his throat. With a moan, he swallowed it down, and brought his jaw back up into place. Then he lay there as his body contracted at intervals; his entire length mimicked the swallowing motion of a normal throat, and the boar continued its progress until it stopped several feet below Khaesho's shoulders, where he began the long process of digesting a large meal. He then coiled up comfortably in the sun and sighed.

"Aaaaahhhhhhhh... nothin' quite like the feel of a meal that keep you fed days three. Only problem now is, moving is sounds tiresome."

He frowned, noticing that he was mixing words in ways that probably weren't quite right. Everything felt liquid, and he drowsily stared at the sky as the drug seeped further through his veins. Watching him lay there, distended, Shou wondered for a moment if he even could move; the lump was large, distending his flesh far past what she would have thought was safe. It would make traveling difficult for him, that much was clear. She'd eaten her fill of both boar and rabbit, leaving not much but scraps to be picked over by scavengers.

"I can understand that feeling I suppose..." She glanced at the sky and stretched. "But I need to move, and you wanted to see me dance, did you not?"

Her tail twitched, and she rolled onto her feet, rumbling in pleasure and waiting to see if he still wanted to see her dance. Her silvery fur was stained crimson, and it made her look like some sort of bloody avenger. Khaesho shook his head, struggling to focus his eyes. He had slept well the night before, but the warm sun, the drugs, and especially the heavy meal made him want to coil up for a nap until his stomach was slightly less stretched. He couldn't sleep out here in the open though; they were still close enough to town that someone might find them. He'd have to make his way back to his den on a full stomach, but if he had to do that, the least he could do was rest a moment and enjoy what was sure to be a wonderful show.

"I would love to lhewirshvaethophirathesheth."

He apparently didn't notice falling back into his native tongue halfway through the sentence, but Shou understood his attention anyways. The blood spattering her fur lent her a savage appearance, and she looked fierce and dangerous as she stood before him. She was of course, still naked, and that fact was lost on neither of them. It would be quite a show indeed. He coiled himself as best he could with the lump in his body, and Shou couldn't help but notice that the slit where his cocks lay hidden was easily visible. He smiled at her, and snuggled himself a little bit more comfortably within his coils. She nodded slightly to him, offering a smile. She'd have to find her clothes and return to town soon enough, so she wanted to push that thought from her mind as long as she could manage, and a performance seemed like a great way to drive such gloomy thoughts from her mind. The first thing she did was begin to stretch. It was slow moving, and mostly yoga poses, simply because she needed to limber up her muscles. It exposed her body in lewd and delicious ways - which she didn't mind at all, considering that they were the ones watching her. Such a display by such a beautiful creature naturally aroused their interest, and Khaesho lazily reached down to stroke his cocks, taking one in each hand.

When her stretches finished, she straightened, hummed a little bit and tried to decide what tune to dance to. It was the classics she knew, but she had no music. With a snap of inspiration, she decided on the perfect piece. Eyes closed, her ears pricked forward, before she began to step and move. There was a tune to her movements, a twist and flow that matched a song only she could hear. Her legs extended, her body twisted, and she rose onto her toes in ways that shouldn't have been possible given her form.

Her body arched, leaning forward, her leg extended behind her and up, her tail curled. The movement twisted down into an elegant step, and leap. Both Khaesho and Kalokin watched intently, equal parts aroused and fascinated as she moved. She twisted and jumped, moving in ways that neither had thought possible. She dipped and wove her way through the air, flowing as gracefully as a leaf blown on the wind, until her dance came to an awe inspiring halt. He stared at her as she fought to regain her breath, momentarily unable to speak. It was short, only five or so minutes of actual dancing. Though as she slowed, and stopped, her body was leaned back, balanced precariously as her chest heaved. Her eyes were closed, and there was a flush to her face, beneath her fur.

"That wass... beautiful. I have never ssseen anything of the sort... you certainly deserve center stage."

She began to straighten and gathered her breath, offering a breathless grin to him. A blush spread across her cheeks, and she fidgeted shyly as he uncoiled himself and slowly made his way across the ground towards her before he pulled himself up to embrace her. Rather than waste effort keeping himself upright though, he gently pulled her to the ground where he wrapped the bottom half of his tail around her, squeezing gently to show his affection. She nestled into his embrace, laughing softly as she stroked his chest. She cuddled into him, feeling pleased by his warm affection as he squeezed her. She peppered kisses along the length of his jaw and swept her tongue across his neck as she nuzzled under his chin.

"I am... thank you... I am so pleased..."

"Why thank me? I only sspoke what was true."

Her rough tongue tickled as she dragged it across his neck. His heart beat a little faster, and his cocks began to swell again, pushing forth from their scaly prison.

"Because... most people only see the mistakes I make..."

She admitted it softly as she licked him again. It was more just an affectionate gesture than an attempt to arouse him, though she didn't mind that happening either. He turned his head down sharply, catching her tongue with her own, and used the prehensile organ to pull her into a soft, sweet kiss. His hands rubbed across her back, and though one stayed high to hold her close, the other drifted lower, until he caught a soft handful of her hindquarters. Her tongue swept along his, tasting the dry heat of the desert mixed with the sharp tang of his blood. Her eyes had drifted closed, and her ears pinned slowly back. Her hips wriggled into his hand as she melted into his embrace. She lost a strangled moan in their kiss as she pressed into the touch with pleasure.

He slowly pulled back from the kiss, and looked into her eyes. He felt a small twinge of guilt for what he did next, but he did it nonetheless. He put just the tiniest bit of hypnosis into his glance, hopefully enough to make her believe what he said, without her noticing that he'd done so. She stared back at him, her eyes half lidded and breathing softly. Ears perked slowly, and her cheeks were flushed as she fell into the hypnosis easily. It took next to nothing to capture her mind for him; she was aroused by it, and easily susceptible. She wanted it. Her breath evened out slightly, softened and calmed. When he kissed her again, she kissed him back. A soft moan as her eyes closed once more and her hands slid up to slide around his neck. She pressed in close to him as her chest heaved a little bit, and her heart pounded against her chest.

"You are beautiful, and your dance was awe-inspiring. Perfection means different things to different people, and if you danced flawlessly for a thousand lifetimes, you could never have even a single moment which everyone might agree is perfect. If others choose to look for flaws in pursuit of perfection, that is their error; our flaws are what make us beautiful."

He kissed her again, and the magic faded from him. Spoken under the effects of his trance, she'd not remember what he'd said, only what he meant. She was beautiful, and it was a grievous error to destroy something beautiful to create something perfect.