Yumi's Pendant
by BluRider
Lurking out-of-sight among the tulips, Grandpa Dankichi had never seen his sweet little granddaughter like this.
She wore her usual cheerful outfit, a big golden bow in her hair, a neat white shirt and a pretty red dress that mostly left her legs bare. However, today Hanazono Yumi sat alone in the flower shop, running a hand through the braid in her rich brown hair. The little girl's bright blue eyes were large and liquid as she counted the petals on a red Camellia. Occasionally her eyes would dart to the small board where her father had placed photos of his staff. The whole Hanazono family were pictured, Grandpa himself excepted, as were the young Misawa boys: tall, handsome Kyouhei and her chubby classmate Kenta. Yumi sighed listlessly.
Grandpa wasn't the only one watching: two white fairy-creatures peered out from amongst the white roses, cringing visibly every time the girl looked back at the red flower - as though she might start plucking petals any moment. Suddenly their ears pricked up, and both catlike fairies hit the deck.
"Granddaughter!" rumbled the green-bearded old adventurer with a loving smile, stepping out so she could see him.
Yumi jumped, startled, but immediately turned to smile at him with a cute expression. "Ojiichan!" she replied happily, with only a slight quaver in her voice.
"The shop's already closed, Yumi. Are you alone?"
The little girl sniffed, and nodded without meeting his eyes.
"Then how about we go get you an ice cream?"
She shook her head. "No, thank you."
Dankichi frowned, running a hand through her hair. "Is everything OK, Yumi-chan?"
"Yes," she answered softly. "Everything's fine. I just... don't feel like doing anything, is all."
"Ah," he said, nodding. Then, he twirled his thick moustache with a sly expression. "Then I will teach you a magic trick, to make you feel refreshed and energetic again."
She looked up at him. "Hm? A magic trick?"
"I learned it from a real shaman. It'll make you feel better. Here," he said, lifting her hand up in front of her own eyes. "Look up at your hand, like this." He took her other hand in his, and said, "Now focus on your fingers, OK? Look closely at the hand in front of you, and start to count upward on your fingers, but count two for every finger?"
Yumi looked up at her hand curiously. "Alright... um, two. Four. Six. Eight. Ten. Um, twelve... Fourtee-"
Suddenly her grandfather tugged on her other hand, pulling her off balance. The fingers she was counting came down over her eyes and pushed her head back, and she fell into a dizzy darkness as her grandpa roared the word, "Sleep!"
For a moment, they were both silent. Then, Dankichi grinned and said, "Now, when you wake up you will feel happy and refreshed. Awaken!"
Yumi started giggling, her whole body shaking with laughter as she dizzily peeled the hand off her face and shook her head, blinking. "W-what are you doing, Grandpa?"
"It's magic. I told you, it always works," he rumbled through his beard with a smile. "Do you feel better now?"
Yumi was still smiling a little bit, but shook her head sadly. "Magic doesn't work for everything," she said, stealing a glance down at the satchel in which she kept her magic wand. Then, she cheered up a little, saying, "Especially not silly magic like that." Yumi gave him a weak little grin.
Among the roses, the fairies muttered to one another. "Magic?" one squeaked. "But Kakemaru, that wasn't magic at all, was it?"
"Be quiet, Keshimaru!" hissed the other.
Grandpa Dankichi, meanwhile, was frowning, looking down at his downcast granddaughter sadly as he gave her a big hug. "OK," he said. "I was going to save this for your birthday in a few days, but I see you need it now." Then, displaying with a flourish that there was nothing in his sleeves, he pulled out a little box as if from nowhere.
Yumi's eyes brightened, as he opened it and withdrew a beautiful gold pendant that glittered beautifully in the light. "Oh," she gasped, reaching for the pendant. "Grandfather, it's beautiful!"
Dankichi pulled it gently out of her reach, saying, "It's also magical!" He dangled it in front of her eyes. "With this pendant's protection, you need never feel fearful or sad. It has a powerful spell on it. Would you like to see?"
Yumi nodded, looking happily up at the pendant. "Yes, please!"
"Very good, then just follow the pendant with your eyes," he ordered his grandchild. "Keep staring at it and do not look away. Just watch it go back and forth... that's right, back and forth..."
Her wide blue eyes going back and forth, Yumi made a little noise of assent, watching the pendant.
"Watch it closely, Yumi, more and more closely," he commanded, his voice getting lower and deeper, "until you start to feel like the pendant is all you can see, and everything else fades away."
She nodded, her eyes sparkling as they traced its path through the air.
"Your eyelids must be getting heavy, as you're staring up like that. Don't try to force them open. Let them close... that's right." He held up the pendant even higher, forcing her to lift her gaze. "Soon, you'll be feeling much, much better. Soon you'll be deep asleep, feeling warm and safe and happy, letting nothing bother you at all... and when you awaken again, you will be full of energy and life."
Yumi was smiling and craning her neck upward, her eyes slowly closing as she followed the pendant back and forth.
Grandfather continued to swing the glinting pendant until her body relaxed entirely. "Close your eyes, darling," he ordered finally. "Just sleep."
Still sitting up with her eyes closed, her pupils swinging back and forth beneath their lids, his granddaughter's face was serene and relaxed except for her sincere, slightly upturned smile.
"How do you feel, Yumi-chan?"
Unable to hold it in any longer, she started giggling again, much richer and more cheerful than before. "Your magic pendant must be broken, Ojiichan," she teased him happily, opening one eye and slightly sticking out her tongue. "I'm sorry but it isn't working at all."
In a bush nearby, a voice chirped, "It's broken?"
Another voice hissed, "Shh!" Quickly, the fairies' conversation intensified in barely-heard whispers.
Peering up at the golden pendant curiously, Dankichi shook it with a look of mock-confusion. "I guess it doesn't work after all," he rumbled jovially, winking down at his happy and giggling granddaughter. His eyes crinkling with mirth, he added, "Or did it? Looking at you now, I think the magic worked just fine." He gave her a big hug. "Happy birthday in advance, darling!"
A few more mutters went unheard behind them, and the roses shook as two small heads popped out of them. "Pastel Poppuru Poppin-pa!" piped two small voices. Then came another rustle of flowers, as the fairies hopped back out of sight.
"What did you say, darling?" asked Dankichi, grinning.
"Huh? I didn't say anything..." Yumi broke off from the hug and turned her head as if to listen, and as she did her grandpa thought he saw a glittering light swirling around her.
Her grandfather shrugged, blinking and rubbing his eyes, content that at least she was full of energy again. "OK then, go and play. But don't forget your present!"
He dropped it to hang between his fingers as he held it out to her, dangling it again in front of Yumi's eyes. A change came over his granddaughter as he did so, the little girl's eyes opening wider and wider as they glued themselves to the hanging gem. Her jaw fell open, twitching slightly as if she were trying to speak. All of a sudden she began to wobble unsteadily, her body moving with the pendant as it swivelled on the end of its chain.
"Yumi?" called her grandfather confusedly.
She just hung there unsteadily like a marionette, gaping transfixed at the pendant. "Y-yyyessss..." she answered slowly, in a monotone voice.
The old adventurer just scratched his head. "Well, that's quite a delayed reaction."
Yumi woke up suddenly, starting as if she had dozed off for only a second. She looked around confusedly.
Her grandfather was holding a drink from the fridge in his hand, sipping it. She frowned. Had he had that a moment ago? In his other hand, he held her pendant. It sparkled beautifully in the light, and a big grin grew on Yumi's face as she began to stare at it. It was so beautiful, she couldn't look away. The beautiful pendant filled her vision, and she felt herself slump forward. She got suddenly dizzy, as if the world were spinning, the beautiful pendant at the center of it all. And then, she fell asleep again.
"Hey, wake up!" ordered her grandpa, snapping his fingers. His hands were empty this time.
Little Yumi blinked groggily, rubbing her eyes. "W-what?"
"I said, I've never seen someone go so deeply under hypnosis so quickly before. I only meant to relax you a little."
"H-hypnosis?" Yumi asked, her voice uncertain.
"Yes. Just now, I hypnotized you."
"W... wait a minute!" said Yumi, frowning. "It didn't work at all. I remember!"
Dankichi roared with laughter. "Actually, I tested it. I had you go and get me a drink while you were under. Then, I even got you to take the glass back. It's amazing how strongly you respond to hypnosis..." He trailed off, scratching his beard, "it could even be dangerous!"
"I didn't do that," His granddaughter giggled, shaking her head, "You're being silly!"
Her grandpa ignored that, saying, "OK, this time I want you to look at the pendant, but be aware of what's happening. Don't let yourself go to sleep, OK? I don't want anybody to hypnotize you like this against your will."
At this, he withdrew the glittering pendant from his pocket, and once again swung it in front of the little girl's eyes. Yumi's long eyelashes trembled as her deep blue eyes began to stare.
"B-but... gra- ... grand-fath-er... I -" Yumi's voice trailed off as her mouth began to fall slack. She staggered slightly backwards, dizzy again... and she felt a warmth at her breast, where the special locket that usually powered her magic wand sat over her heart. The pendant in front of her eyes seemed to glow with the same magic and warmth, and Yumi fell irresistibly back into a trance as her body relaxed, involuntarily slumping forward.
Grandpa looked disappointed at her. Yumi blinked fiercely, frowning back.
"What?" she challenged, hands on her hips.
"Two swings!" her grandfather replied, scratching his head again. His other hand was holding another drink. "I swing it twice in front of your eyes, and you're practically a zombie. I told you not to go under, OK? Now pay attention, and concentrate!"
Yumi nodded and set her jaw. "I will," she declared, steeling herself. "This time I won't let it-"
Taking a sip of his fresh drink, Dankichi let the pendant fall into her line of sight.
"C-uhh-c-controlll... m-meee..." Yumi finished lamely, already struggling not to go under for the pendant. Gritting her teeth, she concentrated fiercely, refusing to let this strange power embarrass her any further.
The old man just watched, swinging the pendant.
The determined little girl's fierce, concentrated gaze was magnetized completely by the swinging locket. Her resolute expression was beginning to relax as her words echoed, her mouth slurring the phrase, "C... cuuuhhhhh... ccooonntroolll mmeeee..." It wasn't said in defiance this time. All the resistance had gone out of Yumi's tone, leaving her staring obediently forward. It was a request. "Controlll mmeee..."
Clearly flabbergasted, and no longer holding a drink, Grandpa Dankichi just handed his little girl the pendant. "Well... I give up," he said, pressing it into the blinking, half-asleep girl's palm. He grinned warmly. "Either you're simply the most hypnotizable girl on the planet, or else this pendant here really is magical."
As Yumi slowly awoke, her mind catching up with his words, her dazed, surprised-looking face transitioned quickly to an annoyed expression. Suspiciously, she cast her gaze into the bushes, where even now two white catlike creatures could still be seen nodding at each other and looking self-congratulatory. She shot them such a withering glare, that the surprised little fairies both twitched and shouted, "Poppuniko Piririm-pa!", suddenly vanishing in two puffs of colored smoke.
"Pay attention!" Looking serious, her Grandfather admonished Yumi, waggling his finger. "I want you to promise me you'll never play with hypnosis, OK? You're much too susceptible to it."
She nodded quickly, her eyes wide.
"Good girl," Dankichi declared. "You shouldn't play with this kind of power. If, God forbid, some boy were to find out how obedient you get under hypnosis... You would wake up as his bride!"
"H-his bride..." repeated Yumi wide-eyed, clutching the pendant tightly in her hand.
The old man chortled to himself, as if at an excellent joke. "Yeah, I guarantee it," he declared. He snorted with laughter once more, reaching down to tousle the girl's hair. "Now run alo-" He blinked. Yumi was nowhere to be seen. He looked around. Where had she gone?
Dankichi scratched his head and shrugged, then went to fetch himself something to eat.
Yumi didn't want to exhaust the power of her magic locket by using her wand, so she ran all the way to the Misawas' seaside boathouse on foot.
Kyouhei let her in, and almost as soon as he did so she began speaking rapidly and breathlessly, holding out a glittering necklace and chattering so fast that Kyouhei couldn't make out a single word.
"Slow down, slow down!" laughed the tall young man, smiling down at her eager, excited expression. "You want to do what?"
"Play a game," she said, grinning. "My grandpa just taught me." Her face was flushed bright red, and her flat chest rose and fell evenly with her deep, nervous breaths.
He nodded, turning away. "OK, I'll go get Ke-"
"No, wait!" she cried, grabbing his arm. She shuffled her foot shyly, saying, "It's only for two."
"Alright," Kyouhei accepted, raising a dark eyebrow with interest. "How does your grandfather's game, work?"
She squealed with delight, pressed something into his hand, and then plopped down in a chair. "You..." she swallowed hard, then started again. "You start by swinging that pendant in front of my eyes..."
Kyouhei stepped behind her seat, just out of sight, and unfurled the little necklace so that it dropped directly in front of her eyes, dominating her vision. He started to swing it. "And then what do I do?" he asked.
Yumi was suddenly quiet. Her eyes were staring, already. All she could see was the sparkling pendant. Her mouth fell open, as the sparkles appeared in her eyes.
"Yumi?" asked Kyouhei. "What do you want me to do next?"
Her body shuddered, sinking into deep, deep relaxation on the chair. Her mouth moved. "A-... anything..." she whispered.
Her eyelids heavy, her whole hypnotized body hanging limp, she happily awaited his commands.
And then, Kyouhei's phone rang.
The magic disappeared.
It took Yumi a while to orient herself. When she did, however, she was disappointed to find out that nothing had changed.
"... Kyouhei?" she murmured unsteadily.
Two catlike heads popped up.
"We distracted him with a phone sound!" trilled Kakimaru.
"Quickly, we have to flee while he's away!" chirped Keshimaru.
"W-wha-?" stammered Yumi.
"He was about to use the hypnosis magic!" piped the one.
"We protected you!" added the other. "C'mon!"
Yumi's blushed bright red. She sat up in her chair, and pointed out the window. "I don't need your help! Get out of here, and leave us alone!"
"But Yumi, you'll be helpless!" Keshimaru cautioned.
"What if he marries you, like Jiisan said?" warned Kakimaru.
Yumi balled her hands into fists, squeezed shut her eyes and shouted, "Get out right now! And don't come back!"
Taken aback by her intensity, the fairies flew away.
Yumi was settling back comfortably in her seat when suddenly, and without warning, the pendant reappeared before her eyes.
Sparkling, it called her to return to that warm feeling. Yumi smiled, letting her eyes go wide, her body slumping and relaxing in her seat as she slid forward, irresistibly following the pendant's swing.
And as she swayed in place, compelled to follow the pendant, giving in to the enthralling power of hypnosis, she heard a soft, repetitive sound. She focused through the haze on the wet, rhythmic sound of chewing... and her heart stopped cold, her body frozen, as she heard Kenta's high-pitched voice say, "Watch the pendant."
Behind her, eating an egg sandwich with his other hand, the one who held the pendant was a chubby little boy. She was being hypnotized by Kenta!
She jerked aside in a panic, falling dizzily off of the chair. The large round child loomed over her, still holding out the pendant. Her world spun about, as Yumi struggled to escape. Her eyes snapped to the pendant involuntarily, her body twitching on the ground in helpless relaxation. Her mouth gaped wide in horror, but her eyes saw nothing else.
Kenta smacked his lips noisily as he ate, licking his fingers as he unknowingly hypnotized his classmate with the other hand. He looked confused, as though puzzled by her behavior. Yumi just stared with her mouth open, saying nothing. Dimly, she felt the warmth of her magical locket increase against her chest as it fed power to the pendant that controlled her against her will. Finally, before she could complete the thought, Kenta broke the silence. "Yumi," he whined. "My brother said you're meant to be in the chair. Sit back down!"
Yumi's pupils shrank to small dots as she felt herself react immediately to his words. "Yyyessss... mmy... mmaster..." she breathed softly, getting involuntarily up off the ground and moving back into the chair as if she were on strings. A shudder ran down her whole body as she realized she couldn't help but obey Kenta's commands.
"M-master?" stammered Kenta, a smile beginning to take shape as he wiped his mouth and lifted up the pendant. "Me?"
Her eyes popped open wide as he swung the pendant before her. A pulse of warmth and magic from her locket registered through the numbness of her trance. Her hands trembled as she reached to remove the magic locket from around her neck, hoping to cancel its power.
"Sit properly!" snapped Kenta, beginning to enjoy himself.
She obeyed immediately, her hands falling back to her sides as though he'd tied them down. They twitched upward helplessly, straining to reach the magic locket, or her wand.
Grinning wickedly and trying to look like a scary evil master, Kenta brandished the hypnotic pendant playfully. "S-so, what do you want to do next, my minion?"
Yumi gritted her teeth, trying to move her hands. Unable to ignore him, she responded in a breathless voice, saying, "I- I'll ... take off... my..." She looked down at her locket, but was able to stop herself from mentioning the locket. She couldn't let Kenta know she was a Magical Girl!
"Take off..." Kenta followed her gaze down to her shirt, and the fat little boy began to breathe heavily, blushing. "T-take off your clothes??" he gasped incredulously.
The little girl shook visibly in the chair as he said this, then stood up, her eyes nearly rolling up in her head. Against her will, she said, "Yyyeesssss, mmmaassterr!" Yumi watched through glazed-over eyes as her own little hands ran up and down her body, numbly untying knots and pulling at her clothing, tickling her tingling, hypersensitive body all over as the hypnotized little girl let her dress, her shirt and the bow in her hair flutter slowly to the ground one after the other. Soon, she was wearing nothing but her snowy-white panties and the magic locket around her neck.
Kenta stared in wordless shock, the pendant slipping from his limp fingers to land on top of her clothing, on the ground.
Yumi was the first to stir, awakening slowly from her mindless trance to the unaccustomed feeling of the crisp sea air blowing in from outside across her naked chest. Ever so slowly, a deep red blush appeared on her face. She swallowed nervously. Then, looking down, the dizzy little girl saw herself standing half-naked in her underwear in front of Kenta. Adrenaline pounding, she felt her blood rushing from head to toe, her entire body blushing bright red in mortified embarrassment. Her voice rose in a scream: "Kyyaaaaaaa!"
Embarrassed half to death, Yumi bent over to reach into the pocket of her discarded dress. With a flick of her wrist, she extended a long magic wand, and her locket and wand both shone with mystical power as she pointed the wand at Kenta and drew a herd of angry creatures in the air.
Kenta's mouth twitched into a foolish grin, still taking in the sight of her in her underwear. He didn't even register the strangeness of the floating animals until he heard her call out "Pastel Poppuru Poppin-pa!" Then, suddenly, the animals were real... and stampeding directly at him! Kenta had barely a moment to process his danger, before the angry horde caught up with him and sent him flying. The creatures barrelled out the door with him in tow, and took part of the doorframe along with them. A swirling cloud of dust rose in the room from the animals' passing.
Yumi let out a deep breath, picking up the hypnotic pendant where he'd dropped it. Her heart pounding, she pointed her wand at the pendant in anger and embarrassment, drawing a breath to drain its magic, before it caused any more trouble.
She never got the chance.
"Yumi?" called Kyouhei as he came back in. "Is anything the ma-" he stopped short, blinking as he got dust in his eyes.
"Pastel Poppuru Poppin-pa!" cried Yumi hastily. To Kyouhei's dust-blinded eyes, the little girl seemed to be glowing when he re-entered, her little red dress a swirl of glittering lights. He could've sworn he saw her kick some laundry hastily behind the furniture, but Kyouhei was distracted by the damage to the exit door. He rubbed his eyes incredulously, clearing his vision.
His dark brows lowering, the tall young man looked down at Yumi. She was dressed normally - apparently the glow had been a trick of the light - but she was trembling slightly, and refusing to meet his eyes. His face softened and he smiled at her. "Relax, I'm not going to blame you for this. I'm sure my clumsy brother just got carried away with your game and broke something, as usual."
Yumi let out a sigh of relief. She began to bow respectfully and edge away, sweating a little. "Th-thank you Kyouhei. I- I'm sorry I suggested this silly game." She turned to leave, herself.
"Hey! I'm really sorry about my brother," Kyouhei called after her. "That game, do you still want to play it?"
Yumi looked back at him, wide-eyed. She could feel her locket flickering beneath her shirt, its magic slowly running out. "N-no, thank you. I have to go," she said.
He reached out his hand. "Yumi, are you feeling well? Did anything happen? Has Kenta done something?"
Her locket flickered. Her heart pounded. Yumi looked at the door, then back at Kyouhei, and back at the door. She took a deep, shaking breath. She balled her fists. She made her decision... and turned to Kyouhei.
"Control me," she said, avoiding his gaze.
Kyouhei widened his eyes. "He... What? Kenta controlled you?"
"Y-yes... I mean, no. That's not what I meant," she stammered, looking him up at him with big and liquid eyes.
Kyouhei leaned down with concern. Gently, he asked, "What did you mean?"
"J-just what I said," she answered slowly. A calm settled over her as she looked into his handsome face. Her shyness fell away as she added, "I do still want to play with you and, well..." She blushed, grinning impishly as she held up the pendant from before. "It's me or you under control."
Uncertainly, Kyouhei held the pendant up before her. Then, when he looked into her eyes, he understood.
Yumi felt her locket flicker faster as the last of its magic flowed into the hypnotic pendant. Then, the feeling was washed away completely as her shining eyes were caught up irresistibly in the pendant's swing. She felt her body stiffen and stand almost on her tiptoes as the tall young man held it up high to totally enthrall her. Her rosy lips fell open and her stance began to sway as she fell into a deep, obedient trance.
He was amazed just by the look of her, glowing with confidence and magic as she willingly gave herself up to his control. "Y-you are under my control," ordered Kyouhei, but he felt as if it was the other way around. His gaze was locked to hers.
"I am under your control," the little girl repeated obediently. As if on cue, her magically summoned clothing vanished into thin air, leaving her falling away from the raised pendant wearing only her white panties. She settled slowly into a subservient, deeply relaxed position at his feet. "Command me, master." She looked up at him through glazed and vacant eyes, smiling slightly. "I will obey your every command."