Hypnotist: "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, for my final act of the evening, I'm going to need a couple of brave volunteers from the audience. Who's up for a bit of fun?"

The crowd murmurs, and a man eagerly raises his hand. He is sitting at a table for two with a pretty woman.

Man: "Pick me! I'll do it!"

Woman: "I don't want to. I just want to enjoy the show. Not be in it."

Man: "Come on. It'll be fun."

Hypnotist: "Excellent! Come on up."

The man jumped out of his seat and headed toward the stage.

"I think our friend's companion needs a little encouragement.

The crowd claps. Soon the pair are on stage with the Hypnotist. Mike sat on a stool, Jessica was allowed to stand on her own two feet.

Hypnotist: "Now, what's your name?"

Man: "I'm Mike."

Hypnotist: "Alright, Mike, have you ever been hypnotized before?"

Mike: "Nope, never!"

Hypnotist: "What about you ma'am? What's your name?"

Jessica: "I'm Jessica. I've never been hypnotized before either."

Hypnotist: "Well, you're both in for a treat. Now, just relax and focus on my voice. With each word I say, you'll find yourself sinking deeper and deeper into a state of relaxation."

The hypnotist begins his routine, using a combination of soothing words and gestures to induce a trance-like state in Mike and Jessica.

Hypnotist: "Mike, you believe everything I say. When I count down from three to one, you will open your eyes and you are going to truly believe you are a three-year-old girl. Jessica is your Mommy."

Mike nods his head.

The hypnotist works on Jessica next, in a complementary manner.

Hypnotist: "Jessica, you believe everything I say. When I count down from three to one, you will open your eyes and you are going to truly believe you are the mother of this adorable three-year-old. It is your dream that your little one will be in a beauty pageant. You know she would win, as you see her as the most beautiful three-year-old in the world. You just think she needs a little encouragement."

Hypnotist: "Take this." The hypnotist assistant hands Jessica a sparkly pink ball gown adorned with sequins and frills. Although it is large enough to fit an adult, it has obviously has a childish style.

The Hypnotist speaking to Mike and Jessica at the same time, when you wake up, you won't be concerned with anyone around you. Even though you can see the crowd, you believe you are backstage of a beauty pageant.

Hypnotist: "And a count of three, two, one."

With a snap of his fingers, the hypnotist triggers Mike's new belief.

Mike opened his eyes first. They were filled with wonder and the innocence of a toddler.

Jessica awoke a moment later. She bustled around Mike, holding up the sparkly pink ball gown.

Jessica: "Look at this, Mike! Isn't it just the prettiest dress you've ever seen?"

Mike looked at the dress, his face scrunching up in hesitation. "I don't know, Mommy..."

Jessica knelt down a bit to be at eye level with her 'daughter', her tone both persuasive and firm. "Sweetie, you're going to be the star of the show! Everyone will clap for you, and you'll get a big shiny crown. Don't you want to be a princess?"

Mike fidgeted with his fingers, his eyes darting to the dress and then back to his Mommy. "But I don't like it. It's itchy."

Mike didn't know how it felt, but something inside of him held him back.

Jessica sighed, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice. "Mike, sometimes we have to do things we don't like to get what we want. Trust Mommy, you'll have so much fun once you're on that stage."

Mike's lower lip quivered. As an adult man, his lip never quivered before. But he didn't argue further. Jessica took this as a sign of compliance and continued her preparations with renewed vigor. She unbuttoned his shirt and pulled down his pants, leaving him naked except for his boxers, shoes, and socks.

Mike: "But, I don't want to."

Jessica ignored him. She carefully slipped the dress over Mike's head, adjusting the fabric and smoothing out the wrinkles.

"See, you look beautiful!" Jessica exclaimed, turning Mike to face an imaginary mirror. Mike looked down at the dress he was now wearing.

The assistant returned with a pair of shoes with a low heel and white tights.

The Magician's Assistant: "Ma'am, aren't these yours?"

Jessica: "Why yes. Thank you."

Jessica pulled off Mike's shoes and socks. She snaked the right leg of the tights in her fingers and then she placed them over Mike's right foot and then up to his calf. She did the same with his left foot. Then she pulled it up to his knees, then his thighs, then she made him lift his butt to pull it to his waist.

Finally, she put the pink shoes which matched the dress on his feet.

Jessica: "No one ever looked prettier!" she gushed.

Mike smiled weakly. He didn't want to be seen in front of so many people despite being in such a pretty outfit.

Jessica moved on to Mike's hair, brushing it meticulously before pulling it into tight curls. "Hold still, sweetheart. We need to make you look perfect."

Mike winced as the brush tugged at his hair. "It hurts, Mommy."

Jessica softened her tone slightly but remained insistent. "Beauty takes a little bit of effort, Mike. You'll see, it's worth it."

Mike nodded doubtfully.

Next came the makeup. Jessica applied blush, eyeshadow, and a light coat of lipstick to Mike's slightly stubbled face, her touch both practiced and deliberate. "Almost done, just a little more. You're going to shine so brightly up there!"

Mike sat still, though his eyes were downcast. He didn't understand why looking pretty had to feel so uncomfortable. He missed his comfy clothes and the freedom of his shirt and pants.

Finally, Jessica stood back to admire her work. "There, you're perfect! Now, let's practice your walk. Remember what we practiced? Head up, big smile, and wave to the judges."

Mike nodded slightly, getting up from the stool. He tried to follow Jessica's instructions, but his steps were hesitant and his smile forced. Jessica clapped encouragingly.

"That's it, sweetie! You're doing great. Just a bit more practice and you'll be ready."

Despite his Mommy's encouragement, Mike's reluctance was clear. He didn't understand why this was so important to her, but he didn't want to disappoint her either. He took a deep breath, trying to muster up the enthusiasm his Mommy expected.

Jessica, sensing Mike's reluctance, moved close and held her daughter's hands. "Mike, you're going to be amazing. Mommy believes in you. And remember, after the pageant, we can get ice cream. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Mike's eyes brightened slightly at the mention of ice cream. "Okay, Mommy. I'll try."

Jessica hugged him tightly. "That's my girl. You're going to make Mommy so proud."

The Hypnotist spoke to Jessica as if he was the director of the pageant. "It's almost time. Is your daughter ready?"

Jessica: "She surely is."

Hypnotist: "OK, stand over there. When the spotlight hits her, she should walk around the stage."

Jessica: "I got it."

Jessica: "Alright, Mike, remember what we talked about. You've practiced so hard for this, sweetie. Just like we did at home, okay?"

Mike nodded slowly, his hands fidgeting with the frills on his dress. "Okay, Mommy."

Jessica took a deep breath, her expression a mix of determination and tenderness. "When you go out there, keep your head up high. Show everyone your beautiful smile. You're a princess, remember?"

Mike: "I'm a princess." he repeated.

Mike tried to muster a smile, though his nerves were evident. Jessica gently lifted her daughter's chin, making sure their eyes met.

Jessica: "Sweetheart, you're going to do great. Just walk slowly, take your time, and don't forget to wave at the judges. Can you do that for me?" Jessica's voice was calm but firm, reinforcing the importance of her instructions.

Mike nodded again, a bit more confidently this time. "Yes, Mommy."

Jessica beamed with pride. "That's perfect. Now, let's go over the steps one more time. When you hear your name, you walk out, stop in the middle, do a little twirl, and then walk to the end of the stage. Don't forget to wave and smile the whole time."

Mike's brow furrowed in concentration as he repeated the instructions. "Walk out, stop, twirl, walk to the end, wave and smile."

Jessica clapped her hands softly. "Exactly! You're going to be amazing. And remember, no matter what happens, I'm so proud of you."

The hypnotist signaled that it was time for Mike to go on stage. Jessica gave Mike a final hug, her voice a soft whisper in her ear. "I love you, Mike. Go out there and shine. You are the prettiest little girl out there."

Mike stood in his spot waiting for his name to be called and the spotlight to hit him. He had already plastered a large smile on his painted lips. He heard the start of the music. It would only be a few seconds more.

The Hypnotist: "Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to all stand and give a big round of applause for Little Miss Mike!"

The crowd stood up and roared as the spotlight hit Mike. He took his first step with his right foot and then brought his left foot to be parallel with his right. He repeated the procedure over and over until he was at the front of the stage. Then he stopped for a second and twirled around. During his strut on stage, scores of photos were taken. Jessica wasn't only clapping with the audience, she was calling out instructions to Mike. "Keep smiling! One foot in front of the other!" as well as other instructions.

During the twirl, the magician snapped his fingers. Mike and Jessica returned to their normal personalities. The crowd's applause became intermingled with rounds of laughter.

Mike looked down at what he was wearing and ran off the stage. Jessica was there to greet him.

"I told you I didn't want to be part of the act," Jessica told Mike as he ran past her.

The Hypnotist: "Everyone let's give another round of applause for Mike and Jessica."

Jessica tentatively walked to the center of the stage. Mike was backstage. His male apparel were on the floor on the stage.

The Hypnotist retrieved Mike's apparel and gave them to Jessica. "See if you can coax him out. Mike is truly the star of my show. Get him out here."

Jessica: "I don't know if I can."

After redressing in his proper apparel, Mike returned to the stage to accept the applause from the crowd. The Hypnotist greeted him with a shiny tiara. Mike accepted it and then exited the stage.

The show ended and everyone went home.

"I don't want to talk about it!" was all Mike told Jessica.

Several days later, Jessica's phone rang. It was the hypnotist. She was quickly put under and a moment later Mike was also under his influence. They returned to their Mommy/Little Girl personas.

After getting off the phone with the hypnotist, Jessica started to research pageants in the area. She was about to sign up Mike for the next one. This time it would be for real.

End.