"Keep them teddy bears!" shouted the entire audience, of course convinced that it was all a show, a game and that the real Jared and Tayla were somewhere else, laughing their heads off.
They all watched the two cute bears leave the scene. The Ringmaster smirked. If only they knew... But this way, recruitment for the circus was easy and gathered new ideas thanks to the public. He was already thinking of keeping Jayla and Tayla for good. Their show would delight young children, especially girls. But perhaps another volunteer, not yet knowing that he could become a recruit, be found? It was always interesting to toy with ideas.
"Anyone else who would like to volunteer?" beamed the Ringmaster.
A few people laughed, some raised their hands but the Ringmaster spotted his next victim. A very large man, all of muscles, who was sitting with a more slender one. Obviously a homosexual couple but he could work with that. Actually, it could be very interesting. One never knew. He called him over and the man came, annoying his partner greatly. Well, not for long, rest all assured, thought the Ringmaster.
"Ready to become what you love?" asked jovially the Ringmaster.
"I guess," smiled the man, now a bit apprehensive. "I'm just curious, that's all."
"No worries," smiled the Ringmaster. "Is that your cousin over there?"
"Nah, he's my boyfriend."
Of course. The excuse of assuming he was his cousin helped solve the mystery, which wasn't really one to start with.
"All right. Let's see if you can resist the hypnosis, shall we?"
He let the silver ball glow, its pulsating light capturing the attention and willpower of the large man. His impressive muscles would not help him here. His eyes lost their focus and he was literally mesmerised by the light, plunging into it like in a warm soothing bath. The Ringmaster rendered his voice just as caressing. His victim had to trust him fully from that point on.
"You can only listen to my voice. Only mine, do you understand?"
"Yes,..."
"But that hardly mattered because I am your friend. Your closest friend. Anything you say is completely safe with me. Don't you agree?"
The man nodded slowly.
"And what I ask is simple. What could you be? If you could be anything? Say, an animal?"
"A... A dolphin... Or shark... Or... Or a porpoise. I like the gym but I love the sea."
"What a beautiful notion!" beamed the Ringmaster. "I suppose a porpoise would be good. More original than a dolphin or shark. Perfect. Now imagine yourself as a muscular humanoid porpoise merman. You have a great porpoise or orca head, a human-like torso and your lower body as a porpoise tail. Or body. Like a porpoise centaur, if you will. How do you feel, like that?"
The man had a dreamy smile and his eyes were full of wonder. The Ringmaster chuckled. That required no further explanation!
"What is your life like?"
"Beautiful! I love it! It's a dream!"
"Thanks to me, it looks real indeed!"
"Yes! Yes! How can I thank you?" said the man, his heart full of a somewhat misplaced gratitude.
Exactly what the Ringmaster had been hoping for.
"How about... How about a few tricks?" asked with false innocence the Ringmaster.
"Sure!"
The Ringmaster wasted no time. He snapped his fingers and a puff of blue smoke engulfed the entire stage. When it cleared, it was to present a big pool of water in which a merman the size of the muscular man had been. He circled the pool, jumping and diving, amidst gasps and a lot of clapping. The Ringmaster bowed to his amazed audience.
However, the big man's partner, after clapping a little, exclaimed to demand where his "friend" was. This was going to be amusing. The Ringmaster told him to approach the basin, which he did, clearly very exasperated at the prospect at being the center of attention, or at least, this sort of attention. From the way he held himself, it was also certain that he knew he was quite good-looking. As he got near to the basin, scowling and sounding very much sceptical, the merman snatched him, dragged him into the water and wrapped him in his arm and tail. Exactly as the Ringmaster expected! He let a cloud of sand swirl around them both and when it cleared, the second man had turned into a pale merman with a bright red plumy crest and tail typical of tropical fish. The poor former human was so confused that he was speechless, letting the crowd cheered, whistle and become overwhelmed with excitement. The Ringmaster bowed and made everything disappear in a puff of white smoke. In its wake, Jared, Tayla and the two men arrived, mere clones to vanish without a trace within a week. They waved and everyone bought the illusion and returned home happy of this wondrous spectacle.
Within the circus itself, things were slightly altered. Jayla and Tayla were adjusting remarkably well and had their own little trailer, decorated as what little girls would adore. A real princess-y cocoon and haven where they already had tea parties and revelled in everything girly and pink. However, things did not go as smoothly for the two mermen. The muscular one, Chester, was adapting remarkably well but even under hypnosis, his friend Klaus was a lot more reluctant. I missed his former life too much and was just less susceptible to suggestions. It happened but after talking to Chester, the wizards of the circus got an idea. Perhaps some little ones would help[ him get used to his new life and form an attachment. Something precious to protect. Good idea. But some subjects had to be found.
A warlock had brought a young college student as she returned from the gym late one evening. Snatched quickly as he pretended to have lost his dog. Proved she had a good heart, to get worried for an animal she did not know. And she had the right body. Everything required in the right places! Then a young man had been intercepted as he came home from the campus library. The sort of shy sweet youngster. With the parties occurring during the weekend, he had been thrust into a car, after being shot with a sleeping drug, quite easily. The warlocks had then regressed them to young children, physically and mentally. They had cried for their mothers at first, but making them into a tropical mermaid for one and a humanoid marine creature resembling a sea lion had meant their confusion made the hypnosis and amnesia spells quite effective. Frightened and lost, they had snatched onto the first beings that had acted parental towards them and Klaus and Chester had finally found themselves a happy couple with children. They were content together and calm, far away from the annoying worries that came with being human. And Chester and Klaus were good parents, always watching after their little ones. They were very popular when their performances were aimed at a homosexual audience too. And both merman were learning fast all the ropes of good parenting. Through it, they reinforced their two darling pups into their new, better lives. Those two were sure to become good performers as well!