Discovering a 'Tist

Chapter 1

"Hi Mister Mesmer" it felt so strange for Ash to type that, unsure if that titling was appropriate, but not having any other ideas on how to start.

"Thank you I suppose for your work. The file I listened to last night definitely 'surprised me' and I've enjoyed most of your other work as well..."

Ash wasn't sure what else to say. It felt right to say that much at least, as he was truly enjoying the work and service someone else was doing seemingly for free, ignoring the content locked behind Patreon paywalls. He didn't really have any notes or recommendations, as he felt like a total novice in terms of hypnosis. He decided to simply end the message describing how he looked forward to future content and sent it. He didn't know what to make of this interaction, but nothing had been unpleasant at all. Again, it seemed to Ash closer to fan-mail than anything else.

Some hours later he got a response from Mister Mesmer thanking him for expressing his support, and asking him about how Ash had been engaging with the content. Over the next few days he emailed back and for with Mister Mesmer talking about how these had been the first files Ash had found, a what he thought about both the sexual and non-sexual content. Mesmer shared with him some of his experiences he'd had in making the content, and how things had changed over time, from him starting hypnosis for himself as a therapeutic hobby for his anxiety, similarly to Ash.

Over the next few weeks they began emailing back and forth consistently, and eventually Ash found out Mister Mesmer's real name was Michael. They wrote messages to each other daily, almost like pen-palls, and after enough time he built up the confidence to ask to meet up in person. He found out they both lived in New York, and Ash offered to meet in central park, knowing that in a city that big there wasn't really any chance of him giving away where he lived or any important details he didn't want to, and the public space would be a perfect neutral 3rd place.

Mister Mesmer, or Michael, agreed, and they set a time and date for the first time they would meet one another. The day came and their first interaction went incredibly well as far as Ash thought. Michael was 35, roughly 7 years older than Ash, and had lived in New York his whole life; unlike Ash who had moved to the city for college 3 years ago. Michael was bisexual, and Ash had already passed through his experimentation phase and was very confident in his own homosexuality.

They talked about how it was somewhat strange, that they'd already shared intimate moments, as the files Ash had listened to were plainly sexual in experience, and Michael was completely aware of their outcomes from their creation. It also helped that Ash was finding Michael very attractive in person, tall and broad man who clearly kept himself in good physical fitness, but no emphasis on toning, just exercising strength.

He also noticed the difference of intonations in Michaels voice when he wasn't speaking for the purpose of hypnosis, Ash didn't feel any of the usual effects from just talking that listening to the files induced. They talked about that experience, and the conversation moved to Michael asking Ash if he was looking for anything, and Ash answered him honestly, that he wasn't seeing anyone at the moment and the thought of getting together with someone like Michael was incredibly exciting.

They agreed to meet again next week at central park again, and before they parted, Michael gave Ash direct access to some of the paywall locked files Ash had seen on Mister Mesmer's website. He told Ash that he wanted to try something more exciting the next time they met up, and if he listened to these files they would lead to a more "intimate experience."

Ash left that first meeting excited and eager and began listening through the catalogue as soon as he got home. However, unlike most of the other files he'd listened to previously, all these new ones had serious inductions in the beginning, and impassible memory alterations at the end. Ash would simply start listening, feel himself dropping down into trance, then wake up feeling refreshed, but also slightly frustrated. No matter what he tried he couldn't remember the content of the files and he had promised not to jump to the middle of any of them to try and peek at what they contained.