Human brain manipulation

The door did not even work like an elevator. It opened immediately into a luxurious living room that looked different than when she was in it earlier. Trust the old dragon to have magical doors and a magical home that changes at every moment.

This is like Hogwarts except it doesn't have talking paintings or ghosts, just doors leading to different places and rooms and she doesn't even need to board a train to get here. This here is magic more advanced that the kinds mentioned in the wizarding books.

Zi Mei stomped into the space looking for the old dragon or Jessica or anyone she could chew out. She need to get her frustration and anger out. But as per is usual, there was no one there and Lim did not follow her in. He was nowhere in sight too. She kicked a chair in frustration.

"Dammit. Hey! Anyone here? Thorin you stupid old dragon! Where are you?!?" she shouted up into the ceiling. Surely, he can hear her from wherever he is.

There was no answer and radio silence.

"Hellllooooo!!!" she shouted again.

Silence.

She stomped down one of the wide light-filled corridors with high ceilings and intricate arches, like those you see in palaces and art galleries. Natural light streamed in from french doors that appeared to open out to verdant green gardens.

She is certain it is another illusion. She tried one of the doors and to her surprise it opened and she stepped out into an actual garden. A beautifully landscaped English garden complete with vines of flowers creeping up a wooden latticework and a manicured lawn with a stone fountain.

She gaped at the scene around her. It was like she walked into a totally different country. The air was cool and she could feel goosebumps pebbling her skin. This is definitely not tropical weather. The hot humidity was gone. It felt like a nice spring day in some country with four seasons, possible an European country judging from the garden.

"Oh wow. How impressive," she said sarcastically. "I am not in the least impressed though," she added loudly.

"You can stop showing off your ridiculous magical powers now, I totally get it, oooo...you are so powerful...so...effing...what...what's the effing big deal!" she said.

She walked around and touched the flowers. They were real. She went to the fountain and placed a hand under the rippling water and immediately withdrew it. It was cold and icy. She shivered in the cold. It was getting colder and it cuts through her thin cotton shirt easily.

She decided to get back inside. She turned around and the french doors are gone. She turned a full circle. She is now trapped in a large garden with tall hedges, like walls, surrounding it. This feels suspiciously like Alice getting lost in Wonderland. She looked around to see if there are bottles of liquid or cake labelled "eat me", just to be sure. But there were none. There was just a plain wooden bench there.

She rubbed her hands together and hugged herself. It is getting cold and for someone used to the warm and humid tropical weather, this is uncomfortably cold. She shivered and sat on the bench, looking around.

Is this his way of punishing her for calling him names? Isn't he like 3,000 years old? Isn't he supposed to be more mature than a mere mortal like her. She huddled on the bench and curled up to keep warm.

"Okay, fine, Mr Thorin the Great Dragon, I shouldn't call you names but this is kinda extreme," she said into the air.

She looked up. The sky is darkening with big fat grey clouds. It looks like it was about to rain. Now what. He's going to make it rain too? Why not make it snow while he's at it? Just let her freeze to death, she thought bitterly.

"Here…thought you needed to cool down a bit," Thorin suddenly appeared and placed a jacket over her shoulders. She quickly grabbed it and pulled it on gratefully.

"Haha. Funny. Can I go back now?" she asked between chattering teeth. She is really not used to this kind of cold. She was too cold to vent right now or to kick him.

"You wanted to talk so here I am…what is it?" he asked. He sat down next to her on the bench, looking so gorgeous and cavalier, she wanted to hug him and then slap him and then maybe kick him and kiss him.

She couldn't make up her mind whether she was angry with him or she is filled with desire for him. These two opposing emotions warred within her.

The clouds have cleared away like mists in late mornings when the sun is high up. The sky has become a brilliant blue and the temperature has risen to a nice comfortable level. She was no longer cold but the jacket provided much needed comfort so she kept it on.

She figured since he is able to control the locations at will, he must be in control of the elements too. That was one awesome magical power. That and the Midas touch both. And making her disappear from her world. No, that was not cool.

She turned to him, getting all riled up again.

"How dare you! You let me go out but you put me in an alternate universe where no one knows me!" she accused him.

He was unperturbed.

"It was not an alternate universe, we are still in the same universe, same world," he replied, matter-of-factly.

"Liar! If it's not an alternate universe, why no one remembers me? Even my own father doesn't know me and he looked different too!" she pointed out.

He was silent for a moment.

"I had to make sure you don't run away and since you don't like being "trapped" in my home, I erased all of their memories and I…how you young people say it…reprogrammed your father," he said.

She spluttered in disbelief. "What?!? Reprogram? What the…my father is not a robot or some android or AI you can reprogram…that's bullshit!"

"Well..you have seen what my powers can do…manipulating human memories are the easiest form of magic…how else do you think dragon shapeshifters can live among humans for centuries and not be caught or noticed? We have to be able to manipulate human minds and memories to continue on undisturbed and undetected," he explained.

Manipulate human memories and minds? Does this mean he can do that to her too? She narrowed her eyes at him.

"So, this means you can do the same to me too?" she asked. Did he manipulate her memories and mind at any point? She wasn't sure.

He laughed, a deep sexy sound that send shivers of arousal through her blood and sent her pulse racing.

"No. You are my perfect match and we cannot manipulate our perfect matches, you have to willingly agree to mate with me," he said. "But I can always manipulate your surroundings to suit my needs," he added.

She rolled her eyes. Of course. That makes perfect sense. He can't manipulate her so he manipulate everyone around her. Right. That is so effective.

NOT.

"And you think making all my friends and my sole relative forget me is a great way to manipulate me into jumping into your bed eagerly to have your babies? How will that make me desire you more?" she asked.

"Are you even sure you have lived among humans for centuries and thousands of years because this…this is insane. This whole mind manipulation, reprogramming, erasing, whatever you call it, is ridiculously stupid and probably the worst thing you can do,"

What was the old dragon thinking? How does making her feel like crap make her want to wholeheartedly become his mate and have his babies? What kind of logic is that? It must be some twisted dragon shapeshifter logic because obviously no human in their right mind will find this even remotely a good idea or attractive.

He merely shrugged. He looked genuinely puzzled that his nefarious brain-erasing/manipulating plan had backfired.

"How can you even be 3,000 years old and be this….dumb," she said, shaking her head in wonder.