Give a Mouse a Cookie

Story by Squirrel on SoFurry

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"Marlowe, a red panda, meets the owner of a cookie shop, a beguiling mouse named Aurora, and soon finds himself addicted to more than just her baked goods."

A hypnosis story! I haven't done one of these in a while. It's more lusty than romantic, admittedly.

Aurora is an established character in my sci-fi tales, and she's not too different here. Nobody ever suspects a mouse could take control of them (or the world) ... until it's too late! Also do some 'catching up' with my recurring newsroom setting.


The piebald rat behind the camera held up a furless, pink paw. Then four clawed fingers. Then three.

Two.

One.

The red light on the camera activated.

They were on-air.

"Thanks, Opal and JR," the handsome red panda with the microphone (Channel 13 Sunrise!) said, of the studio hosts. He could hear them in his earpiece. "It's ten after eight on this sunny Friday morning, and that means it's time for 'Food For Thought.' That's right! Food about town, 'under the radar,' recommended by yours truly, Marlowe ... that you and your family can visit to have that 'magical, memorable' time. Today's establishment ... well ... you might need a glass of almond milk to go with it!"

The camera panned aside to his 'guest,' the owner of today's establishment.

A she.

A very fetching mouse.

"This is Aurora, owner of 'Give a Mouse a Cookie' ... hah, fun name there ... and you've just opened here on Mass Ave, correct?" The red panda moved the microphone toward her whiskered muzzle.

"We actually opened early spring, so ... about four months now? Maybe five?" The mouse demurely clasped her paws behind her back.

"And why cookies?" the red panda wondered, putting on an interested face. But, really, he was pretending not to check Aurora out.

She was petite in stature (and buxom for her size) with striking, space-blue eyes and soft, snow-white fur. Pink appendages. And, most noticeably, wild-colored head-fur, dyed all sorts of celestial shades. Purple, magenta, teal. Almost like the northern lights.

Aurora answered, "There are other places specializing in baked goods downtown. Cupcakes, breads. Even pies. But no cookies! And I _couldn't_abide by that." Her pink, ropy tail wavered about. "They're just ... I mean, they're the perfect sweet snack. You don't need plates or utensils. Just grab and enjoy. And they come in so many varieties."

"Yeah, but those pesky crumbs!" Marlowe said.

"That's the thing," Aurora promised, tapping the side of her nose. "Our cookies are soft and chewy, not crunchy or hard, so less crumbs, more 'melt in your mouth'."

The red panda smiled. "Sounds delicious."

"Doesn't it, though?" Aurora said, smiling at the reporter.

The mouse had started out on the shy side, but as this interview was progressing, the red panda could've sworn she was starting to flirt with him. Or was that his imagination? He didn't consider himself to have a huge ego. But neither was he un-confident.

Aurora giggled, swiping at her whiskers.

This made Marlowe's smile widen. A handsome smile on an even handsomer face. Abundantly wispy whiskers, fuzzy little ears. Such warm, bold colors, too. Brick red alternating with rings of creamy white. It all gave way to black on his neck, which presumably covered his frontside (his paws were black), while the red went down his nape and back.

The rat behind his camera flashed his wrist at the red panda. He was wearing a watch, and he tapped it with a claw, miming 'stay on schedule!'

"Now," Marlowe continued, clearing his throat. "I'm told you have some samples on paw this morning?"

"I do, Marlowe," Aurora said, gesturing like a gameshow model.

The camera pulled back, revealing a table with some trays, showing practically the whole menu of cookies. It was really only _half_the menu. The daily offerings were a rotation. The best-sellers were available every single day while the others varieties shuffled in and out.

"Holy heck! I don't know where to start," the red panda said.

Aurora decided to guide him through it, using her long, ropy tail as a pointer.

"One of our most popular cookies is the 'Peanut Butter Hug,' which is a peanut butter blossom with white chocolate in the mix and a white chocolate Hershey hug melted into the top."

"Ooh. Talk about a mouthful ... "

"Also, we've got our classic snickerdoodle ... with a spin. Twice the usual amount of vanilla, pure vanilla, and a hint of various secret spices."

"Mmm!" Marlowe had reached for a cookie and was already swallowing a bite. "What's this one ... hah, sorry, I couldn't wait!"

"That's our 'oat-cran-coconut,' with oatmeal, whole dried cranberries, and finely shredded angel coconut."

"Coconut?" the red panda echoed, taking another bite.

"Most people don't like coconut because of the texture. Well, this coconut is so fine you don't even feel it! But you still get every bit of that light, delicate flavoring."

"Wow." He nodded at the camera, giving a thumbs up and talking with his mouth full. "Unbe ... mmf, unbelievable, guys!" he said to the studio. Then to Aurora, "Thanks for having us today."

"Thanks for visiting!"

"There you have it, folks! If you give a mouse a cookie, they just might open a cookie shop! Look them up online for hours of operation and the full menu."

In his earpiece, Marlowe could hear Opal and JR chuckling and making manufactured small talk about cookies as the cameras went back to them.

The camera on location went dark.

They were off-air.

The rat cameraman gave a thumbs up, gathering the equipment to load into the van parked on the street outside. The station was barely ten minutes from here (depending on traffic). Marlowe had behind-the-scenes duties to attend to when he wasn't doing his culinary features.

Marlowe looked at the mouse. No rings on her paws. But that didn't mean she wasn't taken. "Thanks for having me," he said.

Paws clasped behind her back and breasts jutting forward, Aurora swayed her hips as replied, "Not often I get free publicity."

"No problem. It's deserving! You make a mean cookie."

"Hopefully, not too mean."

"Heh." The red panda felt some heat in his cheeks. She _was_flirting with him. He didn't realize mice were so forward! Unable to help himself, he blurted, "Y'know, I'm surprised you keep such a beautiful figure ... what with all the cookies you have to taste test."

"I get plenty of exercise." She winked.

"Doing what?"

A bucktoothed grin. "That would be telling."

Pulse quickening, the red panda nodded. "Well. We'll get out of your fur before you open." He noticed an employee entering the kitchen through a back door, the lights and ovens being switched on.

"Before you go ... "

"Yes?" His fuzzy, angular ears perked to attention.

"Won't you take a gift box with you? For your co-workers? They'll probably be mad if you don't bring them anything."

"Newscasters are pretty ornery," he confirmed.

"Even Fib the Morning Mouse?"

"Nah, he's a goodie good."

"Most mice are."

"Are you 'most mice'?" Marlowe wondered.

"I wouldn't say so." She didn't elaborate. Just asked, "How about you?"

"Mm?"

Aurora walked behind the glass display case embedded into the checkout counter. "Are you a 'goodie good,' or ... " She opened the sliding door at the back, grabbed a pair of tongs. "Are you more decadent? Like a red velvet cookie." She gave him a hungry lookover. "Matches your fur." She selected the biggest red velvet cookie she could find. It had cream cheese icing on it. Very rich. "I'll package this separate. I want you to try it."

"I will." He crossed his heart. "Promise."

"I'll hold you to that."

After bagging his red velvet cookie, Aurora boxed up an assortment for the station staff. Sauntering back to Marlowe, she handed it to him. Making direct eye contact while doing so, he found himself fascinated with her eyes. Those irises, already a brilliant blue, seemed more brilliant now. Almost like they were ...

Glowing?

"I'm a man of my ... word," he said, drawn by her gaze. So strangely compelling. He wanted to keep looking. It felt ... good to look?

"We should get together sometime," she whispered, a finger tracing down the middle of his chest.

"Maybe," he muttered.

"Maybe?" she echoed coyly, eyes burning into his, right into his brain.

"Y-yeah ... "

"May I see your phone?" she asked as sweetly as possible.

The red panda handed over his smartphone without a second thought.

"I'm putting my number in here," she told him, "_aaaand ..._texting yours to mine." She gave the phone back. "I'll be in touch."

Marlowe figured he should probably say something, but no words came out. He felt light and hazy. Was there ... weed in those cookies? Cause he felt almost ... well ... high! Or something. But he couldn't accuse her of drugging him. Anyway, why would she? His mind was spinning, but it wouldn't stop on any particular thought. It was just so hard to focus.

Aurora smiled at him, reaching up to tap his chin. "Don't worry your pretty face about when or where. But when you get my text, you'll answer it," she said. It wasn't a suggestion. "Won't you?"

"Uh-huh," he went, nodding without realizing he was.

The mouse's wormhole eyes suddenly dimmed.

Marlowe blinked, struggling to emerge from whatever had just happened. Even when he blinked, he still saw them.

What ... what just ... ?

"That rat is waving for you." Aurora nodded past the red panda's shoulder. "Looks like you gotta go."

The bell on the front door of the store jingled as, sure enough, the rat poked his head in. "Yo, Marlowe, you ready?"

"Yeah, uh ... be right there!" Marlowe tried to shake the fog from his head. Maybe it was a blood sugar issue? He'd just eaten two big cookies, and it was early in the day for sweets. That was probably it. "I'm, uh, sorry, Miss Aurora." He cleared his throat. "It was nice meeting you!"

"Likewise," she said.

The red panda held up his complimentary box of cookies. "Thanks for these. Staff will love 'em!"

As the red panda turned and left, Aurora leaned her elbows on the checkout counter. "See you soon," she whispered.

"Aurora!" chittered someone from the kitchen.

The mouse sighed and grabbed an apron. Did she have to do everything herself? "I'll be right there ... "

"Are these for us?" Belle, the white-tailed doe, asked, curiously opening a big, pink box on the conference table. "Oh, they're from that shop Marlowe visited!"

"Yup," the red panda confirmed, taking a seat. "Fresh, homemade--"

"Cookies?" JR the coyote said, ears perking. "Lemme see!" The slender coyote sat up, arms bolting across the table. He pulled the box toward himself.

"Hey!" the deer bleated.

"Coyotes get into everything," Opal said. The ample Jersey cow, who co-anchored the morning news with JR, continued, "Especially other people's limelight."

"What happened?" Belle asked Opal.

"They just published that big 'media stars' issue for Indy Monthly, and he got on the cover ... solo." The cow harrumphed.

"Wow, how'd you manage that?" Marlowe asked.

"What can I say? Everyone knows coyotes have magnetic, winning smiles ... " JR smiled widely, showing his teeth for the whole table. "Must've been my charm." He selected a cookie. "They're going to sell record copies."

"He's been cocky ever since," Opal added.

Sakona the spotted skunk entered the room, passing behind JR on her way to her seat and daring, "Bet you can't eat one whole."

"Psh. I've put bigger in my mouth and swallowed," JR said offhandedly, opening wide.

"That's where the 'cocky' comes in," Baxter the otter quipped. JR was openly bisexual and currently had a mink boyfriend. The rudder-tailed sports anchor was casually scanning highlights showing on a flat-screen TV on the wall. Midsummer was the off-season for football, basketball, and hockey, so it was mostly racing and baseball.

JR chomped and chewed. "Is this ... mm, pumpkin or carrot?" He started to sniff inside the box.

"Hey, don't stick your big nose in there!" Belle pulled the box back to her side.

She and Sakona began to choose their sweets before sliding the box to Baxter and Fib.

JR made a face and crossed his arms. "What's this meeting about, anyway? Baxter?"

"How should I know?"

"Cause you're boinking the boss."

"Boinking?" Baxter went.

"You know what I mean," JR insisted.

"Who calls it that?" Belle asked, nibbling on a snickerdoodle.

"People who are cool enough to be profiled by Indy Monthly."

"If they didn't call it anything else," Sakona said, biting into a dark chocolate mocha cookie, "no one would do it."

"Do what?" Kendra asked. The desert cottontail, the alpha shift producer, entered the room last and sat at the head of the table.

"Nothing," the staff said in unison.

The cottontail looked at Baxter.

The otter raised a brow.

That was all Kendra needed to know.

Everyone knew Baxter and Kendra were not only sleeping together but were in a serious relationship. Were they officially mated? Sakona probably knew. She was Kendra's best friend. But she was too loyal to divulge gossip.

There was a pool in the office on how long it would last. Baxter was a notorious playboy and Kendra was, well, a rabbit, and everyone knew about their reputations in the bedroom.

A lot of canoodling went on with upper management, since they had their own plush offices. Baxter was often 'called' to Kendra's office.

Opal was convinced Baxter was playing her for more airtime. 'Have you noticed sports segments getting longer?'

'No," JR had said.

'They are. Ten seconds longer last week. I timed them.'

'Why? Did bingo night get cancelled at the senior center?' JR teased.

The cow, only middle-aged, had glared at him.

"I'm just here to pass along some 'notes' from the Board Room."

There were collective groans.

"Suggestions ... great," Opal mumbled.

"You haven't even heard them yet! It won't take long," Kendra promised.

"We know you think they're bad, too, Kay. You just have to pretend they aren't."

The rabbit scrunched her face, not denying that. And, also, not liking being called 'Kay.' But, still, "Maybe your feedback can improve some of them."

"They're normally pretty silly," Fib said. The cute, golden-furred harvest mouse, a meteorologist, had a computer pad in front of him. He was closely monitoring a developing storm front forming over the Great Plains.

"Yeah, like that time they wanted us to 'switch roles' for the day. 'Freaky Friday' they called it. How'd that turn out?"

"Fib was smiling while reading a serious story," Opal remembered. "Luckily no one died in it."

"I'm used to smiling. The 'golden guarantee.' That's my thing!"

"Didn't we get an FCC fine for something?" Baxter told JR. "Opal cursed when doing the sports segment."

"I didn't know there'd be highlights of an injury! Should've been a content warning. At least I didn't draw lewd images."

JR defended, "Well, you try doing the weather in front of that green screen. I was trying to make an arrow!"

"Alright, guys ... let's focus," Kendra said. "Please?" The rabbit spied the cookie box. "Any left?"

"Plenty," Sakona said, sliding the box to her.

"Mm. Carrot."

"I swore it was pumpkin."

"So, they, uh ... " The rabbit nibbled, then wiped a paw across her muzzle. "They want to do a contest. The Board. And it's going to be in the morning."

"Oh, no," Sakona said.

"Another one?"

"The last contest was a disaster!"

"Well, I wasn't here for that," the rabbit declared, "so it'll be different this time."

"What's the contest?" Baxter asked.

"You know the thing ... " The rabbit chewed on more cookie. Then swallowed. "Audience participation. 'Show us how much you love Channel 13 Sunrise on social media and win a day on the set ... "

"That doesn't sound so bad," Belle said.

Kendra clicked her tongue against her buckteeth. " ... with your favorite newscasters."

"That's not fair," Opal said. "They'll all choose Fib and Baxter!"

The harvest mouse smiled and said, "Well ... maybe."

"They'd definitely choose me first," the otter said. "I'm more fun."

Fib rolled his eyes. "I have an Emmy," he reminded. "You don't win those unless people really love you."

"Their jobs are easy," Opal continued, flapping her ears. "The weather? 'Oh, it might rain, but it might not!' Sports? 'This team won, that team didn't.' JR and I have to report on heavy-hitting issues."

"Yeah!" the coyote echoed, sitting up straighter, slapping the table with a paw in solidarity with his co-anchor.

"Didn't you two lead off with the strawberry shortcake festival this morning?" Belle asked.

"It's a downtown tradition!" Opal defended.

"And then followed it up with an expose on one-star hotels?" Sakona added.

Opal sighed. "It's a slow news day. You get those in the summer."

"Just how bad is a one-star hotel?" Marlowe wondered, having been out of studio for that segment.

Baxter leaned in. "Let me put it this way, panda: there is _no_such thing as a no-star hotel."

Kendra raised her paws to settle them down again, promising, "We'd make sure we spread out the winners. Not all of them will be paired with their first choice, so all of you will get to 'mentor' an audience member. And we'll have cameras follow it and put it out on social media. Maybe show how things are going during the actual newscast. It'll show we're not in some ivory tower, we're the homespun voice of the people."

"Why don't they pull any of these stunts with the evening newscasts?" Fib asked.

"We have more air time to fill than they do," Kendra said.

Opal insisted, "They don't take us seriously. I saw what the evening anchors are making compared to us ... "

"How'd you get your eyes on that?" Belle wondered.

The cow shrugged. "Sources."

"Is that why Roslyn isn't here?"

The tabby cat, who was 'involved' with the station's canine owner, had her own segment in the morning called 'What's Happening? With Roslyn!' However, as soon as it was over, she'd leave the set, and even the floor. She put in minimal effort. But everyone was afraid to say anything to her face because she had the big boss wrapped around her claw.

"Don't worry about Roslyn," Kendra advised.

"So, what else they got? The Board?"

"They're very pleased we made the cover of Indy Monthly."

JR stood up and bowed.

No one clapped.

The coyote made a face and sat back down. "I'd clap for you."

"Ratings were good for May sweeps, and we aired the Indy 500, so our track coverage played a big part in that. Thank you, Baxter."

The otter puffed out his chest.

JR whispered something in Opal's ear.

The cow nodded.

Kendra ignored them, adding, "Viewership dipped a bit in June, but like Opal said ... people are more distracted in summer. More to do." It was July, now. "State Fair starts end of this month, though! Start planning. The whole team is gonna be over there during the first full week doing live broadcasts."

"Yeah, and while we work, Marlow will be trying out all the new fried treats," JR groused.

"Nothing stopping you from trying them out yourself when you're off camera," the red panda replied, sniffing his red velvet cookie. He started so salivate even before he took a bit. "I'm just ... " He chewed a few times. "Giving the people what they want."

"Which is apparently weather, sports, and food," Sakona said. The skunk crossed her arms. Her segment, Sakona on the Scene, was the only real 'pure news' segment on the morning schedule. She covered politics, protests, and civil disturbances.

"You have an Emmy, too!" Fib reminded brightly.

"Don't forget sex." Baxter, of course. "People want that."

"Well, you can't put that on TV, especially at 8-o'clock in the morning," Belle said.

"Depends on what channel you're watching," JR said.

Kendra sighed, nibbling more of her carrot cookie. She'd lost the staff for this morning (if she'd even had them at all). Clearly. Time to end the meeting.

"Lastly, yearly staff evaluations will be taking place over the next few weeks, so don't be surprised if you get a call upstairs. Doesn't mean you're being fired! They just want to talk to you."

"Why do they have to hold those meetings in the Board Room?" Belle asked. "I get so flustered up there ... "

"That's why," JR replied. "Gives them the upper paw."

"Can we go, now?" Opal asked.

Kendra nodded, spreading her paws. "I release you."

A few of the staff made hurried exits.

Some stayed and grabbed some more cookies 'for the road.'

Baxter lingered at the door, serving his muscular rudder-tail in the rabbit's direction.

Grinning, the cottontail got up and followed him out the door.

Marlowe, remaining behind, had a good guess as to where they were going, and what would happen when they got there.

"This is gonna be a doozy!"

The red panda blinked.

Fib, of course.

The mouse was squeaking excitedly over some weather maps. "We may even see some tornado warnings come out of this one. Of course, it's still forty-eight hours out. So many variables." He smiled a nerdy, bucktoothed smile. "That's what's so great about the weather. You think you know ... until you don't!"

"Right ... "

Fib blinked, looking around the conference room, realizing it was just him and the red panda. "Oh. Meeting's over. Heh." The mouse grabbed a cookie. Then two. "You want any more of these?" he asked Marlowe.

"I've already had three today. You better take 'em."

"Meadow has such a sweet bucktooth," he said, of his mate. "She'll love 'em." The other harvest mouse, a receptionist for a dental office, sometimes accompanied Fib to the station on her off days. She'd once been interviewed by Roslyn after going viral in the background of a newscast.

The red panda rubbed his neck awkwardly. "That's why I stayed behind. I want to talk to you about, uh ... well. Mice."

"Huh? Why?"

"Well. You're a mouse ... "

"Last time I checked."

"And you're mated to a mouse," Marlowe continued. "A girl mouse."

Fib squinted.

"I don't mean to ... like, I'm not being a creeper! It's not anything personal. I just ... well, I met one this morning. A mouse."

"Ohhhh! The owner of the cookie shop?"

"Yeah. That's the one."

"She was pretty."

"Yeah. Aurora. And she ... I don't know, she, uh ... there was _something_about her." He tried to remember what, but he couldn't quite define it. "She's not like any mouse I've ever met." He'd met Meadow, and she certainly wasn't like that.

"Well, species do share common traits and behaviors, but that doesn't mean every individual acts the same," Fib said.

"True ... "

"But you like her?"

"Maybe." Marlowe paused and changed his answer to, "Yeah."

"Mice are used to being overlooked and patronized, so we can see through airs. Don't try to puff yourself up," Fib said. "That might work with a canine or feline, but it won't work with us. Just be yourself."

"Mm. Make sense." Marlowe nodded.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He paused. "I just can't stop thinking about her ... "

"You have a crush! If you go on a date tomorrow, though, make sure it's indoors. We got a storm system on the way!" the mouse said excitedly, leaving the room with his computer pad and the cookie box.

Marlowe, left alone, glanced at his phone, half-expecting to hear from Aurora.

But he hadn't given her his number ... had he?

Maybe?

He didn't know.

Why wouldn't he remember something like that?

What was going on with him today?

Shaking his head, he turned out the lights as he left.

Aurora did get in touch.

Late that night.

Marlowe, as he was brushing his teeth, got a text out of nowhere, which led to a little back-and-forth:

Aurora: awake?

Marlowe: ... who's this?

Aurora: as if I didn't give you all those cookies this morning!

Marlowe: _oh! Aurora! I did give you my number! _

Aurora: could've always called the cookie shop to get mine

Marlowe: maybe I was gonna

Aurora: suuuuure *raspberry emoji* weekend plans?!

Marlowe: Nothing yet ... suggestions??

Marlowe met Aurora at a restaurant the next evening.

Pasta, artisan pizza, breadsticks. It was tasty. They'd been so full they skipped dessert. Besides, she promised him cookies later. On the way out, though, they'd been caught in a downpour on the way back to the red panda's car. Without an umbrella.

"I should've listened to Fib ... gah! He told me this was gonna happen," the red panda lamented, water streaming off his whiskers. By the time they got into his car, they were soaked. "Sorry about this ... "

"Don't be! My apartment isn't far from here," Aurora said, as lighting flashed outside. "We can dry out there."

Thunder boomed.

Marlowe agreed, knowing full well, or at least hoping, that 'drying out' involved a good deal of body heat.

He got his wish.

Soon after they were safely indoors, three stories up, the mouse began to strip. Swaying, swirling, almost teasing him. And her eyes. They were so vibrant, so colorful. So pretty. He found himself unable to look away from her impromptu performance.

When she was naked, her breasts hanging freely, he could see she was a very wet mouse. In more ways than one.

"Now that I have your undivided attention," she said in a low, sultry tone, "how about you return the favor?"

"H-huh?"

"Your clothes," she said. "They're in the way."

"Oh ... right." Marlowe almost tripped as he frantically got naked, too.

Aurora giggled, grabbing some bath towels to dry him off. "Your fur is so much thicker and longer than mine. You're like a sponge!"

If his mind was like that, too? Well. Sponges soaked up what they're given. Not that she didn't appreciate a good struggle! But she'd worked hard enough today.

Marlowe didn't remember going to her room.

Or getting in her bed.

He just remembered suddenly being there.

And her eyes.

Her eyes.

Blinking, he seemed confused.

"Something wrong?" the mouse murmured, nibbling on his bare shoulder. Kissing up to his neck.

"Mm ... that feels good ... " Something? Wrong? He couldn't remember ... why would anything have been wrong?

Aurora began to feel her powers.

"Males are like ... cookies," she said, finger wiggling into his sheath.

"Y-yeah ... ah? Ahh ... "

"They come in different delicious flavors and sizes. But they crumble when you give them a little nibble." With her other paw, she fed the red panda a cookie from a box beside her bed. "Always keep a few in case I wake up in the middle of the night. This one's chunky chocolate chip."

Marlowe ate it all up.

Then Aurora licked his lips, tasting the chocolate on them.

The red panda moaned.

Pulling back, she whispered, "I'm going to add you to my menu, Marlowe. You see ... well, I'm getting way ahead of myself, aren't I? You might be wondering what I'm doing to you? No, there's no drugs. No pheromone even."

His eyes found hers.

"My eyes. That's right." She pulled back further, touching her nose to his. "They're so pretty, aren't they?"

"Y-yes ... soooo ... pretty ... "

And glowing.

And swirling.

"Way back when I hit puberty, something changed. I found I could ... let's just call it 'hypnotism.' I could hypnotize others. With a fleeting glance." She swayed her upper body side to side, giggling as Marlow followed her to keep touch with her eyes. "Males, females. I believe in equal opportunity. Of course, they never see it coming, even when they're looking right at me. 'Hypnotism isn't real! And if it were, mice wouldn't possess it'."

"Y-yeah ..."

She strummed Marlowe's whiskers with her fingers. "Always underestimated, written off. 'Oh, that's cute, a mouse opening a bakery'. But no one respects us. As a mouse, it's such a rush to get the upper paw on a world built for other species."

Marlowe was breathing heavily.

Aurora smiled, tilting her head. "I'm 'blabber-mousing,' aren't I? Sorry, pet. I do that when I get excited. And you do excite me." She giggled. "Oops! I let it slip ... you seeeee ... " She drew out the sentence in a musical way. "Earlier, I was saying about cookies? The variety? I like choices. I collect pets."

The red panda tilted his head.

"Obedient, eager-to-please. I let them live their own lives, but when I decide I want them? They drop everything for me. And when they please me, they get rewarded ... very ... handsomely ... "

She leaned forward, climbing atop him, her hips in his lap, grinding.

Marlowe whimpered, grinding back against her.

"You want inside me, pet?"

"Y-yes ... "

"Then let me inside you. Stare into my eyes until they burn into your brain."

"I ... I d-don't ... know ... "

"Don't dawdle, pet." She grabbed his chin and directed his gaze to hers.

He gasped as her eyes swirled and glowed even more, like hurricanes.

"That's right ... keep looking ... feels good to look." She chuckled, repeating, "Males are so easy. But I guess that's what makes them fun." She booped his nose. "I'll ride you 'til you cum your brains out, again and again." She sucked on his cheek. "And again." Done waiting, she reached between their bodies to point his shaft at her flower, beginning to lower herself onto him. "Mmph ... ah, you're bigger than I expected." She had him to the hilt. "Oh, I ... I like that! Ah!"

The red panda huffed.

Aurora's pussy felt ... he didn't even know. He could barely process the feeling. Only that it was divine!

"How long are you, exactly?" the mouse casually asked, riding him cowgirl-style. "If I'm to be your Mistress, I deserve to know."

"Eight ... inches," he said, with little hesitation, holding to her hips.

"Ooh! Well above average. I'll help you learn how to wield it properly. Bet you're thick, too? You _feel_it." The mouse was bouncing with visible enthusiasm, breasts jiggling. "Five? FIve-and-a-half?"

"Y-yes ... "

"Ah, 'yes, Mistress' ... say it, pet."

"Yes, M-mistress."

"Good boy!"

The red panda shivered with utter bliss, a pleasure that went beyond the sex they were having.

What ... what was t-that?! What was that feeling ...

"I can implant triggers in your brain, pet," Aurora said, seeing his confusion. "The mere mention of those words ... instant endorphin rush. It's good for you! Also, good for me. You'll do anything to feel more. It'll make you obedient. You'll be so well trained." She scratched under his chin. "Such a good boy!"

He shivered again, uncontrollably.

"Good boy," she repeated, hammering him with his new trigger.

The red panda groaned. The pleasure was so intense! How? Oh, how ... oh, god, he'd do anything for more!

Aurora giggled, knowing he was almost hers.

"I don't have a red panda in my collection. Never seen one in Indiana. Until now ... that's why I entered a request to be on one of your segments. Oh, sure, publicity equals money ... but there are things far better than money. Aren't there, pet?"

"Yes ... Mistress."

"Good boy!"

"Ah!" he cried, shivering hotly.

"You're close, aren't you, pet?" She snaked her ropy tail around him.

"Yes, Mistress! Please!"

"Mmm ... you're begging ... gah, so hot. God, you're an amazing fuck," she cursed, tossing her head back. Her clit was buzzing, and she reached down to rub at it. Her walls trembled with sensitivity. His cock was touching everything. "Oh, pet! Pet!" The mouse's glowing blue eyes squeezed shut. She squeaked! Ecstatic pitches! Her pussy clenched and spasmed, the beginning of a messy, glorious, universe-shattering orgasm.

Part of the panda, some part deep, deep down, tried to hold out. He wasn't anyone's pet! This ... this was ridiculous. Wasn't it? But ... oh, her sex was milking his, and his body surrendered. His cock twitched and jerked, cumming his independence into the mouse's quivering passage.

He barked!

And gasped!

And whimpered.

It was the best climax of his life.

Aurora smiled when she saw the dumbfounded, dazed look on Marlowe's face.

He was part of her harem, now.

"That was so goooood," Aurora declared. "You've made Mistress very happy. Such a good boy."

The red panda gurgled as she triggered the pleasure center in his brain.

"You make such cute noises, too." She giggled as she dismounted and flopped beside him. "Mm." She kissed the side of his muzzle. "Go to sleep, pet. You'll be back to 'normal' in the morning. You'll remember having a fun, frisky time, and of course you'll want more ... but you won't be able to tell anybody about my abilities. They'll be safely behind a 'mental block'." She smirked and added, "Don't worry, though. I've got my eyes and your trigger to jog your memory whenever I need to."

Marlowe couldn't even get out a 'yes, Mistress.' As soon as she told him to sleep, he winked out like a light.

Aurora grabbed his big, fluffy tail. So boldly and handsomely striped. So warm. Definitely the best tail she'd had in her bed. She hugged it to her naked body (because it was essentially hers, now), laying on her back, looking at the dim ceiling.

That had been one of her best conquests in a while.

Amazing.

Yet somehow ...

She craved more. Needed more. She deserved more.

"Hmm ... "

Marlowe was the most famous person she'd hypnotized, right? A local TV celebrity. If she could control him ... why not local athletes? Politicians? Unsuspecting billionaires?

Sky was the limit.

She stroked her new pet's tail, smiling to herself and whispering, "Give a mouse a cookie ... "