⌚ New Experiences

13. Mixed Up Cub

Here's a chapter dedicated to Dewayne with thanks for your support on Patreon this month. The first payment to come through this time :) I also need to post a chapter for Eladon, but I thought you'd prefer if I finish the next chapter of The Baby Makers.

So for everyone who's enjoying this story, say thanks to Dewayne for letting you see it a little earlier.

"Which one would you like to try first?" Lulu was looking right into Spanky's eyes when he managed to tear them away from Paper. He didn't know what his answer should be. Could he pick any of the little presents to try? Or was he expected to choose between the pacifier that Paper was holding up for his inspection, and the mysterious yellow bundle that only Lulu knew the nature of?

He knew that he probably would end up acting like a cub either way. There was a theme to the things Master had given him, after all. But choosing a pacifier would mean admitting outright that it was something he wanted. The mystery present had his curiosity, and had the added benefit that he could imagine it still wasn't his choice, whatever it turned out to be. He found himself pointing before he even realised that the decision was already made, instincts taking over for a brain still too overwhelmed by all the surprises.

"What is it?" he whispered, knowing he was unlikely to get a real answer. But Lulu cut the tape effortlessly off her toy to reveal a yellow yo-yo, with a white spiral pattern printed on each side, and a spiral in the opposite directions traced in golden glitter. It was a simple thing, two yellow plastic discs and a string, but it looked well made and maybe more robust than most of its type. He felt a stirring in the back of his mind, like the feeling when someone's face rings a bell but he couldn't place it. He knew there was something special about it, but not the faintest clue what it might be.

"I used to be able to do tricks with one of these," Lulu commented, not really hinting at anything, "They were popular when we were in school. Don't know I could remember any of it, though. Did you know..."

She wasn't doing any tricks now, just giving a little flick of her wrist to keep it going up and down, down and up. The spiral spun, and each time it neared the carpet he found himself wondering if she'd let her arm drift a little too low, if it might touch the floor and stop this time. It didn't, and the spiral kept on spinning, faster and slower, up and down, for easily more repetition than Spanky could have managed without losing concentration or hitting something. He found that he kept expecting something to happen as well, maybe his mind drifting away as he focused on the spirals, but every thought he could think of still seemed to be the same. He knew who he was, he hadn't turned into a cub again, and when he tried to imagine Lulu and Paper acting out some of the things he'd imagined, the pictures in his head were as intense and uncensored as ever.

"So, does that sound like a good plan?" Lulu asked, as she finally caught the spinning tease and stopped its movement.

"Uhh... huh?" Spanky furrowed his brow, and then blushed so deeply that his cheek fuzz felt like it was standing on end. "Sorry, I wasn't listening, I got carried away trying to work out..."

He didn't stop blustering, trying to explain his lack of attention until Paper's giggles turned into a full on belly laugh.

"Stop that," Lulu cautioned, and moved her hand in some hidden way that made the tiger shriek in surprise. She couldn't hold back the laughter for more than a second, and Lulu had to raise her voice just a little to be heard: "You really didn't hear my proposal? I have to say, I wasn't a hundred percent on the hypnosis thing, I couldn't be sure if it was just an encouragement to play along, but the surprise in your eyes now tells me it's real. You honestly don't hear a thing I say while you're looking at this thing? So I could tell you... oooh..."