Mittens has Class Ch. 11

Mittens Has Class

Chapter 11 - Cats Are Notoriously Hard For Marketing To Target

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Mittens stared hard at the blank screen in front of her, little wheels spinning furiously in her head as she considered her subject. When she'd first saw the topic 'Personalized Advertising' she'd thought it would be easy to come up with a good angle to make an essay about. However, either because there were so many good ideas that she couldn't pick one or none of those ideas really seemed good enough, she couldn't decide what to write. She'd been sitting there for fifteen whole minutes, staring at the little blinking cursor.

The damned thing seemed to be mocking her.

Camped out on her bed, Mr. Fluffbutt, her extremely fuzzy stuffed kitty, perched atop a stack of textbooks beside her, Mittens frowned at the new laptop on top of her lap, a birthday gift from Master, as though it were betraying her somehow. Of course, she quickly forgave it, since you couldn't stay mad at anything that had a giant sticker of Hello Kitty on it. Plus, she knew the issue wasn't the computer, but her own mind not being able to come up with anything she considered worthwhile.

"Come on cat-brain! Get it together." She said to her noggin, hoping maybe her grey matter just needed a little encouragement. "Just give me a place to start. One paragraph to break ground with. Then I'll feed you cookies."

Her brain seemed unmoved by the offer.

She tried just starting, without thinking about it first, typing the first few words that came into her head, using a pair of plastic chopsticks. However, those words turned out to be: 'Remember to make cookies.' As beginnings for an essay went, it wasn't all that helpful.

With a sigh, she set aside the laptop, rose from the bed, and stretched, popping up on the tips of her paws and enjoying the feel of her cramped muscles loosening back up. She'd been working on various homework since she'd gotten home from school the previous night. The various reading had been easy enough to knock out last night, as had the Spanish vocabulary list to memorize, given that she already knew many of the words already.

The botany assignment, a small research project that involved a three-page summary, had taken up a good chunk of the morning and early afternoon, but was now done. It wasn't even due until the end of the week. All that she had left now was the essay. She preferred to go ahead and get that done too before she had fresh things added to her plate tomorrow. Still, she assumed that a break from studying might be all she needed to knock out this last little item.

And what better way to spend a break than finding someone to give her pets and affection? She decided to see if Master was in his office and could use a break himself. She'd noticed that he'd been spending a lot more time focusing on his business the last few months. While his early years had required a lot of his time to build a sizable empire of holdings, he'd reached a point a few years ago where he was able to hire people who managed much of the more time-consuming aspects of the business.

Over the course of the summer, however, he'd seemed to have gone from averaging only a couple hours a day dealing with things to practically having a full-time job. While he didn't seem too stressed over it, since he did still mostly work at home and wasn't bound to a clock or anything, he always appreciated his girls coming in to love on him. He always prioritized his relationships over his business, though it was understood by all of them that the business was still pretty important.

Padding down the hallway, she peeked into the office to see if he was at his desk, but found him not there. Checking first into his and then Chloe's bedrooms, she found these too empty. That meant they were probably downstairs together, which was even better, since it meant getting to pounce the both of them. So, she headed down the stairs to the first floor already making designs for what kind of cuteness she could perform to get attention.

She found them sitting together in the sun room, snuggling in the loveseat and talking about something obviously business-related. That was something else that she'd noticed too, that the two of them seemed to talking more and more about business things together. She supposed it made sense, given Chloe's degree and experience in business finances, and, likely, both changes were related.

She wandered absently into the room, dropping to all fours halfway to them. She cat-walked to the loveseat, turned three circles, and settled down into a ball onto the floor next to them. Just as she planned, both of her lovers reached down and began giving her loving strokes along her head and neck, Master adding a nice scratch behind her ear.

"Good kitty." He said as he petted her. "How did the homework go?"

"Ma plant stuff's done." She reported drowsily. "Jus' form-a-latin' ma 'pothesis for ma English paper." She gave a little sigh of enjoyment at their affections.

"I was actually just about to get started on lunch." Chloe said. "You want to take my place up here and get some cuddle time in with Master?"

Mittens raised her head and smiled gratefully, nodding. "Yes pwease."

Chloe gave Master a deep kiss before she rose and headed off for the kitchen, her heels clicking out an almost dance-like gait as she went. Mittens wasted no time clambering up into the loveseat with Master, nestling into his waiting arms. "This were greatly needed-ed." She said contentedly.

"I agree. It's been strange having you gone or hold up in your room so much now." He said as he kissed her on the top of her head. "I'm still glad you're doing this though. You seem pretty happy with it so far."

"I am." Mittens agreed. "Though I do miss you two a lot when I'm on campus. I's a homebody kitten. I still feel like I should be here, not runnin' around classes all day."

"As much as I do miss you here, I want this for you." Master said, running a hand up and down her back. "You will always be my pet and taken care of, but I also want you to have room to grow and a life that can be your own, when you need it. I love that I am the center of your world, but I don't want that world to be small."

"I know, Master." Mittens said to him, her voice soft, almost a whisper. "And I'm grateful that you're giving me that room to explore myself." She twisted to look up at him, giving him a grateful smile before adding more resolutely. "I still don't need much more than just you and Chloe though. Well, maybe the occasional play date with Butterfly. And fun spanks from Mistress Victoria. Oh, an' gettin' ta tease Shawn when he's all sissi-ma-fied." She paused to think of what else, tapping her chin a moment. "Oh, an'--"

Master laughed. "I get it! I get it." He gave her a kiss. "You are obviously not an introvert. Hell, you have friends all over the country these days."

"And one in Canada." Mittens added with a crisp nod. "His name is Tim Horton and he makes amazing coffee and crullers."

Master chuckled. "That is the one downside of you going to these classes. We won't be able to go back to Montreal this year for the convention. Maybe we'll have to make a special trip around Christmas, when you're between semesters. If only to let you get some of your sacred Canadian doughnuts."

Mittens winced a little as the subject of Canada made something pop into her head. "That... um... reminds me." She gave a sheepish laugh. "I forgot to tell you that Marsha and Opal were wanting to stop by on their drive up to the convention. And maybe stay a night? I completely meant to ask for official permission after I got off the call...but I fergotted-ed."

Master took his time, making a show of considering this news. "Wasn't it over two weeks ago that you talked to them?" He asked wryly.

"I fergotted-ed." Mittens repeated in an abashed whimper.

"And it's the weekend after this one that the convention starts, so..." Master began.

"They's were gonna come by next week?" Mittens finished, looking up at him with a nervous grin. "I's in trouble, isn't I?"

"Yep." Master said with a sardonic grin. "You're in trouble." He gave her a kiss. "However, I would be happy to see them again, so be sure to tell them that I'm looking forward to hosting them for a night or two both on the way there and coming back, if they want. However, there will be punishment for not informing me until the last minute."

Mittens grimaced. "And not the fun kind." She groaned.

"Five minutes in the Void." He said, his voice sober, but a look of sadness in his eyes.

The 'Void' was their word for a form of sensory deprivation that some might consider an enjoyable form of play. Using blindfolds, noise-canceling earphones, and other equipment designed to completely remove as much sensory input as possible, the participant was left with little more than just their own mind. Those who used it as play would shut out everything, then introduce a singular sensation, typically touch-based, that would be amplified to the maximum.

For many, it was an intense and pleasurable experience. For Mittens though, it was a very effective punishment. In the 'void', away from all sensory information, Mittens always felt deeply alone and sad. She would often also begin to relive some of the darker points of her childhood, if left in too long. While Master knew that she didn't enjoy it, she'd never really explained to him just why, nor did she intend to ever tell him.

He loved her so much that he probably wouldn't use it anymore, if he truly knew just how bad her experiences in the Void were for her. He knew only that she didn't like it and was a good tool for discipline. However, a part of her recognized that, as painful as those images and feelings were, they also helped to remind her of just why she was so thankful for everything he had given to her. Things that had nothing to do with money or luxury, but the unconditional acceptance, unwavering love, and complete sense of safety that was the greatest of all gifts. She hated that black abyss, but she also wanted it to be the go-to punishment for when he needed to actually set one that wasn't meant as play.

Without a reminder of how dark life could be, sometimes a person could forget how beautiful the light was. She could brave anything within that abyss knowing that, when she came back out, he would be waiting for her to take all the pain and fear away again. And he was always there waiting for her, arms ready to take her in and hold her until all the nightmares had fled her soul.

She shifted up and kissed him, tenderly and deeply. "Yes, Master." She said obediently, showing him that she accepted his judgement without question or hesitation. "Thank you for not making it more."

He kissed her back and held her close for some time, the two of them soaking one another in, basking in their love for one another. She would endure hours in any darkness, if her reward for it was the incredible connection she had with this man and his amazing slave. They were her world, no matter how many others she might know or places she might go, Master and Chloe were all she would ever really need in her life to be happy.

Of course, a little sex was always welcome too. Thus why, by the time Chloe had finished making them all lunch, she returned to the sun room to find Mittens energetically riding their Master, tongue lolling out from her broad and love-drunk smile. Chloe simply chuckled, politely let them know that she was setting the table, and retreated to let them finish.

By the time Mittens and Master came into the dining room, after coming in the sun room, Chloe had all three of their plates fixed and waiting. Mittens' own setting was flanked by her special utensils, which were oversized to make them easier for her to use with her stuffed paws on. The meal was incredible, as always, Chloe's skill at cooking in line with her ability to pretty much do everything she put her mind to doing.

"So, do you need to get back to that paper or are you finished for the day?" Chloe asked once they were well into their meal. "Do you want any help?"

Mittens thought a moment about it. "Well, I have all week to get it written and it won't take me long to actually write, once I decide what I want to write." She tossed her head back and forth. "I may be done for now, unless I can think of a good argument I want to make. Right now, I'm just kind of still fishing for one." She gave a shrug. "Might try again later, once I've had a chance to relax."

"What's the general topic?" Master asked.

"This week it's on the trend of advertising becoming tailored to individuals. It can be argued from whatever direction we want, like whether it's useful or just contributes to invasions of privacy." Mittens said, pondering a moment over a forkful of food. "I mean, there should be plenty of things I could go with from that, but I just can't seem to decide on what I want to say."

"I agree that you may just be too focused on it, at the moment." Master suggested. "Taking the rest of the day to just relax will probably let it come naturally to you by tomorrow. Like you said, you still have plenty of time."

"That were purty much what I's thinkin'." Mittens agreed. "I figures, eight or nineteen more orgasms should helps me ta work it aaall out."

"That few, huh?" Master replied. "Sounds like you have this in the bag."

"Well, I always does ma best work in tha sack." Mittens pointed out.

When lunch was over, she helped Chloe clean up the table, before the girls joined Master in the living room for some time together. The general atmosphere was playful, all three of them in an amorous mood that eventually resulted in finding themselves in the dungeon downstairs by the time evening fell.

Master decreed that her punishment could wait until the next day, since he would need to retrieve the sensory muting equipment. However, there were more than a few 'fun punishments' meted out between both her and Chloe, the two submissives soaking in every drop of the pleasurable pain and bondage. Before long, she was well on her way to fulfilling her 'eight to nineteen' request. However, it was during aftercare, her mind floaty and relaxed, when something else she'd forgotten about came into her mind.

"Master, have you ever heard of a club called 'The Red Lion'?" She asked him, glancing up at his face from where she snuggled into his chest.

He gave a nod, though she noted the uncertainty in his expression. "I've been there once, some years back. Though the Playhouse was always much more convenient and more comfortable. It's had a couple controversies, but it used to be the only real public play club in the region." He peered at her curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"Ran into Sally on campus Friday." Mittens explained. "She mentioned the place. Said that she and August went there regularly and suggested we go sometime."

Chloe's interest perked up. "She and August are back together?"

"Apparently." Mittens said with a shrug. "Though she made it sound more like they are just play friends right now." She gave a chuckle. "Of course, with Sally, it's hard to be sure of anything."

Chloe returned the chuckle. "I suppose that is fair. She's a sweet girl, but a bit of a hot mess."

Mittens turned her attention back to Master. "You mentioned something about 'controversies' at that club?"

He paused before answering, seeming to be considering how best to frame it. "Mostly the sorts of things any BDSM-themed place attracts. Complaints that it is promoting indecency or violating some assumed law regarding sex acts in a public place. The Playhouse has even endured a few of those. A few cases of melodrama that became much larger than it should." He gave a slight shake of his head, as if shooing away something. "Most of it just stuff that would be expected from a place catering to BDSM-enthusiasts that has been running for a long time."

She eyed him suspiciously, sensing that there was something more here. "Most of? I take it there are a few things that weren't 'expected'?"

He returned the suspicious look. "Why are you so interested in digging up dirt on it?" He asked coyly. "Are you looking for an excuse not to accept her invitation?"

Mittens opened her mouth, but didn't reply. Krystal had basically made the same observation, that she was obviously looking for an excuse not to like the place, but still didn't really have a good reason to be doing so. "Yeah. Probably." She finally admitted. "Though I think it has a lot more to do with wanting to steer clear of August, than anything else."

Chloe gave her an amused look. "She is never going to get back on your good side, is she?"

Mittens gave her the best menacing look she could, which utterly failed at looking intimating at all. "I's a protective kitty! Someone hurts one of ma hoomans, I gives tha scratches!" She raised up a large plush paw and made a raking motion, as if it could do anything more dangerous that tickle their nose. "Grrr." She added for emphasis, though this too lacked any ability to sound threatening.

Master have her a kiss to the top of her head. "Beware of kitten!" He chided her with a chuckle. "Well, I know I feel safer knowing my attack cat is on the job."

Chloe gave a chuckle as well, but shook her head. "Well, I don't think you need to be that worried about her. She's admitted that she was wrong and apologized. That was all almost a year ago and she's not done anything since then to stir up anything. I doubt we need to be so suspicious anymore."

Mittens turned her gaze back to Master. "Maybe, but I also notice you didn't answer my question about whether there was something more than the usual issues with the Red Lion." She noted that his expression edged into something a little evasive as she pointed it out. "Something that might suggest August had some sort of ulterior motives."

"Nothing that I think would make it somewhere dangerous or some kind of trap on August's part." He replied, though she recognized that as also kind of a dodge from answering. It made her all the more curious, but decided to let it go, for now.

"Well, I guess if I run into Sally again, I'll let her know we'll consider going sometime." Mittens conceded. "Though not anytime soon, please. I still has this baaad feeling 'bout it. I know it might seem silly, buts ma 'kitty-sense' keeps goin' off for some reason."

Master gave a nod and inhaled a moment in thought. "I'll ask Vic if she has a more recent experience with the place. Like I said, it has been a really long time since I was there. I know what it was like about ten years ago, but things might have changed."

"Thank you, Master." She said, glad that he wasn't just dismissing her intuition out of hand. Even if she did honestly think she was just being paranoid of August, not the club itself. Of course, when she'd first met her, August had seemed like someone she would get along with very well. She had considered her a good friend.

Perhaps that was part of what fed into her disappointment with things going south like it did. August hadn't just hurt Chloe's feelings. She'd also effectively characterized Mittens as being clinically insane and Master as being abusive. While Chloe had gotten a personal apology for the jealous fit she'd played out, neither Mittens or Master had received much of one for her suggesting that they were bad influences.

While Mittens did feel a little stung by that, it was really the speed and ease in which August had turned on them, so completely, that had most caught her attention. While August's confusion regarding what she and Chloe were to one another could have been considered understandable, her tactics of undermining those around Chloe to make herself seem like she was 'saving a victim' had bothered Mittens deeply.