A Plush Wish

Mouse shook her head. 'No.'

Sally put her hand on Mouse's. 'I'm sure he'll come.'

Mouse sighed. 'I hope so, otherwise I might not dare to come out on stage.'

The signal for the play to begin was given and the last people standing were going to their places while the lights slowly dimmed and a gentle music started playing. Mouse still hadn't seen Petro and plucked at her tucked in tail.

The teacher in charge of the play gave the go signal and Red Riding Hood stepped on the stage carrying a large reed basket. 'What a lovely day to bring milk and cookies to my grandma living in the forest.' she said and hopped along the paper grass and cardboard trees until she met the woodcutter.

He took off his hat and smiled at her. 'Hello, Red Riding Hood, how are you today?'

She halted in front of him. 'I'm doing well. Going to my grandma with a basket full of milk and cookies that mommy baked because she can't move very well.' she said and showed the basket to him. 'Are you going to work today?'

He turned show the axe that he carried on his shoulder. 'Yes, need to cut me some firewood again.'

'Have a good day then.' Red said and hopped onwards.

'You too, but be careful of the hungry wolf hanging around the forest!' the woodcutter said and moved on.

Mouse froze when the teacher gave her the signal to come on stage. She was about to cower back at the image of all those eyes from the audience staring at her when one of the main doors to the hall opened silently and a panting figure snuck in. She needed no light to know it was Petro. She smiled and her courage came back. "He must have run to get here." she thought. With enough confidence because she wanted to show him how well she could play her role she stepped onto the stage.

'Why, hello there little girl.' she said to Red, smiling brightly. 'What brings you to this forest?'

Red halted and looked suspiciously at Mouse. 'Are you the hungry wolf?'

Mouse looked up innocently. 'Ehmm, no. I'm the.., dieting wolf.'

Red raised her eyebrows. 'What's that?'

'Well.., it means I'm eating only healthy food like vegetables and drinking organic water without any artificial additives and sugar.'

'Ah.' Red said and rocked on her feet. 'Then it's okay. I'm bringing my grandma milk and cookies and she lives in this forest. She has difficulty going around and spends much time in bed binge-watching crime series on TV.'

Mouse put her hands behind her back and looked around. 'Ohh, that's very nice of you.' she said and casually sniffed the scent coming from the basket. 'Say, why don't you bring her some flowers too? The fresh scent will do her good.' She looked away and muttered 'And the smell in the room if she's been in bed for so long.'.

Red smiled. 'That's a great idea!'

Mouse pointed to the side. 'There's a lovely clearing that way with many beautiful flowers.'

'Then I'll go that way first.' said Red and skipped away. 'Bye now!'

Mouse gave her a wave. 'Bye bye.' she said and as soon as Red was out of view she darted off to grandma's house.

There she snuck to grandma's bedroom window and peeked inside. Grandma was glued to the TV watching the detectives analyzing the clues in front of them.

Mouse hummed as she pondered. 'How can I get her out of the house?' she mumbled.

Grandma cooed when one of the detectives held up his badge, said 'By the power of the law!', and transformed into a bulking mass of muscles in a flash of lightning.

Mouse grinned. 'Aha!' She plucked a scarf from the clothes line at the back, wrapped it around her head and muzzle, and pretended to pass by grandma's bedroom window. 'My dear, What are you doing inside on this lovely day?'

Grandma kept her eyes on the TV. 'Ah, I'm too old to go out.'

'Such a shame. Walking is so good for one's health. And I saw that handsome young woodcutter working hard too, his upper body and mighty arms glistening with sweat in the sunlight.'

Grandma paused the video. 'You know, maybe you are right. Going for a little walk should do me some good.'

Mouse waited until grandma dressed and shuffled faster than a hare in an electric scooter down the forest path. She snuck inside, took grandma's night gown, noticed the scent, threw it out the window, and grabbed a new one to disguise herself together with a night cap pulled low over her face.

She heard Red knocking on the door and jumped into bed. 'Who is it?' she called out.

Red opened the door. 'It's me, grandma! Red!'

'Oohh.. Welcome, my dear.'

Red walked up to the bed. 'I brought you milk and cookies.'

Mouse smiled and her stomach growled softly at the scent from the basket. 'Just bring them here, my dear.' she said and pointed her ears forward, slipping the cap up on her head.

Red moved even closer. 'Say, grandma, what big ears you have.'

Mouse looked up. 'Oh crap.' she said and cleared her throat. 'Eh, I mean, oh yes! All the better to hear the TV with.'

Red stared closer at her. 'And what big eyes you have.'

Mouse's stomach demanded attention and she licked her lips to hold back drooling. 'Ah, ehh, all the better to read the subtitles on foreign series with!'

'And what big teeth you have!'

Mouse couldn't hold back and grabbed the basket. 'Yes! All the better to eat all those cookies with!'

Red screamed and backed away, but just at that moment grandma and the woodcutter stepped inside.

Mouse clutched the basket. 'Oh crap.'

The woodcutter stepped forward. 'You'd better give up that basket, you evil wolf!'

'And you'd better not messed up my TV playlist!' added grandma.

Mouse whimpered, sniffed a little at the basket, then held it out towards Red.

Red took the basket and heard Mouse's stomach growl again. 'You're hungry?'

Mouse nodded slowly and looked down. 'I wanted to eat cookies so much again after holding back for so long. I'm sorry.'

Red looked back at grandma and the woodcutter, who both felt sorry for Mouse. 'Well, you can't have them all, but I suppose I could give you a few.'

Mouse's ears pricked up and she looked at Red. 'Really!? I can have some!?'

Red looked at grandma, who smiled and gave her a nod. 'Yes. It's all right.' Red said and smiled at Mouse.

And so the four of them shared a glass of milk and the cookies while watching more crime on TV.

'I will bring you some more cookies, as long as you don't eat too much of them and keep eating healthy.' Red said to Mouse.

Mouse hugged her tight. 'I will! Thank you!'

The audience cheered as the curtains closed and opened up later for the kids and Mouse to take a bow. She peeked at Petro applauding and smiling at her and felt a little proud.

A little later he joined her while she and the kids with their parents were celebrating with cookies and lemonade.

One boy stared at him and he looked back at him. 'Hey, something on your mind?'

'Are you Mouse's boyfriend?'

Petro nearly choked and coughed while some parents leaned in a little closer. 'No, we're cousins.' said Petro when he could talk again and glanced at Mouse who stood talking a bit further away.

The boy nodded and kept silent for a moment. 'But you live together?'

Petro saw a few around him casually lean in closer again. 'We do, but that doesn't mean we're like that.'

'Ah.' said the boy and Petro hoped that was it. Then the boy looked up again. 'But don't you think she's pretty?'

'Of course I think she's pretty.' Petro said, faster than he realised.

'Then you two should get married.'

Parents leaned in again. Petro sighed a groan and looked up. 'It's not as simple as that. You'll find out how complicated it'll get when you're older.'

The boy stared at his cup. 'Oh.'

Parents nodded in agreement.

Petro felt relieved when the boy walked away again. He finished his lemonade when the teacher called out that the school was closing and said thanks to the kids for the performance and the parents for coming to watch.

Mouse hugged all the kids before she left with Petro and hummed happily on the walk home. Petro smiled at seeing her happy and get along with life around here.

Mouse took Petro's arm in hers. 'I was so glad you came. Almost didn't dare to go up on stage.'

Petro put his hand on her arm. 'Almost couldn't make it, but I didn't want to miss your acting debut.' he said and chuckled. 'I'm glad to see you had fun.'

Mouse nodded. 'I liked it. But I don't want to do it often though, out there in front of all those people.'

He chuckled a little. 'I know what you mean.'

***

Mouse smiled wide as she looked out over the wide beach and ocean after the long trip by train. Her tail wagged furiously and her ears twitched towards every little sound around her while the gentle wind from the sea fluttered her dress and ruffled her fur.

Petro took a deep breath of the salty air and smiled. 'Glad to see you like it.'

She grinned. 'I've heard about it before, but being here is wonderful.'

'Let's go to the ferry. It'll be a little while before we reach the island where we'll be staying.'

They boarded the ferry which already had a few more tourists and local people on board, as well as one car and a delivery van. Soon after they left the small harbour Mouse wanted to take a look at the view from the top deck.

'Sure.' Petro said and gestured at the stairs behind her. 'Looks like we can go up there.'

Mouse climbed the stairs but a gust of wind caught under her dress. She looked back down to Petro coughing hard. 'What's wrong? Did you swallow a bug in the wind?'

Petro shook his head. The close view of her naked rear the gust had given him had caught him unprepared. 'Go on, I'll be up shortly.' he said but thought he nearly had been up already.

On the deck they enjoyed the wide open view and afternoon sun while sitting down for a snack. A small dog of no discernable breed moved about wearing a blue collar with an anchor on a badge and came up to Mouse.

'That might be the captain's dog.' said Petro and watched it sit and stare up at Mouse. 'I think it is interested in you.'

Mouse blinked at it. 'You want some of this?' she asked and held up the dried sausage she was nibbling on. The dog barked and his short tail swept the deck. Mouse chuckled, tore off a piece and held it out to the dog. It took it eagerly and munched on it as if it hadn't eaten in days.

Petro chuckled. 'Someone's hungry.'

The dog looked up at the rest of the sausage in Mouse's hand, then jumped up on his hind legs and placed his paws on her knees, panting for more.

'Ah!' said Mouse and stuck up her arm in the air. 'No, the rest is mine!'

The flapping of wings above her caught her attention and as soon as she looked up a seagull snatched the sausage from her fingers and flew towards the rear of the deck, followed by the dog barking at it.

Mouse watched them go with flattened ears. 'Aww.. It was my last one..'

'Told you you shouldn't eat them all so soon during the trip.' said Petro.

Mouse sighed. 'I know, but they're just so yummy.'

He nodded, reached into his backpack and pulled out his pack of sausages. 'Good thing I saved mine then.'

Mouse perked up. 'You did!?'

Petro grinned. 'I thought you might not be able to hold back.' he said and gave it to her.

She held the sausages in her hands. 'Is it really okay to have these?'

Petro smiled at her. 'Enjoy.'

She flew around his neck. 'You're the best owner a plush could have!'

Petro cleared his throat and pushed her gently back when he caught the strange looks from a couple of other tourists on the deck. 'That's all right. Just enjoy them.'

'Mhmm.' Mouse hummed happily and nibbled with satisfaction.

A couple of hours later the ferry arrived at the island of Immotu and Petro spotted a young woman with short black hair and a deep tan holding a sign with their names. 'I'm Petro, and this is Mouse.' he said when they walked up to her.

She held out her hand to shake theirs. 'I'm Luani. My family owns the hotel where you're our guests.' She gestured at the buggy behind her. 'It's a short drive along the coast.'

Luani told a bit about the island during the drive while Mouse and Petro watched the sandy beaches with rocky outcrops and the dense jungle going up the hills.

At a large stone house with several wooden cabins along the edge of the beach they stopped. 'Welcome to Ulunaoi, our home.' Luani said.

She took care of registering them and drove up to one of the cabins with them to show them in.

It was an open interior with only a seperate bathroom, and it had two large beds in one corner under mosquito nets, a kitchen in another, and seating in the front.

Mouse wagged her tail hard and Luani giggled. 'I take it you like it?'

Mouse nodded and Petro chuckled. 'Yes, we like it.' he said.

Luani handed him the key. 'Would you like dinner here or join my family at the house? Guests are always welcome to join us, but I must warn you, it's a little rowdy.'

Petro looked at Mouse who smiled and nodded. 'Then we'd be delighted to come if it's no trouble.' he said to Luani.

'No trouble. Mom and grandma always cook a lot and often friends stay over for dinner as well.' she said and went out the door. 'Come on over at dawn.'

Mouse pulled her dress up over her head and dropped it on the bed. 'Let's go swim!'

She hurried to the front porch but Petro quickly caught her. 'Wait! You can't go out like that!'

She looked puzzled at him. 'Why not?'

'You'll have to wear your swimsuit or bikini because there might be other people on the beach. It's not common to go out in public like that.'

She spread her arms and looked down at herself. 'But we're going swimming.'

Petro blushed and looked away. 'I know, but there are some rules.'

Mouse sighed. 'But I don't think I have one.'

Petro smacked his hand in his face. 'Shit. I was so busy with work up to the last minute I forgot to check if you had one.'

Petro called to the house and got Luani on the phone. She giggled when he explained the situation. 'There's a store on the other side of the island but it'll be late when you get back. Come on over, I think I have something that'll fit her.'

Petro thanked her and walked over with Mouse. Luani sat him down at the large dining table while she went with Mouse into a backroom.

She showed Mouse a rack of clothes. 'Sometimes guests forget items and we store them here in case they want them back. But most say we can keep them and put them to good use.' She browsed through the rack. 'There is some swimwear here.'

Luani's father, a broad man whom Petro suspected had never spent a whole day indoors in his life, came in and poured them a glass of the local wine while he heard the story.

Milo laughed and filled their glasses again. 'Don't worry, you're not the first one. I'm sure Luani will find something.'

Petro cheeks warmed up but he wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or the wine. The backroom door opened and Luani stepped out with Mouse behind her wearing a dark red string bikini with enough coverage for the essential parts.

Luani gestured at Mouse and smiled at Petro. 'Well, what do you think?'

Petro was quite sure the warmth he felt in his cheeks was neither embarrassment nor wine. 'Wow, that's quite..'

Luani chuckled. 'Yes, but the best that fit her. Especially with her tail.'

Mouse turned her back to Petro. 'It still feels a bit weird, but it keeps my tail free.'

He saw the string disappearing under her tail from her hips and could imagine where it went. He took another drink from his glass. 'I guess we'll have a soak in the cool sea now. I surely need one now.'

Milo grinned and gave him a slap against his back. 'Enjoy the water,' he said and winked. 'and the view.'

Mouse and Petro swam and explored the sea in front of their cabin until the sun touched the horizon, then freshened up and dressed to go to the house.

They walked through the open front doors into the small reception area when Petro almost bumped into the back of another female guest. 'Sorry.' he said and gasped as she turned to face him. 'Janice!?'

She smiled at him. 'Oh, hi Petro.'

'What are you doing here?'

'My brother just happened to have booked a vacation here and had invited me to come along.' she said and gestured at the tall dark blonde young man behind her with his nose in a magazine featuring a lot of skinny ladies with equally skinny bikinis. 'Kyle, meet Petro from work and his cousin Mouse.'

Kyle tossed the magazine aside, nodded at Petro but stepped up to Mouse, taking her hand in his and placing a kiss on it. 'Ah, lovely to meet you, Mouse.'

'Ehm, nice to meet you.' she said while her ears turned back.

Janice grabbed Petro's arm and pressed the side of her breast against his arm. 'Fancy meeting you here. I knew you were somewhere around here but I didn't think it was on the same island and same hotel. How nice.'

He gave her a quick smile. 'Yeah, how nice.'

She sighed. 'Of course it's nowhere as luxurious as at the resorts we usually went to, with their simple foods and accomodations here, but it's a change of pace.' She smiled wide. 'Oh! I have a good idea. We have reserved a table at the best restaurant at the village, why don't you joi-'

A car honking outside interrupted her and Luani appeared in the door behind the front desk. 'The taxi has arrived to bring you to the big village.' she said to Janice and smiled at Mouse and Petro. 'And you're just in time. Our humble table's being set right now. Dad'll introduce you to our quaint local specialty, a very simple appetiser based on the local strong wine. Something exclusive to inhabitants since we don't sell it outside of the island.'

Petro pulled himself free from Janice and Mouse from Kyle. 'Ah, then we're looking forward to that.' he said to Luani, then smiled at Janice. 'Enjoy your dinner, and we'll probably see each other later.'

The taxi driver stepped inside, greeted Luani and enthusiastically led Janice and Kyle out the door and into his car. Petro let out a soft sigh when the car left and Luani gave him a wink. He chuckled and followed her inside where she introduced Mouse and him to her family.

The wine and good food made Petro's tongue looser and thus more difficult to keep up the cousin cover.

Milo grinned while everyone sat on the front porch after dinner, enjoying the sound of the waves lapping against the sand and the warm night air coming from the sea. 'And no one in the city doubted your story?'

Petro shrugged. 'Seems they take things for granted easier.'

'Or they've forgotten about magic all together.' said Herma, Luani's grandmother. 'Out here it's not quite gone.'

Mouse pricked up her ears. 'You have fairies here too?'

Herma smiled her wrinkled face. 'There might be, but I know for sure about Senama.'

'Who's that?'

'Senama is the local sea goddess. She protects the islands and sea around here.' Herma said and gazed dreamily out at the sea. 'When I was young I drifted out to sea too far once. The line from the boat I was playing on had come loose and before I knew it I was out at sea without a paddle. I tried to use my hands but even though I paddled until I was dead tired I had not come closer to shore. But then I saw a woman's face in the water smiling at me and the boat moved forward. She had brought me back just as my mother was about to row out to me.'

'And that was Senama?'

Herma nodded. 'Haven't seen her since and not everyone believed me, but I'm sure.'

Mouse smiled and looked out over sea.

Petro shifted in his seat. 'I didn't believe in magic myself, but since Mouse came alive I'm not dismissing it anymore.'

A drizzle came down. 'So, what's the story with that Janice?'

Petro saw the little smirk on Luani's face and chuckled. 'Daughter of the big boss and our neighbour. She got me my new job after I set up her network at home and fixed her laptop and website. I told her how things could be improved at work and now that's what I've been assigned to do. And now she's my assistant too.' He sighed. 'She's just rather, clingy.'