Flexible Thinking for a Modern Life: Chapter 23
Added 2020-11-29 18:49:16 +0000 UTCSummary: A commission series for Alfalfa. Iris Fleurs, the stretchy daughter of a slime mother and a human father, tries to live her best life and feel comfortable in her own skin. Teenage rebellion ensues.
CHAPTER 23
"...Whatever is taking that girl so long?"
Kamika stared listlessly towards the bubbling cauldron. While the dancing licks of flames from beneath the cauldron provided warmth and light, it wasn't quite enough to warm up the entirety of the warehouse. Kamika kept close to it, watching wisps of a pink fog drifting upwards from the lips of the cauldron.
Kamika was starting to worry; she tapped a manicured nail against her magazine. This was supposed to be a pretty easy job; she followed the news, she knew Iris was getting accomplished at flexing her abilities. So what was the hubbub about swiping a flower?
Out of the corner of her eye, Toil hobbled over, drawn by the welcoming flames of the cauldron.
"Hey, boss?" Toil asked. "S'getting nippy. You mind if I-"
"Watch the fire." Kamika muttered, closing her magazine. "That girl Iris is taking her sweet time. I guess it falls to me to check on her."
"Eh? You think somethin' happened?" Toil tilted his head.
"Probably. Or she just likes to keep a woman waiting." Kamika rolled her eyes. "Bloody hell, it's cold out. She would do better than to force my hand and go chasing after her like this."
"It's not that late," Trouble interjected. "What's the hurry anyway?"
"I have plans for her, that's what." Kamika grit her teeth. "And this might be the one crucial point where everything could fall apart in one fell swoop! Is it so bad to want to have one's ducks all lined up in a row?"
"W-Well, I guess not, but... she's still a dumb kid." Toil shrugged.
"Yeah, they don't go respectin' their elders, and eatin' junk food and all that. Kinda like you, mistress!"
"..." Kamika simply responded with an icy glare.
"...Ohhh, I know what that face means." Toil pointed it out. "That's sayin' to mind our place in the great cog of enterprisin'."
"Hardly look a day over 200, ma'am!" Trouble nodded.
"...Whatever, I don't have time for you two. Iris is-"
"Iris has returned, mistress." Double Double signalled, raising his hand. He had, as per usual, been stationed near the front door, waiting for Iris' return.
"Oh thank the gods" Kamika's cold demeanour immediately evaporated, wiping some sweat from her brow. "For a second there, I though I'd have to go on a search. I'm not about that life..."
The gargoyle duo, meanwhile, cast stinkeye in Double Double's direction.
"Boy, you really love door duty, don't you?" Trouble spat.
"The flawless performance of a given task is a mark of great honour for a ninja." Double Double clarified with a measured nod.
"Yeah, well... if you love that door so much, why don't you marry it!?" Toil jeered.
"Nice one, bro." Trouble nodded.
"Thanks! I came up with it a while ago, I was just waiting for the right time to-"
"Oh my go- shut up." Kamika rubbed her forehead. "Double D, just get the door."
"At once, milady." Double Double bowed, undoing the latches with practiced quickness. The hinges on the door squeaked uneasily as the shutters open.
Iris trudged forward, her head bowed low. Kamika looked over her sulky disposition with a curious glance.
"Ah, if it isn't Iris. How good of you to join us." Kamika commented somewhat sardonically. "I was wondering what the holdup was..."
Kamika's eyes widened, her eyes landing on the bobbing flower Iris was clutching in her hands.
"Ah, good! Good, very good, you retrieved the flower." Kamika's mood brightened right up. "Thank goodness for that; had you fumbled that, I would've had to wrack my head over finding an alternative. The flowers are annoyingly out of season for what I have planned..." Kamika hurried forward to take it from Iris.
Kamika cradled the flower carefully, her tail swishing back and forth as she paced away from Iris, and towards the cauldron. A devilish grin arose to Kamika's lips.
"Mmmm, yes, this is a healthy little specimen~ Excellent find, Iris! I think we can distill its essence and move forward with..."
It was then that Kamika finally turned around to look over Iris one more time. It was then that Kamika finally took in Iris' disheartening body language. Kamika grimaced.
"Iris, it's polite to look up at adults when they're talking to you. Your shoulders are slack, your posture's terrible, your eyes are deadlocked on the floor." Kamika clicked her tongue. "What's gotten into you?"
"He saw me." Iris murmured.
"...Who?" Kamika cocked her head to the side.
"My father." Iris explained, her voice heavy in her throat. "He saw me breaking in and stealing. I had to... I had to make a run for it."
"...He saw you through your disguise, did he?" Kamika frowned, glancing down to the flower. "...Oh well. At least you retrieved what I asked for. No harm, no foul."
"That flower, it's... it's his most precious memory." Iris hugged herself. "A-and he caught me stealing it, like... like a common thief. I-I dunno if I can ever go back now..." Iris was on the verge of tears now.
Kamika simply stared for a spell, trying to choose her words carefully. Unseen to Iris, Kamika's thought process played across her face: a look of befuddlement, followed by some quick thinking, and then a look of realization.
"Hold this," Kamika hissed quietly, shoving the potted plant into Toil's hands as she hurried forward. "Oh dear, oh dear, this won't do at all..."
"...ah?" Iris' quiet sobs caught in her throat as she felt Kamika's hands fall upon her shoulders. Her manicured nails were prickly, and uncomfortable; Iris stirred slightly under her grasp as Kamika stared her over, with an almost... hungry look. Like a predator eyeballing its prey.
"Now now, dry those unsightly tears, Iris. I can't have my greatest success getting all mopey all of a sudden." Kamika cooed gently with a smile.
"...I... that's..." Iris stammered slightly, drawn into Kamika's eyes. Kamika never looked at Iris like this before; the starkness gave the young girl brief pause.
"I suppose it makes enough sense. This is a time of transition for young girls like you." Kamika raised her hand to wipe aside some of Iris' tears. "Oh, what would your parents think of you now, going down this path..."
Kamika paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked directly at Iris.
"...The better question is, what does it matter?"
Kamika's bluntness was to the point; Iris was taken aback.
"...what?" Iris blinked.
"Just this morning, you opted to run away from home, and girl, that look of raw determination in your eye was absolutely exquisite." Kamika appraised Iris, before tilting her head quizzically. "You can't be having second thoughts now. Remember how they stifle your creativity? How they refused to let you live your best life?"
"...They're the only family I have..." Iris moaned, lowering her head with shame. "Th-the way my father pleaded, I-"
"You don't need them." Kamika curtly interrupted her. Her stern expression relaxed quickly. "...We're the only family you need. Our home is your home."
"...What?" Iris' eyes widened.
"I get it. It's a big change. But think about it." Kamika stroked Iris' cheek. "They never recognized your gifts. They never supported your dreams. It simply pains my heart to see you tear yourself apart on their account."
"...But... but they know I'm a criminal now." Iris' eyes lowered.
"Pish tosh. You're a hero. If they can't appreciate you at your worst, they certainly don't deserve you at your best." Kamika smiled. "You were one hundred percent right to run away from them. We just want to ensure you're reaching your full potential."
"...I..." Iris' eyes drifted further to the side. For whatever reason, she was unwilling to look Kamika in the eyes. Kamika took this opportunity to grasp Iris' chin, turning her head upright.
"Shhh. Our home is your home. If the world is prepared to turn its back on you, we'll open our arms. If you fall, we'll cushion your landing. I just want you to be happy with yourself, Iris..."
Kamika smiled wider and wider. The way Iris hung on her every word gave her quite the sensation of power. Iris paused, her eyes wide.
"...Y-Yeah. You're right. Sc... s-screw them." Iris croaked. "I don't need them... I don't need anyone..." Without any recourse, Iris leaned into her rage once again.
"Perfect. Now bring it in." Kamika raised her arms, pulling in Iris for a long embrace. Iris's shaky voice was pathetic, as strong as she was trying to be. In such a vulnerable position, Iris leaned in, clutching Kamika's shoulders.
"Thank you... for giving me a home, for... for showing me I don't have to settle..." Iris sobbed quietly into Kamika's shoulder.
"Mmhmhmhm..." Kamika chuckled, patting Iris' back. "Don't go thanking me yet. We still have a few things we have to do. Once it's all over, you can go on to be exactly the kind of girl you want to be."
Unseen to Iris, Kamika grinned toothily. Iris was eating out of the palm of her hand; the girl was like putty to coax and manipulate to her every whim. Instructing Iris to nab that damnable flower was the best decision Kamika made in a long time.
"Everything's coming together, Iris." Kamika grinned. "Together, you and I, we're gonna change the world."
---
"Sarah, you heard the news yesterday, right?? Our city's got a real, bonafide superhero now!"
"Yeah, I heard. It was all over the news."
The following day had Miguel and Sarah meeting up again at school, hanging out in front of their lockers. Miguel was certainly energetic, especially compared to Sarah's stone-faced demeanour. They made quite a pair, side by side.
"Yeah, she saved a guy from a high rise! And his cats too! Boy, I wish I was there to see it..." Miguel sighed. "And they got the same abilities Iris had! Bet she's happy there's someone else in the world like her!"
"...Yeah, I bet." Sarah's mouth flattened slightly.
"Really makes you think who could be behind the mask..." Miguel rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"It's a mystery to everyone." Sarah cocked her head to the side, again in her monotone. Her eyes drifted around. "That reminds me, Iris isn't here today."
"Yeah, I notice..." Miguel prodded his fingers together. "You think she's sick or something?"
"Maybe. Although, I didn't see her in any of our afternoon classes. She seemed fine to me that day." Sarah wondered.
"She should really keep us posted..." Miguel scratched his nose. "We still got that group project thingy to do."
"I mean, we do it. You kinda just put on a comedy movie in the background. And then you keep getting weird ideas for the presentation part from it."
"It's a performance, Sarah! We gotta capture the minds of today's youth!" Miguel slammed his hand in his fist.
"A passing grade's fine by me." Sarah shrugged. "I don't think the addition of shopping cart stunts really adds anything to a dissertation on the kinds of cheeses in the world."
"You're not thinking big enough!" Miguel flailed his arms. "Sheesh, genius really isn't appreciated in its time."
"Mm." Sarah's mouth flattened imperceptibly. "...Hey, you hear something?"
"Eh? What?" Miguel blinked.
"Sounds like shouting." Sarah's eyes narrowed. "In the office? Come on, let's check it out."
Sarah tugged at Miguel's sleeve, pulling him along.
"Eesh, watch your grip, girl!" Miguel whined.
The two of them stopped shy of the office doorway, peering through a window next to the door. Somebody was in hysterics, leering over the secretary at her desk. It was a woman, somewhat heavyset... she looked familiar, even from behind.
Of course, the long flowing strands of goop along the side of her head and down her back left little room for ambiguity.
"Is that Iris' mom?" Miguel squinted, looking over the woman.
"Hey, yeah. What's she doing at school? Is Iris sick?" Sarah cocked her head to the side.
"No... no, she's in a panic or something." Miguel tried to listen in....
"She was here last, wasn't she!? Let me see the principal, I want to hear from him! Somebody in this school must've seen her, right!?" As Celes anxiously exclaimed, her hair shook and writhed like flailing tendrils.
The secretary looked up at Celes with a grim, beleaguered look."M-Mrs. Pettigrew, I understand you're upset, but please, calm down-"
"My daughter is missing! I-I just want to know what she's been up to at school!" The poor slime woman was nearly on the verge of tears.
"I-I can get you in with the principal right away! We're taking this matter very seriously!" The secretary scrambled for the buzzer. "Have you contacted the police yet...?"
Sarah and Miguel watched with concern from the window.
"Iris is missing?" Miguel muttered, turning to Sarah with a concerned look. "Damn, this thing with her folks is getting outta hand, isn't it?"
"You're telling me." Sarah frowned. "She must not have gone home last night."
"Alright, that tears it." Miguel slammed his hand into his palm. "We're gonna take this into our own hands. Let's go find her!"
"...Alright, cool." Sarah nodded. "We can check out the usual spots. Let's get going."
"No objections here!" Miguel beamed. "Morning classes are boring anyway!"
"Hey, Miguel, maybe you shouldn't holler so much about playing hooky right in front of the office." Sarah pointed out.
"...Yeah. Yeah, you got a point." Miguel blushed slightly.
---
Sarah and Miguel settled on a route around Agnes that they'd take on foot, scouring the usual locations they might expect to find Iris. The arcade, the movies, the twenty-four hour exercise and recreation complex. The two of them got a few suspicious looks from adult pedestrians passing them by—the duo was quickly sussed out as a bunch of kids playing hooky, but nobody was assed enough to actually say something about it.
But no matter where they looked, they didn't spot Iris anywhere.
"You'd think Iris would be easier to pick out of a crowd." Sarah mumbled, squinting as she looked around. "She's not hiding, is she? Maybe she did get kidnapped..."
"Gosh, I hope not. The police might have to get involved." Miguel grimaced. "...Hey, Sarah, I got an idea."
"Mm?" Sarah glanced to Miguel. "You have an idea of where she is?"
"Nah, we checked everywhere I could think of. I was thinking, there's this new superhero running around... why don't we get her help?"
"...You're serious." Sarah frowned slightly.
"What?? Our friend's probably in trouble somewhere, girls don't just go up and disappearing! Superheroes go out and help people. right?" Miguel rubbed his chin. "If she took to the rooftops, she'd probably get a good view of everything going on below... that'd be a real help."
Sarah simply stared silently at Miguel, as if a mushroom was growing straight out of the top of his head. Miguel simply kept discussing the idea.
"You have any idea where we could find-"
"Miguel, quiet. I see someone."
Sarah gestured across a crosswalk, in the direction of a nondescript corner store across the street; its front door was propped open. A young woman in a hoodie was loitering just outside, the hood drawn up to disguise her face. She had her hands in her pockets, and she walked with terrible posture; she kind of looked like a hooligan.
Familiar oak-brown hair poked out from underneath the hoodie. The girl in the hoodie stopped in front of the corner store, quickly glancing left and right.
"What's that person doing?" Miguel blinked. "Is she about to rob that store?"
"...That can't be Iris." Sarah's eyes narrowed. "Iris pops off all the time about justice and doing the right thing. Petty theft's way beneath her."
"...Yeah, you're right, but..." Miguel cocked his head to the side. "They might be some kinda thief. Should we stop them?"
"They haven't entered the shop." Sarah blinked. "...Maybe they're waiting for a friend?"
"No clue." Miguel watched her for a spell.
The two of them monitored the suspicious looking girl for a while. She simply stood there; nobody came to talk to her. She periodically glanced through the cornerstore window, but she never actually entered.
"...We're wasting time." Sarah sighed. "She's just chilling. Let's go and-"
"S-Sarah! You see that?" Miguel gasped. "Her arm is...!"
Sarah paused, looking over a second time. Her eyes widened as she took in the strange, but somewhat familiar sight. As the girl in the hoodie crossed her arms, leaning her back against the wall, her arms snaked down the length of her body, down low to the ground, and into the open doorway of the cornerstore. Her elasticine arm slithered into the corner store.
"Iris??" The two of them uttered. They looked at each other with bafflement.
"I-Is anyone in the store right now??" Miguel stammered. "Someone could see her!"
"At this time of day? Probably not, everyone's at work! The only one would be the guy working the counter, and..."
Sarah's eyes widened, looking back to the store again. The guy at the counter didn't even notice what Iris was up to!
"Her arm's way below the countertop! Far as he knows, nobody's even in the store!" Sarah realized.
"Holy crap... w-wait, she can't seriously be doing what I think she's doing?"
Iris seemed to be playing it casually as her elongated arm snuck into the corner store. It was hard to make out what she was even doing from her position. Before long, her hand reappeared, holding something low to the ground...
...It was a single bag of family-size potato chips. Iris was using her superpowers in broad daylight to steal so brazenly from the local businesses. Sarah and Miguel watched from a distance as Iris retracted her arm, clutching the bag in her arms, and darted off down the street.
"She's stealing those chips!" Miguel exclaimed, absolutely baffled.
"We found Iris! We gotta go after her, before we lose sight of her!"
Sarah wasted no time, getting a head start on Miguel to chase after Iris.
"What the hell is she thinking?" Miguel wondered to himself, before running after Sarah. There wasn't a great chance that he could keep up with Sarah, but if they spotted Iris, they'd have to catch her, before the police did.
"She's got... a lot... of 'splaining to do!" Miguel huffed as he trudged after the girls.
