Flexible Thinking for a Modern Life: Chapter 14

Summary: 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.

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CHAPTER 14

Through the trials and tribulations, the twisting, labyrinthine networks of vents spread across the entire, monolithic building, Iris had finally, finally found a way out. Sliding listlessly out from an unlocked grate, she slinked down to the ground, clutching a single box of Chocobombs to her chest. She was an absolute mess—grime, dust, and who knows what else clung stubbornly to the fabric of her outfit, and the gravel just below the vent's opening just added to the mess.

"Oogh..." Iris groaned, her eyes fluttering open. They fell on the heels of a familiar pair of legs, flowing down into a familiar pair of high heels, attached to a familiar pair of hips... and a familiar tail swishing back and forth. 

Iris' tired eyes glanced upwards, quietly affirming that, yup, it was Kamika. Not some other unholy demon prowling outside a supermarket. Kamika glanced down, reflexively kicking her heel up as if to kick away a particularly needy alley cat. 

"Ugh, I don't have anything for you, stupid-" It was then that Kamika realized who she was talking to, and her tone lightened up immediately. "Ohhh, hey! Iris, dear!~ Now, is that what I think it is??"

Kamika leaned down, fluttering her eyelashes. Iris huffed a sigh, unwrapping her arms to present the box. 

"Yyyyup. Just take it." Iris waved it up and down indignantly. "This was way more effort to track down than it was worth, y'know..."

"Oh, you look... well, actually, now that I look at you, you look absolutely dreadful, yuck." Kamika recoiled slightly. "I hope you didn't up crawling through a rat's crap corner or something."

"Ugh, don't remind me. Who even knows at this point?" Iris looked over herself with considerable disdain. "They really to get someone in there to clean that shit up..."

"Mm, quite." Kamika frowned, her best attempt at a sophisticated response. Her thin attempt to keep herself from laughing at Iris' sordid situation was pretty transparent. She managed to hold it together long enough to clear her throat. 

"Ah, right, well then," Kamika rubbed her palms together. "Let's get you sorted out over here. Too many prying eyes out in the open. It's a bit too... well-lit for my preferences."

Kamika gestured to a faraway alley and led the way, her high heels clicking against the pavement with every step. Iris rubbed her shoulder.

"Y-yeah, I... don't like it when things are too bright either." Iris tried to make awkward small-talk, but it fell on deaf ears. She felt like an idiot, talking to herself, and quickly hurried behind Kamika into the relatively security of the alleyway. 

"Right then," Kamika sighed. "Now that we have a little privacy. Here's where things get a little... interesting."

Kamika twirled her index finger in a small circle—Iris could feel herself being pulled to her feet. She made a sound of abrupt surprise, finding her center of gravity as it shifted beyond her control. Some unknown force had gotten her to stand up once more. 

Iris' eyes widened, holding her arms out to her sides, as two pink orbs of light were conjured, dancing around Iris' lithe both. Kamika's finger pointed in her direction, spinning it in a dainty little circle. The orbs floated along with her silent command, fluttering around Iris' costumed body.

Wherever they glided to, it appeared that the filth, the muck, the unmentionable grunge, simply disappeared from Iris' outfit. Her eyes widened, watching the layer of dirt all along her body simply vanish, as if it was never there at all. The orbs made several revolutions, zipping all around Iris' body. She flinched with the warm contact they made, bringing her limbs together. 

She hoped they weren't about to zip into the parts of her that were ticklish. Of course, she figured, if she thought that aloud, Kamika would definitely prey upon that particular weakness. Many people would, really—it was altogether too easy.

In only a few moments time, the fantastical display had run its course, and the orbs disappeared, as quickly as they had come. Kamika grinned, glancing over to Iris with a smug grin.

"Well? Impressed?~" Kamika chortled. "Magic can be rather convenient, when applied to a more utilitarian style. I've never touch a speck of mildew in the last twenty-five years, haha!~"

"...Seriously? Wow, that is convenient." Iris blinked, looking over herself. It was like her outfit was brand new once again. She could almost make out a new car smell...!

"Well, we shouldn't tally much longer. Toil and Trouble are known to chew the furniture if they don't get their snacks." Kamika rolled her eyes. "Now, come along, the night is young."

"...Right, um..." Iris prodded her fingers together. "Th-that would be super fun, really, but I should really head home, and-"

Iris cut herself off as Kamika stopped dead in her tracks, looking over Iris with a thoroughly judgmental look. Iris swallowed, rubbing her arm. 

"It's cuz, well, you know, my mom would-"

"She'd kill you, yes. Where have I heard that before..." Kamika scoffed, her tail flicking back. "Well, some things can't be helped. Family comes first, after all..."

As Kamika considered her words carefully, Iris' eyes were locked on the walkway beneath them. Kamika stepped over, bringing her fingers right under Iris' chin, looking her dead in the eyes. 

"I just hope that you can see the rest of us as a family too. You have incredible potential, Iris." Kamika smiled. "You can be whoever you want to be. I'd hate to see that potential squandered."

"...Yeah. I know, I... I'm really enjoying this time. Figuring everything out." Iris reciprocated that smile, a little more earnestly. "Hehe. Maybe I can go on a patrol or something tomorrow.~"

"Ah, if that's what your heart desires, Iris." Kamika stepped back, looking at her all over. "You can do anything you put your mind to, be anyone you want to be. I just... want you to make the right choices along the way~"

Kamika chuckled to herself. Iris gave some brief pause; what would Kamika find so humourous? She was pretty mysterious altogether, but... Iris felt like she could trust her. She hadn't steered her wrong, and... nobody was gonna miss one lousy cereal box.

It's a small deposit to be a hero. No big deal. Easy. 

"I-I'll be around tomorrow! Thanks for the pep-talk, Kamika!" Iris was about to sprint off, when...

"Hold it." Kamika uttered curtly. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"...Forgetting...?" Iris paused, utterly dumbstruck.

Kamika rolled her eyes, walking over to a nearby crate. She hoisted up Iris' backpack, the hem of her uniform sticking out. 

"I suppose you'll be wanting this back. Otherwise, you could try to explain to your parents about your outfit..." Kamika chided her with a smirk.

"...Oh! Right! I..." Iris hurried over, taking the backpack. "Thank you, I... I just plum forgot, ehehe..."

"You know the way home?" Kamika's eyebrow perked up. 

"Yep! I'll take a shortcut. See you tomorrow!"

In that moment, Iris shot her arm out, her wrist wrapping around like a rope around a streetlight out on the streets. With a tug, she retracted and began her long trek back home, swinging through the street corners.

In the back of her mind, she chided herself. Maybe she was getting a little too comfortable wearing this outfit. Even if it left nothing to the imagination, she felt... powerful. Mysterious. It was a good feeling.

---

Of course, she had to bury that feeling upon arriving home, and felt a profound sense of loss when she had to get changed back into her regular school duds. She stared at her house from a distance. A few lights were still on.

She sighed to herself. It looked like her mother was keeping an eye out for her. She must've been fuming, especially at this late hour. Iris weighed her options—should she suck it up and say hello, or sneak in through the window?

Her gut told her that the former would lead to less complications... but she was also tired, and rather roughed up by her earlier escapades. With a shrug, Iris decided that she'd just deal with the fallout in the morning. 

Of course, her mom had just lectured her about her use of the window as an entry point, but... what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Besides, Iris kinda preferred this way of getting it. It allowed her to show off her powers a bit, and it was all kinds of exciting. Like breaking and entering, except... not nearly as illegal. 

Hurrying out from the shadows, Iris headed for the big oak tree that stood next to her bedside window. She raised her head, looking up towards the window frame. Hopefully it wasn't locked from the inside, or this was about to get a lot more complicated...

She silently, slowly extended her arms up to meet the window frame...

"Iris??"

A familiar, worried voice interrupted her movements, coinciding with the unlocking of the front door and hurried footsteps clunking on the patio. Iris' eyes shot wide open and, with a mental nod, her arms returned to normal proportions in a snap, jerking sharply towards the door. She held her hands behind her back, clasping them tightly.

"...Hhh, hey, mom..." Iris muttered, waving a little awkwardly. Had to play it as casually as possible. 

Her mother gasped silently, before relaxing, her lacey nightgown billowing in the chilly breeze that dusted her. Celes hugged herself briefly, wincing from the uncomfortable cold. The moment of weakness on Celes' part was enough to relax Iris' guard for just a moment.

"...Haaah, Iris..." Celes shook her head, walking over to Iris. "Why don't you just use the front door, like a normal person? I thought we were past this"

"..." Iris opted not to respond to that with anything but a scowl. She had her reasons—she wanted to avoid this specific scenario—but her better judgment ruled that a comment like that wasn't the best idea. Silently and gently, Celes' placed her hands on Iris' shoulders, and ushered her over to the doorway.

Besides, she wasn't a normal person. She had powers. Why should she pretend to be someone that she wasn't? She was special. 

"How did you know I was outside?" Iris wondered, hissing to herself that she got caught so easily.

"You've been using that window for several days now. I'm not a fool, Iris." Celes shook her head, making sure the door locked behind her. "Take a seat in the living room. We need to talk."

Celes' tone was serious, and Iris felt a guilty pang shoot through her body. The daughter obliged, not making eye-contact as she found a spot on the sofa to rest in. She folded her arms, her eyes focused squarely on a spot on the carpet. 

Meanwhile, the mother darted to and fro, turning on a few lamps to better illuminate the room. The light reflected off her slick, glossy skin in a very pretty way. Of course, the better lighting in the room revealed one unsettling secret to Celes...

"Ah! Your uniform!" Celes hurried over, her hands running over the tear in the fabric. Iris was initially confused as to what her mother was so concerned about, but then the realization hit her all at once. 

She remembered that she tore her uniform up, getting Debbie out of that bind in the alley. It got caught on something, and it left a nasty tear. Celes' hands were running all over the hem, rubbing it in her hands with an astonished look. 

"...Ohhh. That..." Iris' eyes drifted to the side. She cursed herself for not getting Kamika to fix it way earlier. Magic solves all kinds of dumb shit like this...

"How did this happen? D-did you get into a fight!? Is someone bullying you??" Celes battered Iris with question after question, her eyes wide with palpable concern. "I-I can go down to the school first thing in the morning and-" 

"I'm fine! I'm fine..." Iris muttered. "I-it just got... caught on something, that's all." Iris continued to dismiss the issue, acting particularly cagey. 

"...Is something going on, Iris?" Celes tilted her head. 

"What? No! Nothing's going on. You don't need to ask me that." Iris frowned, folding her arms. She still refused to make eye contact. "The uniform isn't a big deal, don't go and make it one."

"It's not about the uniform," Celes looked down at it once more. "I can stay up a bit to fix this tear, but... I'm concerned, Iris."

Celes released the hem of Iris' uniform, looking at Iris directly. Her attention was as focused and serious as it had ever been. 

"You've been staying out later and later, you've been skipping meals with your family, your father and I barely see you nowadays, you're still trying to sneak out the back..." Celes sighed. "This didn't happen before that track competition, you know."

"Ugh, again with that crap. I'm fine!"

"Language." Celes uttered. Iris could only roll her eyes at that warning, looking back to the window again. The mother looked down to the hem of her nightgown, trying to pick her words carefully. She massaged her temples. 

"What's gotten into you, Iris? You've gotten to be so... confrontational lately."

"What's my problem? What's your problem? I'm not in trouble, my grades are fine, I have a healthy social life! Maybe I just don't want you and Dad breathing down my neck all the time, okay!?" Iris shot Celes a dirty look. 

Celes was stunned into silence. The air was thick with tension. Celes frowned empathetically, her eyes lowering to her lap. 

"...I only ask that if you're going anywhere, you let your father and I know. Is that too much to ask?" Celes inquired, looking up. Her voice was careful, almost fragile sounding.

"That's never all you ask for!" Iris blurted. "Anytime I want to go do something incredible, or something that can help people, you always say no! The summer camp, the babysitting, the fundraising marathons! You and Dad always change your minds! I want to do my own thing, okay!?"

Iris snapped at her with all the pent up emotions she had been keeping in check for a long time. Her volatile energy was rubbing off on Celes quickly, and now the mother was getting sick of her shit in turn.

"Now listen here," Celes rose to her feet. "You're still just a child, and you never learned to control your abilities! You're far too reckless, and you're going to end up alienating-"

"I have great self-control! The problem is I'm not allowed to be myself in my own home! That's crazy! I hate that you micromanage everything that I'm allowed to do!" Iris threw her hands up in the air, her tone growing increasingly flustered. 

"It's necessary! Until you start acting like a normal person!" Celes retorted, her hands clenched.

"I don't want to be a normal person!" Iris spat back. "I want to do great things, and you hate that, don't you!?"

"What!? That's absurd, Iris, I-"

"Just because you hate yourself that much doesn't mean you get to take it out on me! I'm proud of what I am!" Iris declared at once. "And I'm not gonna let you drag me down!"

"! ...Iris..."

This assertion shell-shocked her mother, her eyes wide. She staggered back, lowering herself to the couch. Iris was quickly getting tired of this entire conversation and, with a huff, stomped over to the staircase.

Celes made no attempt to stop her. She simply sat there, almost statue-esque, staring at a far corner of the wall. 

From an awning above, Iris let her uniform's skirt fall down to the first floor, casting it aside like so much unwanted trash, before she retreated to the recesses of her room. 

Celes didn't react at all. She simply hugged herself

---

Iris was pissed. This was exactly the kind of confrontation she wanted to avoid. The worst part of all of this was that she hoped popping off like that on her mother would provide some kind of catharsis. 

In actuality, it had the opposite effect; it just wound her up even more. 

Iris flopped onto her bed once more, taking the pillow and screaming primally into it. Her shouting and curses were muffled, but the way her legs thrashed angrily behind her said more than enough. 

When she was all out of breath, she fell into a slump, breathing deeply. Her breath was heavy and strained, her eyes were wet, and her cheeks were flushed. She had no outlet for her rage. 

She was sick of being stuck in this routine. Of being shamed and controlled inside of her own home. She wanted to be a part of something bigger than herself. She felt like a bird in a cage, meant to be displayed, and never released.

Her eyes drifted to her knapsack. The brightly-coloured outfit that Kamika prepared for her peeked slightly out from the top. Iris had tossed her knapsack to the floor without any thought, but upon revisiting it... the angst she was experiencing dissipated slowly.

The costume. That would be her way out. That would be her way to live her best life, the life she always dreamed of. Of really letting loose, doing some good for the world. It was something her stodgy mother would never approve of... and honestly, to Iris, that only encouraged her more. 

Iris grinned to herself. She remembered what Kamika told her.

You can do anything you put your mind to, be anyone you want to be.

That idea was so appealing to Iris. She wanted to push her limits. She wanted to truly live. She wanted to slip right out that window once again and get back to stretching her body to its breaking point, and then push past that again.

But the excitement from the supermarket possessed her, and fatigue gripped her in turn. And for as much as she hated being cooped up like this, she didn't hate her bed. 

She decided to sleep on it. Tomorrow, the world would see a brand new side of Iris. One that didn't care a lick for what other people thought of her.

She was gonna do right by the people around her. And she was going to do right by herself. And if her parents had anything to say about it, they could take it and shove it right up their asses.

With that happy little thought settling in the back of her mind, she drifted off to sleep...

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