Mittens Has Class

Mittens Has Class

Chapter 12 - Technically, Awesomest is Recognized as Slang

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"Oh! Em! Gee! This is your car?!"

Mittens flashed a proud grin as Valli finished coming down the steps of her porch, goggling at the 'Mittens-mobile'. Master had originally bought it for her to learn how to drive and use, back in the days when he was just helping take care of her as an orphaned teen girl. It was intended as a loaner until she could either afford to buy her own or, more likely, pay him back for the car itself. When things later progressed and she came into his collar as his pet cat, he had the matte white car repainted in glossy bubblegum pink and an image of a cat-girl silkscreened across the hood. It had officially been her car ever since.

The little cat-toy mouse hanging from the rear view was her own little touch.

Otherwise, it was just your typical four-door Mazda sports car, but most people found it pretty fitting for its owner. She'd been considering the idea of having a pair of ears added to the roof and maybe some whiskers to the front fenders, but was weighing whether that would be a little too much. However, she'd always kept it in perfect purring order, despite having only recently begun using it on a more regular basis.

Since starting college, it had become indispensable, given the long commute to campus. Even better, it often garnered the same kinds of reactions she was currently getting from Valli right now. Waving her paws as if presenting the vehicle to an audience, she made proper introductions. "This ma widdle kitten." She said in a formal 'cutesy' voice. "I calls her 'Rhonda Xerxes tha Eighth'."

Valli paused, giving her a confused look. "Where did a name like that come from?"

Mittens simply pointed at the 'RX-8' emblem on the side of the car. "Them's her initials!" She exclaimed in a mock exasperated tone, as if that should have been obvious.

"You are so lovably nuts!" Valli cried, lifting up her glasses to wipe a few tears of laughter from her eyes. "I love your loony logic."

"Welp, is ya ready ta go?" Mittens asked after a moment of letting Valli take in the car. "Didn't ya need more than that?" She gave a little nod to the small backpack-like purse Valli was carrying.

"I figured all I really needed is my toothbrush and a change of underwear." She replied, patting the small bag. "Unless you think I need something else?"

Mittens considered it a moment, but shrugged as she conceded the point. The plan was for them to meet up with Krystal and the three of them wander around town together, finally ending the day with movies at the house. The expectation was that both of them would stay over for the night and Valli would get driven back home in the morning, since she didn't have her own car. Admittedly, she really shouldn't need all that much, though Mittens had expected her to, at least, bring something more comfortable to sleep in.

Her current outfit, consisting of a button up pink blouse, grey sweater vest with matching pleated skirt, opaque pink tights, and a pair of black vinyl flats, didn't really look all that comfortable to try and sleep in. Of course, if push came to shove, she was pretty sure she could find something Valli was able wear. She was only a couple inches taller than Mittens and about the same petite build, so most of Mittens' clothes should fit her well enough. Of course, Valli had also been batting around the idea of stripping down to almost nothing at the house, to 'fit in'.

Both her and Krystal had been adamant that she and Chloe not feel the need to censor themselves and would be fine with them being mostly naked. While Krystal cited wanting to get a little more comfortable with Chloe and Master before she got too underdressed herself, Valli had been working up the courage to try being a bit exhibitionistic. Mittens was curious to see how that actually worked out, but had no intentions of pushing her.

Before they could load into the car to get going, someone else came rushing out onto the porch and began waving to get their attention. She didn't look old enough to be a parent, but bore too much of a resemblance to Valli not to be related. Likely, an older sister, but she frowned in a way that suggested she saw herself as some sort of guardian for her younger sibling. Given the grimace on Valli's face at the sight of her, the sentiment wasn't mutually agreed on. Standing up straight and walking back around the car, Mittens gave a wave of recognition to the newcomer.

"Hi! I'm Mittens, Valli's friend." She said introductorily, making sure to talk in a more normal voice. "Nice to meet you."

The young woman practically stalked down the steps, glaring sourly at Valli and disapprovingly at Mittens. She was dressed in a rather prim way, her hair neatly drawn back with a hair band, and wearing a pair of retro tortoise-shell glasses. Despite how uptight of an air she gave off, her face looked almost unsuited to the negative expression, as though it was taking concentration to look imposing.

"Valli knew we wanted to meet you first, before she rode off with someone we don't know." She said to Mittens, though the words felt more aimed at Valli. "We're a little dismayed by some of the stuff she's been saying about you."

Mittens raised an eyebrow, leaned slightly to look past the woman. "We? There's just you here." She straightened back up, her voice dropping back into her cute tone. "Were there supposed ta be someone else coming out?" She widened her eyes and looked around in mock paranoia. "Or is they hidin' somewhere?"

"I meant me and our father." She replied back, her frown deepening at Mittens' attempt at levity. "He is not home right now, but she was still supposed to let me meet you. I'm her older sister, Robin."

"Nice ta meet ya!" Mittens returned jubilantly, extending a welcoming paw. "Mittens T. Cat. Your sister's been helpin' me get around campus an' bein' a stipend-a-mus friend. I'm lucky ta hav' met her."

Robin looked as though she was about to reply, but paused a second, seeming to catch herself. After a second, some of the ill-suited ire faded from her expression and was replaced by an attempt at a more cordial look. The softer expression, despite the obvious effort to make it, seemed much more suited to her. However, she still didn't reach out to shake Mittens' extended paw. "Well, she has always been a very sweet girl. However, she is also very naïve and impressionable. She's never had a lot of friends and some of the ones she has made have taken advantage of her and gotten her into trouble at times."

Mittens raised the extended paw as though taking an oath. "I swears ta only corrupts her inno-mo-cence in harmless ways." She said with a little nod.

This didn't seem to amuse Robin very much and a measure of the scowl returned. "I am being serious Miss...uh... Did you say your last name was 'Cat'?" She seemed to only now really be taking in Mittens' get-up.

Admittedly, Mittens wasn't wearing anything particularly scandalous, for once. A pair of denim short-shorts, velvet thigh-highs, and a form-fitting tee-shirt, aside from her usual paws, ears, and tail. However, the tee-shirt did read 'You may pet the pussy' across it. Regardless, Robin's expression was quickly shifting from disapproval to concern for the sanity of her sister's new friend.

"Mittens The Cat is my full, legal, name, ma'am." Mittens said, smiling broadly enough to show off her fangs. "I lives as a kitty full time. And yes, I's probably not completely right in tha head, but I's completely had ma shots and a recent flea treatment." She could hear Valli chuckling despite knocking her head against the side of the car in dismay at Mittens' lack of ability to take this seriously.

Robin was speechless, unable to decide what to address first. Her mouth worked fruitlessly to find something to say for a moment, then turned her sights to Valli. "Is... is she serious?" She asked incredulously.

"I can never tell." Valli laughed. "She's maybe the craziest, awesomest, person I've ever met."

"'Awesomest' isn't a word." Robin said vaguely, turning her attention back to Mittens. It seemed almost like an automatic response, not one she was even conscious of making. "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't make fun of our concerns, Miss...Cat."

"Please, call me Mittens." Mittens replied with an earnest smile. "And I swears I's not mocking your worries. I's jus' tryin' to show that I's nothing but a silly little kitty that thinks your sister's really great." She switched back to a more normal voice, making her expression soberer, but still smiling politely.

"Valli has been a very good friend to me and I just want to be a good one back." She reassured her. "I may seem a bit kooky, but it's because I have a good life with loving partners, who support me to be myself. I would only want Valli to be herself too and I have no interest in making her into anyone other than your fantastic and sweet sister, I promise." She paused a moment, making an exaggerated expression of considering something, before adding in her cute voice. "Well, mights try ta turn her inta a bunny. She'd be super cute wit' long ears an' a fluffy tail."

The joke made Valli burst out in laugher again, but Robin seemed not to be very amused by it. There was definite suspicion in her eyes, confusion at just what this cat-girl standing in front of her was all about, and the obvious signs that she was currently combing through everything Mittens had just said for some hidden implication. Finally, she gave a sigh and looked at Valli again, though she was obviously addressing Mittens.

"I'm asking you recognize that she is still just a kid. She only turned eighteen about a month ago and is fresh out of high school. Some of the things I've heard her talking about regarding you do not sound suitable for someone as young and impressionable as her to be exposed to them." She finally looked back at Mittens, her eyes fixing meaningfully on the collar around Mittens' neck. "We aren't comfortable with her being around anything... deviant."

Mittens glanced towards her friend, who was looking positively mortified by this point, almost to the point of tears. Looking back to Robin, she gave her a friendly smile. "I doesn't think that'll be a problem, ma'am. I'll personally make sure ta cover her eyes wiff ma paw if something dirty happens." She put one paw over her heart and raised the other into a scout salute.

Robin's scowl deepened even more, looking absolutely flustered. Despite how disapproving she was trying to be, it was obviously just an image of being imposing and assertive. As much as she was appealing to Mittens not to endanger or corrupt her sister, there was the strain of powerlessness in her eyes. "Just assure me that you will not talk her into doing anything indecent or inappropriate for her age." Robin finally managed to say, wincing a little at her own words, as if feeling they had been poorly chosen.

"So, no going to Vegas for blackjack and no renting cars!" Mittens confirmed with a pair of crisp nods. "Gotcha!" Over by the car, Valli let out another burst of giggles.

Robin groaned and frowned. "Miss Cat!"

"I'm kidding!" Mittens chuckled. "If it helps, I don't drink, smoke, or use any sort of drug that isn't meant to target a cold. I've never committed a crime that wasn't fashion-related and..." Her expression smoothed into a poignant expression, to emphasize her next words. "I used to be a kid who had to take care of a mother who couldn't take care of herself. I know you're trying to be a good role-model and watch out for Valli. I get that and I promise I'm safe for her to be around."

Mittens reached out and took Robin's hand in her plush paws, giving it a squeeze. "My lifestyle sounds wild and indecent, but it really is founded on strict boundaries, trust, and respect. I can't promise we won't watch that movie where you get a two second view of Kevin Bacon's bacon, but I promise not to hit pause when it does."

Robin stared at her for a long moment, face puzzled, but Mittens noted a few slight hints of a smile struggling to reach the corners of her mouth. Finally, Robin sighed, returning the squeeze and letting a slight chuckle escape. "Thank you, Mis—Mittens. I'm still not sure about some of this stuff, but thank you for understanding. She can just be very...suggestable."

"Oh, don't worry." Mittens assured her. "I never was any good at hypnotism. Though, for some reason, whenever I hear a bell ring, I start drooling." She gave a theatrical shrug and a cheesy puzzled expression.

Robin peered at her a moment, before laughing softly. "You really don't take anything seriously, do you?"

Mittens gave her a deeply sincere look. "I do when it comes to the safety of people I care about, ma'am. And your sister is one of those people. Valli is safe with me. Both from myself and from anyone else who tries to hurt her while I'm around." She leaned in, looking around furtively. "I knows cat-fu." She added in a whisper.

Robin openly laughed this time, finally letting go of the persona of the authority figure that so poorly suited her. "Okay, okay." She shook her head and looked over to Valli. "Be sure to let us know if you end up staying longer than just overnight, please."

"I will, I promise." Valli replied, seeming relieved to finally be able to get into the car.

Robin remained in the driveway until they had backed out and drove off, waving goodbye to her sister. Mittens could still see fear and concern on the young woman's face, but she did seem a little bit more confident that her little sister wasn't being abducted by a sex cult. Once they were down the street and her house was out of sight, Mittens glanced over at her friend.

"So, single parent home?" Mittens asked.

Valli laughed. "Well, two parents, just each in their own home. Divorce, about eight years ago. Irreconcilable differences, amicable split, nothing melodramatic. Mom lives only three streets over and I see her all the time. I think Robin just never forgave her for leaving. Honestly though, I think she was more hurt that mom didn't take us with her when she did."

Mittens raised an eyebrow. "Does Robin not get along with your father? She made it sound like they were kind of a team."

Again, Valli gave a laugh. "Dad is an architect. Even when he's home, he's usually still at work. He's a good dad, don't get me wrong, but he doesn't usually have a lot of time to be a really involved parent. He expects us to kind of take care of ourselves for the most part. Mom was the opposite, really involved and kind of a micro-manager. Robin is one of those people who likes to have clear rules and boundaries."

"And so, she took it on herself to be the rules-maker." Mittens said, catching on. "Your dad just gives a sort of 'absent support' for her use as authority?"

"Pretty much." Valli replied. "My brother took the lack of supervision as an invitation to go a bit wild, making a bunch of really dumb decisions. Sitcom level hijinks, nothing life-ruining. Parties with underage drinking, cringy pranks, a few girlfriends that rank up there on the skank-scale. That sort of thing."

"She also mentioned something about you having friends that got you into trouble." Mittens said cautiously.

Valli rolled her eyes and sighed. "She never really like Annie and Sage, thinks they're a bad influence. According to her, they are the reason I didn't make valedictorian, only salutatorian." She gave another roll of her eyes. "Basically, she thinks they distracted me from school, even though Annie was an A-student herself."

At the incredulous look that came over Mittens' face, she gave a sour chuckle and added. "Robin was valedictorian of her class, like mom was when she graduated high school. Zacariah, my brother, would have been in the top percent, if he hadn't gotten lost in partying and stupid stuff. In her eyes, I should have been head of the class, spending all my time studying."

Mittens peered at her. "And that's them getting you into 'trouble'? I mean, isn't salutatorian still pretty impressive?"

Valli grimaced. "Well, there was also a couple of incidents where we did some crazy things. A few years back they got me to go skinny dipping with them and a couple older boys they knew. Nothing but swimming happened, just some immature peeking, however, Robin found out and had a complete meltdown. She thought it was entirely inappropriate behavior and that my friends had put me in some kind of dangerous position with these older boys."

She gave her head a shake and sighed. However, after a beat she add. There was also this one time that she walked in on this awkward scene where Sage and I were...looking at some 'inappropriate' stuff and well...having some perfectly healthy reactions to it." She blushed a little at her admission.

"And Robin sees it as you being 'suggestable'." Mittens deduced, politely not acknowledging her embarrassment.

"Admittedly, I can be a bit naïve sometimes." Valli admitted. "And she's right about me not having a lot of friends growing up, which meant that when I did make a friend, I sometimes let them put me in uncomfortable situations or take advantage of me." She gave a half-hearted shrug. "So, I guess there is some excuse for her treating me like I'm still ten."

"Well, let's get out of the way that I'm abso-toot-ly going to continue to be your friend whether you wants ta do something or not." Mittens said resolutely. "Though I do think it would be funny if we brought you back home all dressed up as a bunny, just to mess with her head."

Valli let out a bray of laughter, obviously picturing the scene and looking as though she was delighted by the idea. "Oh my God! Can we?! We should buy me a collar too, really make her freak out."

Mittens smirked. "Now I's startin' ta wonder if'n I's actually a bad influence after all. Krystal wants ta has a kitty day, yer wantin' a collar..."

Valli gave a bright giggle. "Well, you do have a way of making this stuff look fun."

Mittens gave her a hammy expression of guilt. "Oops." She then gave her a wink. The two of them shared some giggling for a few minutes. When the mood finally began to sober a little, Mittens felt another jab of curiosity.

"Your sister obviously still sees you as a kid, despite being college age." Mittens began, trying to frame this carefully. "Just how innocent are you really, though?"

"I am still a virgin." Valli said quickly. "Though I'm not completely innocent. I had an awkward encounter with a boy during a band trip, basically just us doing some awful kissing and clumsy groping. There's also the whole skinny-dipping thing, I guess. And, of course, I've watched my share of porn." Her face was turning a beet-red shade, but she seemed determined to show she wasn't shy about these things.

"The truth is, I'm kind of hoping you introduce me to some stuff, open my horizons." Her already bright blush deepened into something almost neon. "I'm not meaning anything extreme. I still don't think I could do the whole 'S&M thing', but I want to get a little wild and dirty. Maybe explore my sexuality or...whatever." She looked like she was about to explode, a goofy grin spread across her face and fidgeting.

Mittens spared her a few contemplative looks. "You do realize that this is probably going to be a pretty tame evening, right. It's not like there's going to be some kind of orgy going on. We're just going to be watching movies and playing video games. At most, you're going to see me and Chloe mostly naked, if that. Master isn't the Marquis de Sade or anything."

Valli chewed on her lip. "Yeah, I know. I know. I just... I don't know, I guess I'm just tired of always being 'appropriate'. The truth is, some of the things I went along with wasn't just from peer pressure, but because I wanted to do something adventurous. Most of my life, I've been so buttoned up and conservative, that I sometimes feel like I missed out on being a teenager."