Cat's Cradle (An Illyana's Passage Story)

Part 2: Whetstone

Illyana sat with her back against the grey stone wall and bitterly cursed the Endless. She was in an empty stone room with no doors. Cat was asleep in the far corner of the room wearing yet another straight jacket. The sleep of exhaustion, of depleted hysterics. Yet another day of misery. Of pain.

Of penance.

Cat had been returned to her two months ago. Returned in a way that was so similar to Illyana's own return. Damaged and mad. Lost to herself in the recollections of the horrors that Belasco had inflicted upon her, that and of course the trauma of her death. A death at Illyana's hands as Illyana had snapped Cat's neck in a fight to the death.

Illyana gave a dark chuckle that lacked any humor. How can I be so grateful and so filled with rage about the same thing she mused to herself. Shards I hate the Endless.

It had begun with a trip to the realm of Despair…

BEGIN RECOLLECTION

After a year into Illyana's quest for her soul she had come to the conclusion that she had been tampered with. The left over traces were faint, almost undetectable except to a Hell Lord in her own domain. She had meditated upon the traces for some hours before it made sense.

Illyana was sitting cross-legged on her bed in her Limbo bedroom. A stark room that only had a king sized bed with light blue silk sheets, a solitary dresser, and a mirror on the wall. The mirror was in fact a scrying mirror that allowed Illyana to gaze upon things that were elsewhere.

She un-crossed her legs, got off the bed, and walked up to the mirror. She gazed in to the mirror for some time and that stated.

"Despair of the Endless I greet you. I would have words with you if you will permit".

The visage of Despair faded into the mirror. Despair was a naked short, obese woman with grayish skin and irregularly-shaped teeth. She wore an absent minded expression of mild disinterest.

"Greetings Darkchilde, I had begun to wonder if you would ever notice".

"May I cross into your realm? You have interfered with me and I would know why".

"Despair touches all, some but a little, others more so. Yes you may enter".

Illyana concentrated and walked into the mirror. She emerged into a realm where the ground was concealed by a low hanging mist. Mirrors hung in the air like windows. Each reflecting the visage of a person in the grips of despair. Despair stood before her, one of Despair's rats was currently on Despair's right shoulder.

"Why have you touched me? I can read the signs, and I suspect your brethren have had a hand in it as well".

"I shall not say as this would likely negate the reason we touched you".

Illyana's eyes narrowed. "I dislike… being interfered with and… do not wish to be one of your playthings. You and your twin, Desire, tend to break your toys".

Despair gave a small laugh. "You are no playing but… perhaps we can have a little fun now that you are here".

Illyana stood back and summoned her soul sword. A blazing sword filled with white fire appeared in her left hand. Despair simply looked at Illyana with a bored expression.

"You think such power impresses me? Despair is rarely impressed".

"You have interfered and I will know why or be recompensed. Such are the rules that govern interactions between the Endless and such as I".

Despair smiled. "Recompense then. Abide for a few moments while I acquired you a… gift".

Despair walked past Illyana, dangerously close to the sword if the sword was in fact a threat, and stood before a wall of portraits. Was the wall there before or did it appear? Who knows, the realms of the Endless are… malleable. Despair stands before a painting of an androgynous looking individual smoking a cigarette.

"Dark twin, I stand in my gallery before your portrait and call, will you answer"?

The portrait comes alive and exhales a gust of smoke and then speaks.

"Hello Despair, I see she finally noticed the traces. Not much of a Hell Lord if you ask me, must be the lack of a soul. Ohhh, isn't she feisty waving that sword about. Sheath it sister or I'll feed it to you. Despair, may I cross over"?

Illyana grimaced and her sword faded away.

Despair held out her hand "Yes my twin you may enter".

Desire's hand reached out from the painting and took Despair's hand and then all of Desire was present.

"So it's recompose she wants. Oh the lack of gratitude from the young of today. Well, I brought the gift".

Desire reached into her/his suit pocket and pulled out something that was hidden in the clenched fist.

"What she needs is some responsibility, something to care for. A… pet as it were. A puppy or a…"

Desire's hand opened reveling a small figurine of a naked female in a fetal position.

Both Desire and Illyana finished the sentence at the same time.

"Cat" Stated Desire.

"Cat"? Questioned Illyana.

Illyana's eyes went wide with surprise and shock, and… and… other things.

Desire waved her hand a little as she/he continued to speak. "Oh it's her alright. Just after the moment of her death. You know, right after you snapped her neck".

Despair spoke.

"We pulled her from the dreaming, from your dreaming to be precise. We've cured her of that little full cat transformation that your… mentor did to her after he captured the two of you. Restored her to the cat woman form she had when the two of you were in the wilderness of Limbo. But… I think she's in shock from all that he did to her. From all that he made her do. Kind of like you were after he was done doing... THAT to you".

Desire walked over to large table that had suddenly appeared and placed the figuring on the table. It then quickly grew to a life sized catatonic Cat. Desire stepped back.

"There you go. Recompense and a pet. Enjoy".

Illyana slowly walked up to the table and stared at Cat, then a teleportation disk appeared and whisked the two of them away.

"Humph, not even a think you" Desire muttered while taking another drag on her/his cigarette.

Unnoticed until now, Dream spoke from one the mirrors.

"That was cruelly and crudely done Desire. Unnecessary and vicious".

Desire breathed smoke out her/his nostrils and replied. "Yes it was. Need to keep the blade sharpened for the task. But cruel and vicious was taking her from the dreaming in such a state. Now I wonder why you did that"?

Dream had an angry expression as he replied "As you said. The knife needed to be honed to keep its edge". With that he faded away.

Desire cursed at the departed image of Dream.

"Bastard. Pretending that he did not do his part in this little passion play".

Despair patted Desire on her side as Despair replied.

"He dislikes that desire and despair play such a role in the dreaming. But what are dreams but things we wish for or dread. The three of us are more entwined then he likes to believe".

END RECOLLECTION

Illyana suddenly noticed that Cat had opened one eye and was looking at Illyana. Looking and not going into hysterics. Not screaming about… the things that Belasco had done to her. Not screaming about that things he had made her do. Not screaming about… well everything. Cat looked terrified but rational… well somewhat rational.

Illyana made no sudden moves. Just looked at Cat and asked a simple question.

"Cat"?

She did not try to go to Cat or touch Cat. Cat had… issues with touching. Issues that Illyana understood all too well.

Cat just stared at Illyana. Stared for hours it seemed. Stared and then finally went again to sleep.

Well, that might be an improvement Illyana thought. She kept wanting to bring in professional help, maybe a telepath. But she wasn't sure. Wasn't sure about so much.