Chapter: 5

Clean Kitty

Isis lazily rolled over up onto all fours. Felix also did this and in unison they shared a big catlike stretch. Isis scratched the black cat behind the ear, "Well good morning Felix."

Isis tried to wipe her crusted tears off her face. No good, this was going to take soap and water. Isis pushed herself up off the cozy bed groaning. She felt so icky. Serves me right for falling asleep in my clothes. Isis tiredly stumbled into the bathroom.

She had not noticed it until now, but the apartment room looked very antique. She probably didn't realize it last night because she was so tired. Everything in the room was not very updated. But the antiqueness actually made the place very pretty looking and spacious.

Isis turned on the facet water and splashed the cool water on her face. It was so refreshing. With the crustiness now gone Isis could be fully awake. She looked over at the toilet space. A few towels were neatly folded and stacked on the seat. Maven had come in earlier and put them there for Isis when she woke up, "How nice of her," Isis spoke aloud to herself. She picked up a towel and dried her face.

She laid the towel on the basin and looked up at the mirror in front of her. The mirror was kind of dirty and her reflection was blurry. She looked around the whole bathroom. It was kind of nasty. There was dust and cobwebs everywhere, "I'm gonna have a lot of work to do on this place. Starting with this room. I really need a bath," Isis decided she would need some cleaning supplies. She didn't have any of her own, so she would have to borrow them from Maven.

She went to see Maven, but before she left the apartment she hesitated at the door. There was the sign again. Isis took the sign down and wiped the dust off. She opened the door and put the sign on the on the other side for all to know that this apartment was officially 'The Cat Lair'.

Isis knocked on Maven's apartment door. Mavis was quick to answer, "Well good morning Sel--…sorry, Isis."

"Morning. Hey, do you think I could borrow any cleaning supplies?"

"Well sure. Why don't you come inside and have some breakfast?" Maven made a little hand motion for Isis to come in.

Isis thought about this, "Well, I don't think so. I feel really icky right now. I haven't even changed clothes. All I can focus on right now is cleaning up that bathroom and taking a nice bath."

Maven looked a little disappointed but understood, "Alright then. Come on inside so I can get you your supplies."

Isis came in and sat on the couch while Maven retrieved the supplies from a near by closet. She came out of the closet with a box full of cleaner, "This should be enough," she handed the box to Isis, "Just bring it back when you're done."

"Thank you so much. I'll probably be working on 'The Cat Lair' all day," Isis turned to leave Maven's place.

Maven was surprised, "Wait!" Isis turned around, "What did you called your apartment?"

"Oh, 'The Cat Lair'. I found a sign on the door and Felix and I decided that we'd call our room 'The Cat Lair'."

Maven looked a little relieved, "Oh, cute name."

Isis got back to 'The Cat Lair' and began cleaning. The cleaner it became the more beauty of the room was revealed. When she was satisfied with the state of the bathroom, she began drawing herself a hot bath. Not a shower. She was in the mood for a nice long soak. The tub was pretty big in size. I was a very nice tub. The tub was full of water. Isis took off her clothes and stepped into the tub. The water was steamy, "Ahh…how good," Isis sunk deeper into the tub until she was neck deep in water.

Her trusty friend Isis decided to join her. He joined up on the toilet seat and began licking himself.

"Do you feel icky too Felix?"

The cat looked up at her as if saying 'yes' and then went back to cleaning himself.

Finally Isis was happy and clean. She stood up in the tub and Felix jumped off the toilet and out of the bathroom so as not to get dripped on. She stepped out on to a fuzzy rug and grabbed a towel, which she had now placed in a cabinet under the sink. She wrapped it the towel around her and headed over to her still-packed bag. She got out so comfortable clothes that she could clean in and started unpacking the rest of her clothes

She laid out all of her on the bed—which she could now see, had a crimson red velvet comforter. All of her clothes were pretty wrinkled. She packet pretty fast the night before and the clothes weren't properly folded. She stopped and looked around the room. A lot of furniture was still cover with dusty rags, "Now maybe there's a drawer around here somewhere."

She got to work on uncovering all of the furniture and putting all the sheets in a pile next to the exit. Fortunately, there were all types of furniture that would come in handy. There was no needed accommodation that she did not have. The furniture and appliances were nice looking but it looked like Isis would have to live pretty primitively for awhile. But all these things were starting to make her questionable, why would Grandma be in such a hurry that she would leave all this nice stuff?

Isis got her stuff squared away and was now working on lots of other forms of cleaning. Such was dusting, sweeping, moving furniture, etc. Doing all she could to make the place more homey. As she was cleaning, she heard a knock at the door.

Isis went over to answer the door, "Oh hello Maven. Come on in."

Maven walked in, "The place is looking real nice Isis. You're doing a great job," she stopped to look around the room that was now almost dust free, "You haven't gone through the stack of boxes yet, have you…?" Maven asked, looking a nervous.

"Oh no, not yet."

Maven was looking a little easier now, "Oh good, because I'd like use to go through them together sometime."

Isis narrowed one eyebrow, "Well how about we go through them right now?"

"No, no, no!" Maven was quick to answer. Isis was a little confused, but decided that she rather look through them later too. Maven looked around at all the uncovered furniture, "Brings back memories," she sighed, "Listen Isis, you've been cleaning all day."

"Well I'm just fine," Isis shook her head and protested.

"I know this club for young one your age called 'The Juice Bar'. You should go tonight and meet some new people. In Gotham, you're going to need friends."

Isis sat down on a black leather, now uncovered couch looking a little uneasy, "Well, don't you think it's a little early for that?"

Maven sat down next to her, "Well of course not. You start school on Monday."

"School!" Isis rested her head on her hand.

"Yes Isis. I want you to carry on with your life…your new life," Maven put her arm around Isis.

Isis looked up feeling a little more confident, "You're exactly right! I guess I could go. I could use a little fun…" Isis lost her confidence, "I really don't have anything to wear."

Maven had an idea, "Wait! Stay put, I'll be right back!" Maven walked over to the stacked boxes but Isis couldn't see what she was doing from her point of view.

After a few minutes of rustling Maven walked out to where Isis could now see her holding a dress. The dress was a casual slinky black dress with a limp, green bow hanging down the back. It was an old looking to today's style but Isis knew she could pull it off as vintage and retro.

"It's a pretty dress," Isis stood up off the couch, "Was it my grandmother's?"

"Yes it was," Maven handed her the dress, "Now you get ready and come get me when you're ready to go," Mavis began to leave The Cat Lair but then quickly turned back, "Isis?"

"Yes?"

"It'd be better if tonight you didn't use your real last name," this confused Isis, "And one more thing…don't speak lightly of your past or your family."

"But…why?"

Maven looked down, as if looking for a lie, "Well…" she looked up and smiled, "Wouldn't want you to get all teary eyed in front of all your new friends," then she left.

Isis stood there wondering and whispered to herself, "…Then why would I need a new last name?"

Isis dropped that matter and started getting ready. She began with make-up. Heavy eye-liner, mascara, and deep red lipstick that made her pale skin look even more radiant. Then she put on her new dress along with fishnet panty hoes and big black combat boots. She was now ready.

She said her good bye to Felix and headed for the door when all of a sudden her mother's word before she died struck her like lightening 'don't let him get you'. This sent a shiver don't her spine. Okay, don't speak lightly of your past…sound easy enough. Isis tried her best to shake off her eerie feeling. She knew that it would only make her jumpy for the rest of the night.