All That I'm Dying and Living For – Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I regret to say that I do not own Batman Beyond or the idea of Catwoman, but I do own Celyna.
Author's Note: Once again, this story has taken the back seat when it comes between my story and my schoolwork. Okay yes, I have a hard time thinking of things to put in my story, so if you want to make suggestions, I am interested in your ideas. You can either email me, or leave a suggestion when you review. Last, but most certainly not least, please review when you finish reading. Reviews give authors encouragement and also help us to update more quickly.
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My awareness returns to something rough being scrapped across my cheek. Not quite being able to move, I mentally yell it to stop. Naturally, whatever it was didn't listen. Well apparently I'm not dead…but why don't I feel any pain Come on body, you have got to move…now would be niceI fell, no rather was thrown from a building, I should be dead. Not that I'm complaining, but why am I not dead?
A little groan escapes as I struggle to open my eyes. When one finally obeys the commands from my brain, I receive an eyeful of fur. Fur? Rats?! I hate rats! I start to panic at the very thought of rats crawling over my body, and the horror stories I have heard over the years certainly did not help in the slightest. Purring sounds interrupt the rush of thoughts going through my head and I try to open my eyes further to see what is really on my head. Purring means it is a cat not a rat. Oh thank the gods, I love cats and at least I don't have to worry about them trying to eat my eyeballs.
The cat moves off of my head and settles on my chest instead. My eyes are now completely open and I am greeted by the face a solid black cat with the most amazing green colored eyes I have ever seen. Instinctively, I knew that it was a female. Why is a cat sitting on my chest? Make that, why is a cat that looks healthy, well fed, and very clean in an alleyway?She looks as though she belongs in a mansion or palace somewhere She is beautiful though…
Suddenly, more purring is filtered into my consciousness and I prop myself up on my elbows to get a good look around the area where I was. Surrounding me was that looked all the same. Each and every one of them was solid black with piercing green eyes. Out of habit, I count the number and come up with eighteen, then add the one and the eight together in order to get the sum of nine. The mystical link and meaning of the number is not lost on me. My entire life, certain incidents resulting in a change to my life has always been linked to the number three.
"Well this really is quite an interesting turn of events," I say to my surrounding audience. In response I receive a mixture of looks, purrs and the occasional feline murmur. I put myself in a sitting position and picked up the cat that was originally sitting on my head. Her eyes were as green as emeralds, but the depths they held were somewhat puzzling – since it was uncommon for mere cat's eyes to display such a characteristic.
Hmm…this isn't a normal cat and I guarantee that the others' are not normal either. How strange would it be if they brought me back from the dead? Now that I think about it, I do feel different…almost as if I'm not the same person. How can that be?
Closing my eyes and opening up my mind, I set it to feel for what the cats were and what really happened to me before I woke up or was brought back. Forcing myself to put aside how I felt and focus on finding the truth sounds simpler than it was. By nature, my mind does not know how to shut up, so understandably, meditation was an interesting challenge. Still, this was something I needed to do before I moved from the alley. The Jokerz were long gone and I could not sense any other presence around other than the cats and myself.
After what seems like a very long time, I slip into the state of mind where I begin to get flashes of the events that had previously taken place. I saw myself being thrown from the rooftop, then lying on the ground in a position that clearly conveyed that I was very dead. I looked closer at my body perhaps out of some morbid fascination and then notice energy accumulating beside me. The energy changes colors from gray to green, then splitting into eighteen separate entities, which then take the form of cats. Thirteen of the cats form a circle around me, with five on the inside to form a pentacle. The leader was sitting on my head while the remaining four were at my arms and legs. After a second, a different energy was released by the cats and took the form of a violet-black magic circle. The form of a large feline was created from the energy and then seemingly dissolved into me.
My eyes snap open and for a second, reality is blurred by what I had just seen. Well now, that isn't what I expected at all…What the heck is going on here?! From everything I have just seen, I was dead and the cats brought me back. Everything is obviously more than mystical than I had thought. I am going to have to get to the bottom of things…but first, I need to get home before Mom starts to worry too much. I don't know how I am going to be able to explain what has happened here, so for the time being, I will just not say much.
I rise to my feet and look at the surrounding cats. "I am very grateful for you bringing me back. I just wish there was something I could do for you…especially since you aren't normal cats and all". The female leader circles around my feet purring as though she and I had known each other forever. "I should think of a name to call you, shouldn't I?" She meows in response as if to say "Why yes, that would be nice. After all, I don't want to be known as 'cat-with-no-name'". I laugh to myself and pick her up, "I'll have to think of a name for you later. You don't mind do you? I should get home especially since it will be light soon, and I don't want Mom to start worrying".
I put her back on the ground and start to walk away, and then the feeling of being followed causes me to turn back around. The leader was following me, but the rest of the other felines seemed to have disappeared. I frown in puzzlement and send the leader a questioning look. She gives me what seems to be a blank look, walks ahead a few steps, and then turns around as if to say, "Well, are you coming or not?"
Inwardly shrugging, I go to climb up the ladder, but get the sudden urge to just jump up to the roof. No way…how could I possibly do that? It is four stories up…still can't hurt to try right? I mean, what's the worst that could happen? All of a sudden when I go to half-heartedly jump to the roof, I soar to the top and actually land on my feet. "Whoa! That was amazing!" I hear another meow and the cat is by my side once again. Now, normally, I would be curious as to how the cat managed to jump four stories, and while that is a question in my mind, I am still determined to get home before dawn. I know that Mom doesn't mind me wandering at night, but maybe it was the fact I had died and was brought back to life, but I wanted to see my mother more than usual. Do not get me wrong, I like to be alone, but when it comes to my mother, things just seem better when I am around her. Maybe other daughters feel the same way about their mothers, but I wouldn't know.
I make record time leaving Old Gotham and as I enter New Gotham, I crouch on a cathedral rooftop and survey the city. Before me, buildings stretch as far as the eye can see and beyond that is the ocean. The sun is beginning to peek over the horizon and I wait a moment, just staring at my surroundings and marveling at how being so high can make the city seem so peaceful and quiet in the early hours of the morning. Absentmindedly, my thoughts stray to Batman and I wonder if he ever thought the same thing when he wasn't saving lives. Shaking my head as though to clear such thoughts from my head, I freefall from the cathedral and land on another rooftop on my way home.
Upon reaching my bedroom window, I quietly slide it open and allow the cat to go in ahead of me. Then I enter and leave the window open so as to get a little so-called fresh air in the bedroom. The area I lived with my mother was not deep into the city, so the pollution was not quite as bad. From the stories I have heard from my mother before it was mandatory for all automobiles to be electric, the pollution was much worse. Yuck, I cannot understand how anyone could have possibly lived in such a place.
I undress slowly as I feel the effects of the night and morning begins to sink it. I put a pair of loose pajamas on and walk to the kitchen with the cat following me like a shadow. Mom is already sitting at the table drinking her coffee. Like her, I am somewhat of a caffeine addict and were this any other day when I had gotten at least some sleep, I probably would be on my third or fourth cup of coffee.
"Good morning Celyna. Late night?" Mom asks taking another sip of her coffee.
"Morning, Mom. I didn't get back until a few minutes ago actually. Oh, you don't mind if we have another cat to add to our collection do you? While I was out, this cat seemed to like me, and followed me home." I give her a pleading look.
The cat circles around my feet and looks at her. Mom looks back and a slight frown creases her forehead and quickly disappears. I probably would have been the only one to notice it because it was there and gone so fast.
"Mom, is something wrong?" I ask to make sure she is okay.
Mom looks at me and smiles, but the smile doesn't quite reach her eyes as she says, "Of course we can have another cat. Have you decided on a name for her?"
"Actually, I was wondering if you had any suggestions, I can't seem to come up with a name for her that fits her personality."
"Hmm. Well, when I was younger, I had a cat named Isis that looks very similar to this one. Why don't you call her Isis?"
"Isis. I like that name a lot." I pick the cat up and ask, "Do you want to be called Isis?" I get a murmur in reply and know instinctively that she is pleased with the name. "Well, Isis it is then. Now, I am going to get some sleep since I have to get at least a few hours in. Mom, do you need me for anything this morning?"
"Not that I can think of right now. Since it is Saturday, I'm only working for a few hours this afternoon, and then I'll be home tonight. Have any preferences for dinner?" Mom finishes her coffee and takes the empty mug over to the sink and proceeds to wash it.
"How does Chinese sound? We haven't had it in what, a few days?" I grin at her.
Mom gives a laugh, "You are truly a daughter after my own heart. Chinese it is for dinner then. I'll be home around 6, so don't go prowling before then okay?"
"Sure Mom, I won't. I want to study some more of my law books after I get some sleep." I go over to her and give her a hug.
Mom hugs me back and in her hug, I get the feeling that there is something that she wants to tell me, but doesn't know how. I'll let it go for now. I know Mom and when she is ready to tell me what it is, she will.
I head back to my room, fall onto the bed and stare at the ceiling. This has been the most incredibly weird day. I wonder why Mom had such a strange expression on her face when she saw Isis…what could that mean?
Isis jumped on the bed and lay beside me purring. A gentle paw touched my hand as if to say, "I brought you back from the dead, the least you could do is give me some attention." Smiling, I indulge her and close my eyes.
Author's Note (another one): I hope that you liked this story and I would love to hear what you have to say about it. Have any questions, suggestions? Press the button down there and review. :)
Poisoned Existence