Chapter 12: Chapter 12
As the cabin settled into an uneasy quiet after Stephen's transformation, the black cat perched on the seat beside Tony let out a soft sigh, his gaze distant as he stared out at the endless expanse of clouds. His tail curled neatly around his paws, but the faint tension in his posture was unmistakable.
"What's with the sigh?" Tony asked, leaning back with his whiskey in hand. "Regretting going back to the cat thing?"
Stephen shook his head. "No, it's not that." He hesitated, his ears flicking as though he were debating whether to speak further. Finally, he let out another sigh. "I was thinking about my cloak."
"Your cloak?" Rhodey echoed, raising an eyebrow. "What, like a cape?"
"Yes," Stephen replied, his voice tinged with a strange mix of longing and fondness. "The Cloak of Levitation. It's… well, it's hard to explain. But I miss it."
Tony smirked, his curiosity piqued. "You miss your clothes? Is this like people getting weirdly attached to their favorite hoodie?"
"It's not just clothes," Stephen said, his tone sharpening slightly as he turned his gaze toward Tony. "The cloak is… more than that."
Yinsen, always the most grounded of the group, set his teacup down and leaned forward slightly. "More than that how? What do you mean?"
Stephen tilted his head, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he tried to find the right words. "The cloak isn't an ordinary garment. It's sentient, in a way. Not alive, exactly, but it has its own will. Its own… personality."
Rhodey blinked, clearly baffled. "You're telling me you had a sentient cape?"
"Yes," Stephen said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Tony chuckled, shaking his head. "You've gotta be kidding me. What does it do, fly you around like a magic carpet?"
Stephen's gaze flicked toward him, his expression utterly serious. "Yes. Among other things."
That shut Tony up for a moment, though his grin only widened. "Okay, now I really want to see this thing."
"It's not a thing," Stephen said firmly. "It's… a companion. A partner, even. The cloak saved my life more times than I can count. It's clever, resourceful, and… well, stubborn." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "We understood each other."
Yinsen's brow furrowed slightly, his voice soft. "It sounds like you were… close."
Stephen nodded. "We were. It was always there when I needed it. In many ways, it was like an extension of myself." He paused, his gaze dropping briefly as a flicker of pain crossed his features. "But now, if it's in this universe, it wouldn't recognize me. I'm not… the same."
The cabin fell silent at that, the weight of Stephen's words sinking in. For all his strength and sharp wit, there was an unmistakable vulnerability in the way he spoke about the cloak. It wasn't just a piece of enchanted fabric to him—it was a friend. A connection to a life he'd left behind.
Tony, ever one to break the tension, leaned forward with a sly grin. "So, let me get this straight. You've got a magic cape with a mind of its own, and it might be somewhere in this universe just… hanging out? Like some kind of rogue AI?"
"In a manner of speaking," Stephen said, his voice quiet but steady. "The cloak isn't just a tool or a weapon. It's… it's loyal. Protective. It chooses its wearer. But…" He trailed off, his ears flattening slightly. "If I were to find it here, it wouldn't know me. Not like before."
Rhodey frowned, his skepticism giving way to something softer. "And that would hurt."
"Yes," Stephen admitted. "It would."
Yinsen tilted his head, his gaze thoughtful. "But if it is here, wouldn't it be worth trying to find it? Maybe it would remember, in some way."
Stephen let out a low sigh, his tail flicking restlessly. "Perhaps. But I've already altered this universe enough. Searching for the cloak… it would be selfish."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. You've earned the right to be a little selfish. Besides, if this cloak is as cool as you say it is, I'd pay good money to see it in action."
Stephen gave him a flat look. "It's not for sale, Stark."
Tony grinned. "Never hurts to ask."
The conversation had lulled after Stephen's quiet admission about the cloak. The rhythmic hum of the jet's engines filled the silence, but the air between them was heavy with unspoken thoughts. Stephen curled tighter into himself, his tail brushing against his paws as he stared out at the endless expanse of sky.
Yinsen was the first to break the silence, his gentle voice carrying a note of encouragement. "Stephen, I understand your hesitation, but… perhaps finding the cloak isn't just about you."
Stephen's ears flicked slightly, though he didn't turn to look at him. "What do you mean?"
"The cloak chooses its wearer, correct?" Yinsen said, leaning forward slightly. "If it's here in this world, perhaps it's not only your decision to make. It deserves a chance to choose, too."
Stephen's gaze didn't waver from the window, but his tail flicked once, a subtle sign that Yinsen's words had struck a chord. "And what if it doesn't choose me?" he said quietly. "What if it's… better off with someone else?"
Yinsen smiled softly, his tone kind but firm. "Then you'll know. But wouldn't it be better to try, rather than let doubt keep you from finding out?"
Tony chimed in, his voice more teasing but no less earnest. "Look, I'm not big on the whole 'magical destiny' thing, but if this cloak is as smart as you say it is, it'll probably recognize you. And even if it doesn't, who's to say you can't make a new connection with it? Relationships evolve, right?"
Stephen turned his head slightly, his eyes narrowing at Tony. "You're surprisingly philosophical for someone who just called my cloak a 'magic carpet.'"
Tony grinned. "What can I say? I'm a man of many layers."
Rhodey, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. "Look, I don't know much about all this magic stuff, but I do know regret. If there's even a chance that finding this thing could give you some peace, you owe it to yourself to try."
Stephen sighed, his posture shifting as he considered their words. "It's not that simple," he said, his voice soft. "I've already disrupted this timeline. Adding more of myself to it… it feels selfish."
Yinsen shook his head gently. "Selfish would be ignoring something that clearly means so much to you. This isn't about altering the timeline, Stephen. It's about finding something that could help you feel whole again."
For a long moment, Stephen didn't respond. His gaze drifted to his paws, his thoughts swirling like a storm just beneath the surface. The logical part of him knew they were right—if the cloak truly was meant for him, it was worth seeking out. And yet, the fear of rejection, of being a stranger to something that had once been so familiar, held him back.
Finally, he sighed, his voice tinged with resignation. "Fine," he muttered. "I'll go."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "What, right now?"
Stephen glanced at him, the faintest hint of a smirk playing at the edges of his feline expression. "You wanted a demonstration, didn't you?"
Before Tony could respond, Stephen's body went completely still, his eyes fluttering shut as if he had fallen asleep mid-conversation.
"Uh… did he just—?" Rhodey started, leaning forward with a frown.
The air around Stephen shimmered faintly, and the sound of something like glass cracking filled the cabin. Suddenly, a semi-transparent version of Stephen appeared, his human form faint and ghostly, standing near his curled-up feline body. His voice was calm and steady as he addressed them.
"I'll return shortly," the astral form said, his blue eyes glowing faintly as he glanced at the group. "I'll go for the cloak first."
Tony blinked, his mouth slightly open. "Okay, that's… new."
Yinsen tilted his head, his expression more curious than alarmed. "So this is… the astral plane?"
"Yes," Stephen replied simply, his tone matter-of-fact. "My body remains here, but my consciousness is elsewhere."
Rhodey gestured vaguely at the shimmering form. "You're telling me this is normal for you?"
Stephen smirked faintly. "Normal is a relative term, Colonel." Without waiting for a response, his astral form turned and began to fade, his voice echoing faintly as he vanished. "I'll be back soon. Try not to cause any trouble while I'm gone."
.
.
The cabin fell silent for a moment as the group processed what had just happened. Tony was the first to speak, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief. "Okay, so we're just cool with the fact that he left his body here while he's off doing who-knows-what in the magic realm?"
Yinsen smiled faintly. "It's remarkable, isn't it? To think there's a plane of existence beyond what we can perceive."
"Remarkable isn't the word I'd use," Rhodey muttered, eyeing Stephen's sleeping cat form warily. "Creepy feels more accurate."
Tony leaned back in his seat, his grin returning. "I don't know. I think it's kind of cool. Plus, now we get to see if he actually finds this fancy cape of his."
Rhodey sighed, shaking his head. "I swear, Stark, you're way too excited about this."
Yinsen chuckled softly, his gaze returning to Stephen's still form. "If anyone can find what they've lost, it's him."
Tony, never one to let a serious moment linger for too long, leaned back with a smirk. "Well, I want a demonstration. I'm picturing a whole 'superhero landing' moment, complete with dramatic music."
Rhodey sighed, his ears flicking with mild annoyance. "You're impossible."