Mefisto

Ends
 Previous chapter

"Mefisto" is the twentieth chapter of Honeysuckle & Pain. It is the third chapter to be narrated by Anwar Ibrahim.

## Chapter Quote

"Each statement must have three mysteries." - Rinzai

## Summary

The chapter begins on Monday, July 28, 2014 at 10:10:11 in Los Angeles, CA.

Mefisto arrives unannounced at the Ibrahim residence. The security system that Mefisto has programmed to shout "warning: door open" in many languages surprisingly (or perhaps not) does not go off. When Anwar opens the door, Mefisto is on his knees, as if to apologize, and brings gifts for the family. Honeysuckle flowers for Astair and scotch for Anwar (although Astair jokingly accepts the scotch claiming that it was sweet of Mefisto to bring flowers for Anwar). Anwar brings foam lightsabers for the twins and oversized black-out sunglasses with pink frames for Xanther.

Mefisto is taken aback by the cat. He asks Xanther for his name, but when she admits she hasn't figured it out yet, Mefisto suggests calling him "Mefisto." He pulls a coin from behind the cat's ear to Xanther's delight. The cat makes Mefisto uneasy.

Xanther asks Mefisto about the phone prank. Mefisto refuses to answer but goes down on his knees again, apologetically. The cat is uncharacteristically playful, and bats at Mefisto's afro with his paw. Everyone laughs and drops the subject. Anwar reflects that it's not the first odd reaction the cat has had to Mefisto. Even before Mefisto arrived, Anwar noticed the cat facing the door with its head up (eyes closed), apparently in anticipation of Mefisto's arrival.

Later, Anwar presses Mefisto for an explanation of the phone prank. Mefisto again sidesteps, claiming there's more pressing things to discuss. However, what Anwar assumes would be the pressing thing for them to discuss -- progress at Sementera and Paradise Open -- is no longer pressing as the company folded. Mefisto claims he has to leave before lunch, although that turns out not to be the case. Anwar suggests going out to breakfast and Mefisto says it's "a must!" but they never make it out to breakfast.

Instead, they stop at the piano room. Mefisto quotes Machiavelli: "The best fortress for the prince is to be loved by his people." Mefisto then hedges, claiming maybe "the problem has nothing to do with love but with 'fortress,' which inherently, in insisting on territory, institutes love's contrary." The two discuss Mefisto's recent thoughts about "territory, about borders and boundaries, about open gates and closed gates." He states that his thoughts on the topic have been hurting his head and hurting his friends. Anwar internalizes this statement and thinks that the phone prank was a great annoyance, but it didn't cause him pain.

Anwar notices that again the patio doors and windows are wide open. Mefisto begins ruminating on an old math problem, but then catches himself and returns to the "fortress" conundrum. Mefisto wonders if it's possible to create any concept like religion, government, or justice system that is dedicated to producing "betterment" that could not be "controverted to a contrary effect." Anwar and Mefisto are surprised when Xanther asks when lunch is, as they had not heard her enter the room, which keeps happening. Anwar says lunch could be now, if Mefisto has time. Again Mefisto says it's "a must!" but again they never end up going out to eat.

Instead, they get to the living room. Mefisto is now and has been staring at Xanther. Once again they don't notice as Xanther arrives and sets down a tray of food and drink. Xanther tells Mefisto that the cat likes him. Mefisto remarks that the cat hasn't moved at all, and Xanther says "I can tell." Anwar and Mefisto have a wide-ranging discussion of many topics including pop culture science and the nature of knowledge and its acquisition.

Marnie knocks at the door and Xanther allows her in. Marnie seems to recognize Xanther, which everyone finds odd and Marnie catches herself. She comes up with a peculiar explanation "I just felt, like-- Y'all just look so breezy together." Mefisto leaves with Marnie, and Anwar watches them have a serious conversation outside. He notices there's no denying how everyone's attention keeps circling the cat. Mefisto returns, saying Marnie has to run some errands and asking if it's alright if he stays a little longer. Anwar suggests a "proper afternoon snack" and again Mefisto claims it's "a must!" but they never leave.

On the table where they are sitting is a drawing of Astair's from their last joint session, which is a floor plan of their home. On the following page is an obscured rendition of the drawing. The Narcons remark that it is impossible that Anwar can see the image but they are not able to see it; they seem panicked and an error "uncategorized disturbance" is noted.

Later, when Astair enters with the twins, the door alarm goes off in many languages. After a stew dinner, Anwar finally brings up Enzio to Mefisto. Mefisto says that Enzio is full of smart people "with the kind of deep roots in stuff that if survived can only give one the type of education that helps one survive worse." He admits they're terrible with money, and Anwar states that Enxio owes him money from Cataplyst-3. Mefisto is surprised that Enzio went cold that quickly. They toast "to new beginnings, to new ends, to new nows."

Finally, Xanther comes to say good night. Mefisto asks to hold the cat and says he is "so light!" but Anwar notices he needs both hands to support such lightness. Mefisto admits he's tangled up in something. He admits terrible things are afoot and that he hopes they can stay friends through it. Mefisto begins to discuss Clip #6 and that he is part of a terrible coincidence. Mefisto admits that many people fell victim to the phone prank through a virus called i.m.spartacus. He says the virus did what it was designed to do "hide in a tremendous onslaught of information what matters most to me." He says that the virus was to hide an "Aberration," which turned out to be Xanther.

The chapter ends on Monday, July 28, 2014 at 23:23:44.