Mistic Pets

Welcome to Issue 24
Created by The Mistic Pets Team

Return of a Pal
Written By gemajgall

Lacy the albino Cheran sat amid the clutter of her room, looking around at all of her past fads. Block plushies were collecting dust in one corner while unused envelopes were stacked hap-hazardously in another. Her bed had long since been buried under striped stockings and flipflops. Her closet couldn't even be closed because of all the beanbags she had shoved in there last time she attempted to organize her bedroom.

She sighed; her heart just wasn't in spring cleaning. She lifted an unread pile of books, sending Speeders running for cover. She wiggled them onto her dresser, trying not to disturb the precarious stacks of paper, mail, and advertisement flyers already stacked there. The noise caught the attention of a cage full of Kangas, who all looked up at her listlessly.

Lacy glanced down and winced inwardly. She knew she had been neglecting the cute little Misticpals. The cage carried with it an odor, and she could see the food bowl had been emptied. The Kanga were all apathetic, lying around without the slightest inclination to play or even walk around the cage.

With a guilty conscience, Lacy nudged the cage's lid in an attempt to stir them. A few of the Misticpals looked up at her and followed her with their eyes, but none of them rose to greet her. Lacy sighed and lifted the lid, stroking the fur of a Blue Kanga with her knuckles. It cringed away from her touch.

Lacy again grimaced, knowing their lack of energy was completely her fault. She also knew that she just couldn't get rid of them like she would a pile of old magazines. However, she also knew that she couldn't give them the proper care that they needed. And with so many Kangas, she knew it would be hard to find new homes for them.

Carefully placing the lid back, she leaned back on her heels to try and think of a solution. As she rose, her head collided with the edge of her dresser, dumping piles of outdated mail and long-forgotten flyers right on her head.

Once Lacy managed to dig herself out, her eyes rested on one particular flyer with the letters SPNHM. With a distant memory stirring, Lacy picked it up and began to read. A smile began to spread across her snout as her eyes fell on the final line.

With sudden energy, she leaped to her feet. “I'll make it up to you guys, I promise,” Lacy said as she scooped up the entire cage full of Kangas.

-----

“Thank you so much for caring enough about these little ones to bring them here,” finished a shy Tarinooki wearing a “The Society for the Preservation of the Natural Habitat for Misticpals” t-shirt. “They'll be released into their proper environment and have the freedom to live out the rest of their lives there.”

“It's...the least I can do,” admitted Lacy, blushing and staring at the floor. “It's my fault they've been so...neglected.”

The Tarinooki gave her a forgiving smile. “But you've shown your kind heart now. You're giving them a second chance. Too many in Mistica don't have that kindness.”

She had a way of cutting through guilt and remorse, and Lacy couldn't help but feel relief at her words, “T-thank you.”

The Tarinooki nodded again and lifted the lid to the cage of Kangas. With a gentle touch, she scooped a small Verde Kanga. “This one would quite like the forest of Raziela behind our center.” She turned to Lacy, smiling. “Would you like to join us?”

Lacy nodded and followed her through the society's center. They exited through a large set of double doors, finding themselves by a small garden behind which a large, wild forest loomed. The Verde Kanga began to perk up; its nose twitching as it noticed the scents carried on the air.

“Would...you like to do the honors?” asked the Tarinooki.

“Er...sure,” stammered Lacy as she carefully picked the Kanga out of her paws.

Lacy knelt down on the soft grass and relaxed her paws upward, allowing the Kanga to slowly crawl down and sniff the area. “Go on. Go home already.” She coaxed gently, sniffling as tears misted her eyes.

The Verde Kanga looked up at her and then turned its beady eyes on to the forest. With a powerful kick of its hind legs, it bound forward and was out of sight within an instant. Lacy just watched it run, feeling happy and sad at the same time. She then felt a warm paw on her shoulder.

“Don't worry, your pal will become strong and healthy,” comforted the Tarinooki. “I am sure it'll live a very full life.”

“I know...it's just...” started Lacy. However, she stopped when she saw the Tarinooki's eyes locked on the forest. Lacy looked over her shoulder and let out a small gasp at what she saw.

The Kanga had returned and was watching them both curiously. Then, as Lacy's eyes met its, it bounded up to her and nimbly climbed up to her shoulder. It gave her a quick lick on the cheek and then darted down as fast as it came, vanishing into the underbrush once and for all.

Lacy raised a paw and delicately touched the place where her pal had licked her. The tears she had been holding back spilled over, but all she felt was a sense of joy.

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