America: 50☆Stars (Vol. 2)

Episode 13: Space Sister

Many years ago...

In the prowl of night, Indianya stalks around the campus of Purrdue University in search of pesky mice. Out of the corner of her eye, she spots clumps of mousy fur scurrying into the dark green bushes. She silently sneaks up on the rodents, hoping to catch them by surprise.

"Excuse me." A soft mew startles Indianya, getting her to jump three feet in the air with bristling fur from neck to tail.

Just as she's about to give the cat an earful, she turns around and becomes more startled by the creature's mutated appearance. She darts into the nearby bushes for safety, hissing "Who are you? What are you?"

"Oops! Did I scare you, fellow Hissier?" The strange cat grins goofily with its pink tongue flopping out. "That's okay. I get that reaction all the time from other cats. But don't worry. I may be a magical space cat, but I won't bite. Or actually, I can't bite since I don't have any teeth. Heehee. Anyway, my name's Lil Bub by the way. What's yours?" She hops toward the bushes like a happy-go-lucky bunny.

Indianya stays in her hiding spot, still wary of the strange cat. So far, the fellow brown tabby doesn't appear to be a threat. Compared to normal cats, Lil Bub is unusually short like a kitten, yet her voice sounds like an adult cat. Although, she has a strange speech pattern, probably due to a lack of teeth, a disproportionately shorter lower jaw, and a hanging tongue. She reminds her of Katsas cat, a munchkin whose breed is known for having long bodies and stubby legs. Yet, there's something different about Lil Bub that doesn't look normal. No doubt, she's a special-looking cat who appears healthy all-around despite their distorted appearance. That must mean this cat has an owner taking good care of her. That's good to know.

She slowly steps out of the bushes to introduce herself. "My name's Indianya. What are you doing here this late at night?"

Lil Bub purrs, "I can say the same thing. But since you asked nicely, I'll tell you. My dude is looking for help."

"Dude?"

"My human. My owner, meow. He's really worried about me. He brought me here to see a veterinarian. He hopes they have a cure that'll help me move a lot better." She takes another hop to get closer to Indianya. "Do you live here?"

"No. My owner is helping humans fix some roaring beasts. I tagged along, so I could see some felines who work here as well as hunt for pesky mice."

"Ooh! Speaking of those felines, do any of them know about space?"

"Space?"

"You know! Outer space! The place where stars shine!" She stares up at the twinkling night sky above them. "My dude tells me I'm a magical space cat who came to Earth to give lots of love and positivity to Earth brothers and sisters."

"You're certainly magical alright..."

"So, do you know where I can learn more about space? I heard there's a place that teaches humans and possibly some cats how to walk on the moon." Lil Bub looks to her with large jade green eyes.

"Uh, sure. It's over there." She uses her paw to point at one of the science buildings.

"Ooh! Thanks! Can you take me there?"

"Take you there?"

"Yeah!" She nods her small head. "I may have difficulty getting over there with short legs and aching bones, so your help will make my life so much better."

"Well, I'm kinda busy..." She glances back at the bush, unable to find the mouse she had been stalking. She sighs, "I guess I can take you there."

"Yay!" Lil Bub happily hops around Indianya. "Let's pretend we're Neil Pawstrong getting ready to go to space!"