A Cute Creature

The next day, Mauzarella visits the R.O.E.S. headquarters. which are a series of buildings shaped like slices of cheese with round windows and surrounded by hangars and launch pads. She walks through the halls and corridors until he reaches the office of Chief Maustash, a robust mouse always in military uniform, with a bushy beard and premature baldness. On his desk, as usual, there's a large amount of papers arranged in huge piles that could topple over at the slightest touch.

Mauzarella: What's up, Chief?

Chief: Mauzarella! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting at home?

Mauzarella: It hardly hurts, don't worry, where are the Rangers?

Chief: I've assigned Maple and Neve to a new case while we interrogate Catnip, something simple they can handle while you're recovering from THAT!

Mauzarella: Yes, I know, THIS shouldn't have happened.

Chief: But it did! And now you will be grounded for some time.

Mauzarella: There must be something I can do!

Mauzarella turns and notices Hazel, a puny-looking gray mouse in a blue knitted turtleneck sweater, emerging from behind one of the stacks of papers while working on a very sophisticated wrist computer.

Hazel: You could take me to CatNip's lair to see if I can get some intel.

Mauzarella: Oh! Hi Hazel! Didn't see you there!

Hazel: You never do...

Chief: HA, HA! Excellent! Take Hazel here and find something to help us put CatNip in the shade longer.

Mauzarella: Do you want me to babysit?

Chief: In the current state you are, it may be the other way around.

Mauzarella: AGHHH!!

Chief: It's either that or you sit behind a desk until you fully heal...

Mauzarella: No No! I will babysit!

Mauzarella, leaning against the desk, lowers her head while Hazel continues typing on his computer with an absent expression.

Hazel: Hooray, the excitement...

Mauzarella and Hazel arrive at Catnip's lair which has significant damage from the recent battle, one of the domes is completely destroyed, there is smoke still coming from some places and the Piñata Gog is still on the floor with his candy scattered everywhere.

Mauzarela stares at the Piñata Dog's head intrigued while taking a candy that is close to her one good hand.

Mauzarella: How could he pull this off?

Hazel: That's what we came to investigate.

Mauzarella (Imitating Hazel): That's what we came to investigate!

Hazel: There must be something of benefit to us here, my records indicate that there is a laboratory in these facilities, probably in the lower levels.

Mauzarella: And your parents "probably" had too many dictionaries at home.

Hazel: That's right, how did you know?

Mauzarella: Just guessing.

They reach a dead end corridor and proceed to approach the back wall.

Hazel: It's over here, somewhere...

Mauzarella: Are you sure? Because unless we become ghosts we won't go any further!

Hazel: We don't need to die, just use our intellect...

Hazel approaches his wrist computer to the wall, mechanical noises are heard around the hall and a red light changes to a green one. Then the wall moves back a few centimeters and disappears to the left revealing a secret laboratory.

The sophisticated laboratory has several monitors, panels with buttons, lights and levers; there are several empty cages and chemistry equipment everywhere.

Mauzarella: Wow, this is.. BOOOORING!

Hazel: You know, this is the most interesting thing I've done in a long time.

Mauzarella: I figure.

Hazel: While I tap into the main computer you could sniff around for some clues.

Mauzarella: Yeah! why not!

Mauzarella walks through the lab, standing behind several flasks that distort her face, laughing and making funny faces as she does so.

At the end of the table there is a small cage that seems to have been broken from the inside, she does not give it much importance and continues on her way.

Suddenly, a shadow peeks out from behind one of the tables and passes from left to right which makes Mauzarella turn around immediately.

She walks over to investigate but sees nothing, so she goes back the way she came and continues searching but now more on the lookout.

She enters a room that appears to be designed to contain some large creature inside and checks all walls, some visible claw marks and other damage are very evident.

While she has her back to the door, the shadow stands at the entrance to the room.

Mauzarella continues to inspect the walls as the shadow decides to attack from behind by launching itself directly, however, the Ranger is already prepared, she turns 180º and deftly hugs the creature with her free arm.

What she caught is a kind of pink octopus with only four tentacles and two large and expressive black eyes.

Mauzarella: GOT YOU!

The creature squirms a bit to try to free itself from Mauzarella's embrace.

Mauzarella: You're going nowhere, HAZEL I FOUND SOMETHING!

The creature realizes that it can't do much so it proceeds to bite Mauzarella on the bare part of the shoulder that is in a sling.

Mauzarella: YEEE OUCH!

Mauzarella throws the creature to the ground who runs towards a corner of the room.

Mauzarella: Damn Critter! You bit me!

Mauzarella falls to her knees. An excruciating pain runs through her body making her shiver. A few seconds later the pain goes away completely.

The Ranger was shocked. Her arm no longer hurts and it even feels completely normal, as if it was fully healed. She proceeds to remove the sling and make some movements with it.

Mauzarella: This is impossible!

After verifying that her arm is just like new, she immediately begins to look for the creature until she finds it crouched at the corner of the room.

Mauzarella: HEY YOU!

The creature upon hearing Mauzarella's scream shrinks even more and begins to sob.

Mauzarella: Calm down, calm down... You did this, right?

Mauzarella points to her healed arm and the creature nods making a little noise that sounded more or less like a "Blup"

Mauzarella hugs the creature and picks it up with both arms.

Mauzarella: THANK YOU! NOW I CAN GET BACK INTO ACTION!

The creature becomes more nervous and begins to tremble, which makes Mauzarella put it back on the ground.

Mauzarella: I'm sorry. I got carried away. I just can't believe what you did for me. Thank you so much!.

The creature recovers a bit and sees Mauzarella with some curiosity. But just then, Hazel suddenly enters the room causing the creature to startle and run to the corner once more.

Mauzarella: How insensitive! You scared her!

Hazel doesn't answer not because he can't find the words, but because for the first time, he is completely astonished.

Hazel: What is that?

Mauzarella: No clue, but she just healed my arm.

Hazel: AH?

Mauzarella: Look!

Mauzarella makes a one handstand on her hand that was previously in a sling.

Hazel: Incredible!

Mauzarella turns to the creature and tries to speak to it again.

Mauzarella: Come here, little one, let's be friends.

The creature shyly approaches Mauzarella making blip and blup sounds.

Mauzarella: Is that your name? Blup?

Blup: Blup!

Hazel: That's a cliché, not a name.

Mauzarella: Come here Blup, ignore the rude mouse.

Blup sniffs Mauzarella's hand and finally gains enough confidence to climb into her arms feeling safe.

Hazel: What a strange and fascinating thing, are you sure THIS THING cured you?

Mauzarella: Well, it bit me and then I was able to move my arm.

Hzael: Extraordinary! We must report this to HQ and take it for some tests!

Mauzarella: Sure... Wait! What kind of tests?

Hazel: The kind of tests you do on unknown creatures.

Hazel makes a scissors sign but Blup understands it and freaks out before taking refuge on Mauzarella's shoulder.

Mauzarella: OH NO! NOT A CHANCE!

Hazel: But it is part of the protocol. According to article 137, we must deliver all kinds of unknown life for study.

Mauzarella: No way! Look at this cutie, do you think she deserves to have all that done to her?

Hazel: For starters, are you sure it's a she?

Mauzarella: She's pink and has long eyelashes.

Hazel: How come you managed to ace the academy tests? Maybe I should make a report on your behavior too...

Mauzarella: DON'T! Please, Please, Pleeeease let me keep her while we find out where she came from and maybe we can get her back home without anyone noticing.

Hazel: Definitely not! That would be in violation of the stellar regulation code section...

Mauzarella: I would let you cross antennas with me!

Hazel changes his attitude immediately as his nose turns red.

Hazel: Ant... antennas?

Mauzarella: That's right, wouldn't you like it?

Mauzarella walks over to Hazel and starts playing with his knitted sweater by making swirls with her finger.

Blup: Bluuup

Hazel regains his composure a bit and adjusts his glasses.

Hazel: Okay, but if we don't achieve anything in a week, I'll deliver the creature to the headquarters.

Mauzarella: Deal, but you are going to help me, right?

Mauzarella points to her antennas, spellbinding Hazel again.

Hazel: Suuuure, whatever you saaaay...

Blup: Blup!

Mauzarella smiles at Blup who smiles back. After they are done with the scout mission they exit the lab and leave CatNip's lair.