Mistic Pets

Welcome to Issue 63
Created by The Mistic Pets Team

Emerging from Rock: the Malphi’s Journey into Existence
Written By Metaphor

It begins with some unformed mass riddled with moss and damp under the darkness. It lies stagnant in the quarry walls, although a brave traveler who puts his ear to it might hear the first stirring to life. It’s a murmuring wordlessness, the sound a just-formed heart might make. Next, there is movement. Its source is never known. Could be a pair of full-fledged lungs that at last discovered its thunder, a hatchling struggling from fetal position, legs kicking first, feebly. Then there is awareness, not just of surroundings, but of self. Eyes grow wide and sieve through shadow after shadow in search of light. They find none. Then the body goes uncovered, a glimmering figure of jade. At last, the Malphi understands.

This is what it means to be alive.

Transparent as a jellyfish caught in a sunbeam, and just as fluid, but with the firmness of a lost skeleton that time endows rather than consumes, the Malphi emerges from the stony womb. He stumbles through his first couple steps, but eventually he plods on with the languid grace of a Mandoran. His eyes adjust fully to the darkness; he explores the resplendence and complexity of his body.

This is what it means to know.

None of his anatomy is kept secret. Every bone in his body goes exposed, ready to be diagrammed in textbooks and on colorful posters hung up in Dr. Erlenmeyer’s laboratory. Unlike most MisticPals, his heart is not tucked away safely, revealing itself only to the cold inspection of a stethoscope. Instead, his heart sits on display in his chest, guarded meekly by a light ribcage.

The Malphi begins life by looking into himself very deeply. He needs no mirror or gaudy spotlight. He needs no brooding mind or existential reason. He just memorizes himself, eyes closed, recalling every part of his body crosshatched by veins before sprawling into immaculate green. He analyzes the footprints he leaves in the dirt tracks among the rocks and then his own feet. He concludes his self-search with his eyes, usually by looking at his reflection in his cupped front paws.

Finally, the Malphi journeys on, this time further into the darkness.

Comments

Written By Metaphor

Oops, messed up the link: http://www.misticpets.com/images/items2/Malphi_jade.png

Written By Metaphor

http://www.misticpets.com/images/items2/jade_Malphi.png

Look at that cuteness!

Written By Leptonyx

I suppose I'll have to investigate what these Malphi are?

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