ADVENTURES OF MAL-LARCI: CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 6: How I Came to Be a Super-Hero - Part Two ©

After Boss the Siamese taught me how to fly (we cats have fantastic air-control using our tails as rudders), the next question I asked was, "So what good can a flying cat do?"  

His answer was, "Not really a lot."


The question I should have asked was, "Where to from here?"


My trainer Boss went on to explain that a superhero has to have more than one super gift but most importantly, possess compassion and be willing to put his or her own life at risk for others, even dogs.


I thought that was asking a bit much, but kept my thoughts to myself. 


"How can you test for other skills?" I asked.


"That's the challenge," Boss agreed.


"Often we hear something special about a cat to begin with, such as your faster than usual running speed, and we begin our investigations. In your case, you do not seem to possess super running speed, although your fast running may prove helpful."


"There are things you simply cannot be tested for, for example, being fire-proof or bullet-proof." he said, "There are things you will find out about yourself by accident."


"So what kind of special powers could I have?" I asked.


"Flying for some is their only ability. Until they can find another super gift, we usually don't put them into our training program."


"Are animals the only superheroes?" I asked.


"Oh no, at present along with our many cat superheroes and other animals, we also have two humans," the Siamese replied.

 

"How about dogs?" I asked, my mind filled with images of dogs in costume.


"No," he said, "We found very early on in the program that dogs never make good superheroes."


I felt kind of good about that.


"Why is that?" I asked.


"Dogs are usually too busy worrying about their own human families, and everyone else around them, and they can't focus on being a superhero while they're away from them. It's too stressful."


"In the early days, we allowed some dogs into the program, but on the way to help out at disasters, they would be side-tracked by an old lady needing to cross a street, or to bark at squirrels, to chase rats, or to bury a bone they'd spotted along the way," Boss said.


"So how do I go about getting into the training program?" I asked eagerly.


Boss responded, "You have to discover at least one more helpful ability."


"And if I don't have one?" I asked.


"Then we've never met, and have a good life," Boss replied with a shrug of his muscled shoulder.


"How can I let you know if I find one?" I asked, a note of disappointment in my voice.


"We'll know," Boss said, "And we'll come to you."


The Siamese winked at me, flew straight up into the air, and shot across to the horizon in the blink of an eye.


I felt seriously let down. There I was thinking that my natural flying ability was enough to allow me to become a superhero. If I didn't have another super skill, I was useless. I was just going to be another ordinary house moggy.


Muttering through my whiskers in irritation, I returned indoors.

Link to Chapter 7

ADVENTURES OF MAL-LARCI: CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5: How I Came to Be a Super-Hero - Part One ©

In my early days as a super-hero, it was sometimes difficult to know what to do when disaster struck. Since that time I have developed a basic contingency plan for specific kinds of disasters.

These plans were suggested by a former feline superhero who has now gone into retirement. He likes to spend the time knittin' mittens for kittens. I cannot tell you his real name, but let's call him Boss.

Boss was a Siamese with the attitude and poise common to his breed. He'd heard about a ginger cat with phenomenal running speed, and after some research had found me at my present home.

I was just six months old at the time and had no idea why an unknown Siamese was trying to talk to me. His scratching at the window and other attempts to get my attention, simply made me wary of him. It wasn't until I saw something incredible that I finally got up the courage to speak with him.

One day I was looking out the window, studying a number of birds and butterflies that looked good to chase, when I saw something streaking through the sky towards me. Just as it looked like it was going to crash into our house, it suddenly slowed and dropped into our yard. 

My eyes felt like they were about to pop out of my head when I saw that it had been the Siamese cat that I had seen flying. I shook my head in disbelief. Dashing to the cat-flap, I made my way downstairs and met up with the Siamese.

The first thing he said to me was, "I'm a superhero. I think you might be too."

"Don't be ridiculous!" I exclaimed, but then I recalled that I had just seen him fly through the air.

"But I can't fly like you," I spluttered.

"Have you ever tried?" he asked.

"No," I replied with a chuckle.

"Then how about I give you some lessons," he said.

That was the beginning of my training as a superhero. Flying is usually the first step in training because only about half of all superheroes possess this ability. The other half learn that they don't have it after much body twisting, embarrassing falls and lots of bruises. After that point, they have to try to develop super-speed in running, swimming or other abilities to qualify as a super-hero.

And let me tell you that learning to fly is not easy, especially if you're a cat. We have a natural tendency to twist our bodies to ensure our feet are always facing downwards in preparation for a fall. It is very difficult to unlearn what is natural to a cat. 

Then one day it happened. I launched myself off a branch in a tree in our yard, much to the delight of the neighbour's pets who thought I had gone insane. I was about to squint my eyes in preparation for the crash to the ground, when out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of brightly coloured wings nearby, and unconsciously took off after it. I was flying! And I chased that butterfly until I caught it.

Boss taught me how to streamline my body in flight, to turn and twist in mid-air and to increase my speed so that no-one sees me.

 

Flying is marvellous. And for us cats the added bonus is we can catch our meals mid-flight, eat our food and reach our destination in under half an hour.

I can definitely recommend it, but if you do some flight training, please make sure that you have an adult trainer with you at all times!

(Yawn!) I'll pop back another time with some more juicy details about my life.

Mmmm, speaking about juicy, I wonder what there is to snack on? Perhaps I might drop into Asia on the way home one day and try a delicacy there.

Link to Chapter 6