One of the first mascots of the Navigator Newsroom came into being suddenly on a Wednesday afternoon, a radish in shape but a father in mind: Greg. Created from a dry-erase marker and a hope, he continued his life for a long three months before tragedy struck. Greg was found erased, gone, midway through December, before the holidays had come to pass. While this holiday tragedy had tried to be avoided, it is undeniable that Greg now rests as the remaining shreds of marker flecks. The eraser is still at large.
His successor, although unrelated completely by blood and purpose, was a different radish. While Gary is a newer mark on the whiteboard of life, made of mind and marker, he has yet to create a vivid presence. His journey began with the new year, though he already appears crooked and fading. With a heavy burden to bear as the successor of Greg, Gary has yet to live anywhere but his ancestor’s shadow.
In the upheaval of the original mascot’s demise and unsuccessful recreation of his spirit, three new creations were made anew. While an emptiness was left by Greg’s untimely demise, the members of the Navigator quickly moved on to new creations to fill the space left behind. Two mice and a ghost cat were brought to existence in the late hours of the night by a resident news reporter.
As the ghost cat has never been observed by any outside party but this news reporter, her location, name, and personality are unknown. Possibilities of names have been whispered amongst the members of the Navigator, such as Cheryl, Carol, Sharon or Cherry. While her name is not and may never be confirmed, those at the Navigator wish her the best on whatever she may be achieving in life.
The two mice, however, can be spotted on multiple whiteboards amidst the Navigator meeting rooms, their presence filling the space with the warmth that had since fled after Greg’s departure. Going by the names of Mike and Evil Mike, it seems the reporters at the Navigator know the most about the two newest mascots.
Mike appears to the staff wearing a chef’s hat, despite no indication that the mouse is employed in any culinary capacity. In fact, he seems to be fairly lethargic, doing nothing but his chosen recreational activities. Unlike Good Mike—who has never and will never exist—and Evil Mike—who does exist, Mike is unable to speak any typically human vowels or consonants.
Evil Mike, in opposition, has seemed to break across the barrier between human and mouse. Not only was he able to grow a mustache and wear a top hat as if he were a mere human, but he was also able to adopt a human language system. Though he has done nothing with this power but toil and clamor due to his newfound sentience, he has admitted to knowing Mike personally, citing him as the reason for his evil nature. When asked why, Evil Mike, the larger of the two mice, said, “He stole something very precious to me.” He refused to elaborate further.
When the Navigator staff asked Mike for a comment on the situation, he defended himself, saying things such as, “Squeak” and “Squeak squeak.” While his second statement could not be corroborated or fact-checked by those behind the scenes, he has done nothing to otherwise prove such guilt.
The Navigator Newsroom still has quite a few secrets to untangle, from the mystery behind Mike and Evil Mike’s feud to the still unknown whereabouts of the ghost cat. Updates on Greg’s radish family will continue to come slowly, and funeral dates may emerge sooner than previously expected. Stay tuned for more on the behind-the-scenes of the Navigator Newsroom mascots and remember: “Squeak. Squeak squeak.”
