Chapter 8: Rat Problem
The high school gym reeked of sweat, teenage angst, and something else… something distinctly rodent-like. Adam grimaced. "You know, Ciri, I always thought high school was hell. Turns out, it's just a breeding ground for supernatural pest control. And here I thought my biggest problem was going to be explaining why I don't have a social media presence."
[ New Wesen Type Discovered: Maurits. Information added to Library. ]
[ Wesen Behavior: Bullying, Revenge, Rat Control. Threat Level: Moderate. ]
They were tracking a Maurits, a rat-like Wesen, a bullied teenager who was using his abilities to control hordes of rats for revenge against his tormentors. The latest victim was a popular music teacher, found dead, covered in rat bites.
"Honestly, using rats as weapons? So inefficient," Adam scoffed, his enhanced senses picking up the faint scuttling of tiny feet in the walls. "Why not just, you know, punch them? Or use a sword? Or, if you're feeling fancy, a well-placed Aard blast? But rats? It's like a low-budget horror movie. And not even a good one."
Ciri, who had a profound dislike for rodents, shivered. "Disgusting. Exploiting such creatures for petty revenge. It is beneath even the monsters of my world."
"Agreed. It's definitely a step down from, say, a Striga, or a Leshen. But hey, XP is XP. And someone needs to clean up this mess. Think of us as supernatural pest control. Though, I'm pretty sure our extermination methods are a little more… permanent."
Their investigation led them to the high school, where Nick and Hank were already on the scene, looking bewildered by the sheer number of rats. Adam, using his enhanced hearing, could pinpoint the Maurits' location.
"Alright, Ciri," Adam whispered, "we go in, we deal with the rat king. No unnecessary drama. Just a quick, clean operation. And then, acid. Lots of acid."
They found the Maurits in the school's music room, surrounded by a swirling, chittering tide of rats. The teenager, woged into his rat-like form, was directing his furry minions with a furious, almost desperate energy.
"Hey, Pied Piper!" Adam called out, stepping into the room. "Your audition for the rodent ballet is over. And frankly, your choreography needs work. Too many teeth, not enough pirouettes."
The Maurits shrieked, sending his rats swarming towards them. Adam, with a casual flick of his wrist, unleashed a rudimentary Aard Sign. A wave of telekinetic force slammed into the rats, scattering them, sending them squealing and disoriented. It wasn't a powerful blast, just enough to disrupt their formation.
Ciri, meanwhile, moved with lethal grace, her silver sword a blur, dispatching the more aggressive rats with precise, almost surgical strikes. She then confronted the Maurits directly. "You use these creatures as a shield? Coward."
The Maurits, terrified and exposed, tried to flee. Adam, seeing his chance, moved. He didn't kill the Maurits, not directly. He merely incapacitated him, leaving him for Nick to find. After all, not every Wesen deserved the acid bath. Some just needed a good, old-fashioned police intervention. But the rats? The aggressive ones got the acid.
[ Kill Count: 0 Wesen. Level Up! Current Level: 2. Kills to Level 3: 4. ]
"No level up this time, Ciri," Adam sighed. "Guess rats don't count for much XP. Or maybe the System has a 'no animal cruelty' clause. Who knew?" He then looked at Ciri, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Hey, you know, some people keep rats as pets. They're actually pretty smart. We could get one for the mansion. Name him Splinter. Or maybe Professor Ratigan."
Ciri stared at him, her expression one of utter disgust. "Absolutely not. I will not share a home with a rodent. They are… unsanitary. And they bite."
"Oh, come on! Think of the bonding! We could teach him tricks! Like, how to fetch my coffee! Or how to pickpocket Renard!" Adam pleaded, but Ciri's glare was unwavering. "Fine, fine. No pet rats. You're no fun. This is why you need to embrace the chaos, Ciri. It's where the fun lives."
Nick, meanwhile, with Monroe's help, learned about the Maurits and the complex social dynamics of the Wesen world. He learned that not all Wesen were inherently evil, but that their actions were often driven by human emotions – fear, anger, revenge. He found the Maurits, shaken but alive, and the rat problem… mysteriously solved. He still had no idea who these incredibly efficient, almost supernatural vigilantes were, but he was starting to suspect they were less about justice and more about… well, whatever it was Adam and Ciri were doing.
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