The transformed rat stood at the forest's edge, her keen eyes fixed on the distant glow of Lansing's city lights.
The memories of rejection and fear still haunted her—visions of traps, poisons, and the piercing eyes of predators. The hawks. The cats.
The humans who called her a monster. Each step toward civilization felt like a march toward judgment - though she could not yet label this feeling. With a heavy heart, she turned back into the embrace of the woods, seeking solace among the whispering trees.
In the depths of the forest, she discovered an abandoned mill, its once-thriving machinery now silent and overtaken by nature's relentless advance. The structure became her refuge, a place where she could exist without the prying eyes of the world. Rats scurried in the shadows, their tiny forms a reminder of her origins. Yet, despite their familiar presence, they recoiled from her, sensing an unfamiliarity that set her apart. She attempted to revert to her old ways, moving on all fours, trying to reconnect with the instincts that once governed her life. But the chasm between what she was and what she had become was too vast. Her heightened intellect and self-awareness rendered her an outsider in both human and rodent realms.
The isolation gnawed at her. Nights were spent contemplating her existence, the weight of loneliness pressing heavily upon her chest. Determined to bridge the gap between her dual natures, she began to teach herself the humans' language. She observed distant conversations, mimicked sounds, and slowly pieced together the intricacies of speech. Her progress was arduous, but with each word mastered, she felt a step closer to understanding the world that had once rejected her.
Clothing became her next endeavor. Scavenging discarded garments from the outskirts of the city, she fashioned an ensemble that resonated with her spirit. Dark fabrics, adorned with metal accents and intricate patterns, draped over her form. The goth and punk aesthetics appealed to her sense of rebellion and individuality. She adorned herself with fingerless gloves, studded belts, and layered necklaces. Her long, agile tail, once a mere appendage, now swayed with purpose, occasionally curling around her waist like a living accessory. The transformation was not just external; it was a reclamation of identity.
Emboldened by her evolving self, she ventured into the city under the cloak of night. Her initial forays were brief and cautious—silent observations from alleyways and rooftops. But with time, her confidence grew.
At last, she packed her things and hiked to Lansing's main WTEA (World Transformation Event Authority) office. She was nervous, but many of the employees, transformed themselves into forms many found unsavory, or otherwise, were kind and understanding. It took a while, but persistence bore fruit.
She was assigned a name—Aina.
It meant "joy" or "beloved" in Norwegian.
It meant "the only one" in Finnish.
With official establishment of identity came opportunities. Temporary housing provided a semblance of stability, and a government-assigned job introduced her to the rhythms of daily life.
Most heartening was the discovery of others like her—anthropomorphic rat transformees. Their origins varied: humans altered by the Fusion Wave, individuals fused with rodents, and rats who, like Aina, had undergone profound, elevating metamorphoses.
Yet, despite shared experiences, Aina felt adrift. The connections were superficial, the camaraderie forced. She didn't resonate with the derogatorily-named "rat-people," nor did she find solace among unchanged humans or other mutants. Her instinctual connection to the rats that still climbed in the walls and roamed the streets and alleyways only made her feel guilt for her fortune.
The void within her deepened. Seeking purpose, Aina's thoughts drifted back to the gymnasium where her journey had begun. The place where she had once been a mere observer, a shadow in the rafters. Now, she would return—not as a spectator, but as a participant. Determined, she set her sights on transforming her body to match the resilience of her spirit. She would sculpt herself into a being of strength, capable of withstanding the world's judgments.
With resolve burning in her chest, Aina made her way to the gym one Saturday morning, her tail flicking behind her.