BACKGROUND: Curiosity killed the cat, because there was a flaw in your theory.

This is the decree of the Science Cat-Clan, 6th Founding. With thousands of years of history the science cats lead the way of research and development. Most of the clans typically are formed around powerful monarchies or family hierarchy of leadership (they fall under the jurisdiction Founding #2 Historian/Lawyer Clans). The Science Cats are no different, but within their system they also employ a representative government run by the major universities.

The science cats prize learning and logic above all else. They even built a quasi-religion out of the reverence of machines and science, a far cry from the typical Ancestor, worship similar to the Shinto religion of Japan, practiced by the other clans.

The priests of science shun all forms of pleasure. At one point in their history the religious authority took over the running of the clan, due to an assassination of the leader several thousands of years ago. The High-Lord Terrath banned all forms of entertainment.

Outsiders who had settled within the Science Cat territory weren’t allowed to practice their arts and craft without the strictest form of supervision and observation.

Once Terrath was forced to give up the throne, the ban was slowly lifted for the citizens and other residents. It was too late because the cold seriousness of logic made a permanent change on the senses of the members of the Clan.

While most Cat Clans are typically made up of family members, the science clan forms tight-knit cabals or cliques. These cliques often focus on certain types of research and rarely explore concepts outside of their realms of research. For example, a biology clique will study biology and not venture into the realm of chemical engineering. There are always exceptions to the rules, especially when there’s a mutual benefit for cliques to work together.

This is one of the few clans where one rarely sees backstabbing and undermining each other’s plans and accomplishments.

After all, there’s no logic in it.

***

We rushed to the Stop n’ Rob while the guest answered questions so I will try to do my best to sum it up.

When outlanders move in, they bring their cultural morals, local dishes, and customs. While all of this is great and help everyone expand their understanding of their place in the universe, there is a dark side.

There is a chance they will bring their gods. The rats in particular worship a pair of gods that have crawled out of the Abyssal plane. Even the lowest of clerics corrupt and warp everything they come in contact with. While not all rats worship the same gods, it’s difficult to detect when they do. Even innocent looking shrines can open up a conduit to the Twin Rats of the Abyss: Bres, and Balor.

At night the shade and darkness play tricks on your eyes. There was something out of place. The guest stopped.

Akuma whispered, “what is it?”

"We got a problem," he said in a hushed voice.

The guest’s eyes darted from left to right. Other than the busted windows nothing seemed out of place, except for a nagging feeling in the back of my head.

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"This place smells," Lee said.

“Close,” he said “anyone else?”

“Why hasn’t this cursed shithole been looted?” asked Anna.

The guest smiled at her and said, “Good girl.”

I scanned around and she was correct, once again. The store (other than the damage we did to it) was relatively untouched.

From somewhere inside the store a deep guttural voice oozed out, “Yessss, gooood girl”.

A set of glowing yellow eyes appeared from behind the counter of the busted up shop. It was another rat-kin, although it was slightly larger than the female Lee busted up.

Its hulking form twisted like a slithering snake, as it emerged out of the broken window. More yellow, green and glowing red eyes appeared behind it as it finished slithering and reformed. Out of its back, it grew shriveled bat wings. It towered over the guest and easily dwarfed Le. The monster gazed down at all of us with hungry eyes.

Green saliva dripped out of its mouth as it spoke, “You grace ussss with your presssssence Little Pharaoh. Me and my kin will enjoy feassssting on the ssssoulssss and flessssh of you and your kin. Our children will wear your sssskinssss and..."

Before the beast could finish the guest appeared behind the rat-demon. The massive bulk hit the ground with loud squish sound, like dropping a sack of old potatoes off the top of a building. Dark red blood splattered everywhere. The creatures inside took a step back.

The guest’s middle and index finger were extended and glowing with a pale blue-gray light against the backdrop of the night.

“If you spent more time fighting, and less time talkin’ you wouldn’t be dead right now,” he paused and turned around to face us. “Ok kittens, this is the part of the story where you take your turf back from these outlanders. Give them no quarter and send these Trogs to hell!”

The guest began to glow brightly with a red hue battle aura. Deep inside feelings of frustration and anger burst forth like a sun breaking through the clouds after a long rain storm. We meet these invaders with tooth, claws and our fists.

Four of the ratlings leap on top of Lee but were no match for him as he tossed to the side like old clothes. We were outnumbered at least 4 to 1, but the odds didn’t help them, the short smelly (½ human ½ rat) numbers quickly dwindled as we tore into them.

From behind, I could sense one of the smaller ratlings leap towards me. I spun on my heels and grabbed it by the back of the neck. Using the momentum I threw him toward Akuma, who just tossed another of the leapers toward me at the same time. Like a coordinated ballet, we all fought as if knowing where we all were. Red, who couldn’t cast his way out of a paper bag, was throwing spells that were beyond his ability. Anna managed to take down 7, but by her count, it was 11.

The fight was quickly over. The guest surveyed the damage as he walked into the Stop-N-Rob. Other than a few cuts and scrapes, none of the North-Central Posse was seriously injured.

We won again!

Behind him, his cousin followed. Her black-leather collar ring reflected the ambient light as it jingled.

One of the male ratlings tried to crawl away as the guest kicked it to the side. I looked at him expecting the next command. Was this some kind of control the Royals have over everyone? Was he even a Roylie?

Red was the first to speak up, “What about the orbital bombardment, is it still gonna happen?”

“It was called off once the rat-demon fell,” he said.

Anna threw out the next question, “Who the hell are you?”

“Just some asshole who showed up for a quick cameo,” the guest pointed to me. “You are all the real heroes, I just provided the deus ex machina. By-the-way kid, do yourself a favor and cover your sister’s shift tomorrow.”

Before I could ask why he was dragged away by his cousin.

“Come’on Boss Kitty, we got some mice to catch! Let’s not keep’em waiting…” she said as she walked into the back room of the Stop-N-Rob.

He threw up his hands and said, “Family, what can you do?”

“Boss Kitty, that’s what we use!?” I muttered to Anna, but she ignored me.

Her fingers twitched as she was beginning to work up the courage to say something.

She jumped out in front of him and yelled out blood curdling “STOP!!!”

We all immediately tensed up reading to fight again.

“Are you seeing anyone?” she shyly asked.

Everyone laughed. I’ve never been more embarrassed by her.

The guest smiled and ran his hand under her chin, “Look me up when you older, cutie…now we have to close the portal from the other side. Be safe!”

He leaned over and kissed my sister on the forehead. Her red cheeks could probably been seen from orbit. He waved bye and disappeared into the back room.