Tale of The Victorious Vermin

Written By Andrew Lewis

Chapter One: The Freakout

The towering skyscrapers whispered secrets to the ever-watchful moon, shadowing the bustling metropolis of Nashville below. Shadowy figures roamed through the city's city streets, giving it a spooky feel. 

Meanwhile, at a local Research lab, a scientist named Dr. Elara Castellanos toiled away in her cluttered laboratory. Her eyes, a piercing blue, darted over a sea of beakers and lab notes.  A wild halo of untamed black curls was pulled back in a tight bun that screamed determination and a hint of madness. The walls of her workspace were stained with the remnants of past failures; stepping stones to what she hoped would be humanity's greatest triumph. She wishes to create a medicine to cure illnesses like the flu and chicken potts.

The laboratory door burst open with a bang, revealing her four fellow scientists; Dr. Marcus "Muscles" McLaren, Dr. Flora "Flow" Castellanos, Dr. Chester "Cheez" McCoy, and Dr. Luna "Luna-tic" Castellanos. They were all out of breath and their eyes were as wide as the full moons of their childhoods.

"Elara, you've got to see this," panted Dr. McLaren, whose large biceps were as enormous as the average person's head, giving him his nickname. What do you guys want me to see?" Elara asked.

They hurried over to a corner where a cage lay on its side, on the ground. The metal bars were bent out of shape like a sledgehammer had hit them. Beside it, a group of human-sized rats had morphed into anthropomorphic figures; no longer mere rodents, each emanated a unique aura of power. They looked around with curious, intelligent eyes, their fur soft and shimmering with an otherworldly glow. " Where are we? Who are we?” One of the rodents asked.

Elara gasped. "The serum, it worked! But it's had an unexpected side effect. They're sentient!" She grabbed a notepad, scribbling down observations with a trembling hand. "This could change everything we know about genetic modification!" 

There are five of these humanoid rodents. One is a Ricefield rat, one is a Black rat, one is a Brown rat, one is a Woodrat, and one is a Marsh Rat.

The scientists stared at each other, a mix of shock and excitement. "We need to run tests," Elara said, her voice firm. "We need to understand the extent of their abilities and intelligence." 

The team quickly went to work, setting up a series of obstacles and puzzles for the rodents to tackle. They watched with bated breath as the creatures approached, their tails twitching in anticipation. 

To the scientist’s astonishment, the rodents completed the tasks with an uncanny sense of strategy and teamwork. It was as if they had been born into this new form, their human-shaped paws and feet moving with surprising grace and precision. Each shows a clever set of skills. Cheez asked, “What name should we the rodents?”

"Let's call them the Rat Pack," suggested Dr. Flora, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

"The Rat-Tastic Five!" exclaimed Dr. Luna, her eyes sparkling with excitement. 

"No. We should be called the Victorious Vermin." Elara suggested. 

"I love it!" Flora said.

"Which one of us gets to be the leader?" Dr. McCoy chimed in, adjusting their glasses.

Elara nodded thoughtfully. "We'll need to train them, understand their powers. But first, let's get them some proper attire."

They gave them fresh and clean clothes to wear.  They gave them hand band bracelets with the team's new name " The Victorious Vermin".