Ch 1: A Man, A Rat, and Another World
Los Angeles, California.
At a small construction site, I can see my coworkers still sitting around the site while I'm moving debris.
I hadn't been working here long, maybe around two months, but I had hoped that they would stop pushing me around like this after the first week or two. Really the only reason I'm still working at this construction company is because it pays fairly well and is the only job I could find on short notice after dropping out of college.
But even so, isn't this just a little too much?
“Maybe I really should just… Huh?”
While I was secretly lamenting my working conditions again, I noticed that the people I had just accused of slacking were working diligently all of a sudden.
This news itself would be as alarming as snow in June or a celebrity's name trending on social media, but unfortunately while my mind tried to make sense of this unnatural phenomenon, something even scarier had entered my vision.
“Mr. Franklin, do you have a moment?”
My boss–whom I've only known to show up when something bad was about to happen–was now standing right in front of me.
“Uh… yeah. What’s going on?”
When I asked this, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper before handing it over. After hesitating for a moment, I unfolded the paper to see what had happened this time.
“I’m sorry to inform you but due to company layoffs we have decided to terminate your employment early. You will still be able to work and collect pay this week, but afterwards you will no longer be employed here.”
I was fired.
“...”
“Do you understand?”
“Y-Yes.”
“Good. With that finished I'll be going now.”
…
“Haa…”
Shoot. I know I was complaining about the job, but that doesn't mean I wanted to lose it. Will I even have enough money to pay rent before I find a new one? And how am I supposed to find another well-paying job on short notice when it was hardly just to get this one?
Clink
“Maybe I should ask them to reconsider… Huh?”
Dang it! What's interrupting my thoughts this time!?
It was a piece of scaffolding. Looking over to see where the noise came from, I could see it begin to sway as if about to fall. I could also see all of the tools and materials that had been placed down there, about to plummet down with the collapse.
More importantly however, although thankfully there were no people standing on top of it, there was exactly one person standing directly in the path these now dangerous projectiles were crashing towards.
My boss who had barely begun to walk away after handing me my termination notice.
“Look out!!”
I don't know why the scaffolding is falling now. Maybe one of those thugs broke something while pretending to look busy. Or maybe it was just faulty to begin with.
But it is falling right now. And that unlucky totem is going to get seriously injured if I don't do something.
I don't know why I'm running to save him right now. I never talked with the guy outside of business. I didn't like him much either. I mean, why would I like the guy who just fired me? Really, I should just be complaining about him in my head as usual.
But just because I complain about something a lot doesn't mean I want to see them go. Especially right in front of me. Especially when I'm able to do something.
“F-Franklin!?”
Just a little more. Just a little further-
Thud
***
It's dark. And cold. And I can't feel anything.
Am I dead?
‘No, not yet at least.’
Who is that? Why do I have someone else's voice in my head?
‘I am the one you saved.’
Boss?
‘Who? Oh! That one human you pushed? No, I am not him. I am the rat you protected at the cost of your own life, Rathael’
I see… Well Raphael–
‘RAT-hael’
…
Well, Rathael, could you explain how I saved you exactly? Were you even there? Who even are you? Am I talking to you with my mind or are you in my mind? And why am I not dead-
‘Slow down there child, and don't try and act so modest~ When I was about to be crushed by that confounded tower was it not you who valiantly leaped in harm's way, guarding me from the descending detritus?’
What were you even doing near the scaffolding?
‘Ah, I was originally just passing through your world, but when I noticed I was being followed I tried to conceal myself within your fenestrated fortress. I had no idea my pursuers would try to crush me by collapsing the structure itself.’
So you're the reason…
‘Yes! I Rathael was but a breath away from having my life be unjustly undone by those egregious assailants, that is until you saved me brave hero!’
…
‘And for saving me I plan to offer you an opportunity. Although you are currently dying, I have a way to save your life. By using my magic, I can preserve your soul and send it to my world, as well as create a new body for your soul to reside in.’
Your world? Are rats not from Earth?
‘Whoops, I forgot to explain. Although there are some earthborn rats, most intelligent rats such as me come from the great world of Ratziah. A world you could see too if you accept my offer.’
There are more talking rats where you're from?
‘Yes! There are also some humans too, but I'm going to need you to make your decision soon. There's only so long I can keep your consciousness stable like this.’
…I'll do it.
‘You will?’
I'll live, right? If I go to your world?
‘Of course! Then I shall send you off now!’
As he finished speaking, I could see blue strings of light quickly swallow my vision as I began to feel strange.
This isn't going to hurt, is it?
‘Oh, it will. Did you think ripping your soul from your body and shoving it into another wouldn't be painful?’
oh…
‘But it won't last long, and I'm sure such a small amount of pain will be nothing to a brave hero like you!’
…right.
‘Then I shall complete the ritual. And remember, you have become this great magician's benefactor. Although I still have business in this world, if you ever find yourself in need of help, just tell the Rat King that I, Rathael, asked him to help you.’
Wait Rat King?
‘Farewell benefactor!’
Wait shouldn't you explain a bit more about your world first!?–
But as the blue light flashed a brilliant white, I could feel the rat's presence grow further away. And then everything went black again.
I just have two hopes for my life going forward. The first is that this soul adventure won't hurt too much, and the second is that I won't run into too many of those talking rats in this world.
Ya. He said there were humans in his world too, right? I'm sure it will be fine!
***
It’s dark again. And it's cold… again. But I can feel something this time. The black ink surrounding feels constricting somehow. Like it's pushing down against where my body should be, but I don't even know where my body is right now.
It hurts. It really fucking hurts. I don't even know how it's hurting. I can't feel my body or even see anything. Yet somehow, it hurts.
Why did I decide to go through with this? Why in the world did I think to trust a talking rat with my life? Almost dying must have done terrible, horrible things to my mind.
I can feel my very being shifting in the darkness. Expanding and contracting into a new shape as something holds it down. Is this the new body the rat talked about? Does that mean I've almost made it through?
I can feel something new, how my mind and blood move as I maneuver this new body, and how the light enters my vision as I open my eyes.
I can see trees and wilderness as I look around. Normally I would be cursing out that mad magician for sending me into the middle of nowhere forest, but right now I'm just happy to be able to breathe freely without any more force weighing on my body.
Speaking of my body, it feels a lot different than before. When I touch my face, it feels uneven and… hairy…
No. No no no no.
My arms, my arms are-
Covered in fur.
The hands I used to check them; they don't look like a human's hands.
“That FUCKING RAT!!!”
I knew he was crazy from the way he was talking but I didn't think he'd turn me into a rat!
Why did he turn me into a rat!? Didn't he know I was human!?!?
“Shit.”
Not even a minute into my life in this world and my grand total of two hopes have already been crushed.
