James' ability to infuse items with shadows had come back only very recently, only after his encounter with Soluble - whose bones' transformation was possible thanks to his now tested shadow bullets combined with his shadow gun, though he should probably try to test them separately next time.

He could theoretically have made another attempt on the ratlings' equipment but Goliath had dissuaded him, explaining he was working on ways to improve it without using weird magical shenanigans. An understandable choice, especially since James was still unsure how exactly his ability worked. If he improved Goliath's armor now, and the rating upgraded it with scraps, could he infuse it again to incorporate the modifications or would it just improve the scraps themselves? Again, testing would be done but at a later date. Right now, only one thing mattered.

James looked down at the spot where he had infused the old rat with his shadows. Once they got in the rat's body, he had felt... Something. He didn't want to assume anything, and honestly, he didn't feel entirely comfortable with the events that transpired if his theory was correct, but once the old rat gave permission for his shadows to enter and modify that thing everything changed.

James' connection to his shadows was... Cut was not the appropriate word, neither was weakened, but... Ah! It felt like it went from being a rope he held in his grasp to a cable that he could influence via a mental construct of a console.

Yeah, kinda far-fetched, but that's the best I can come up with... Describing new weird and magical senses is hard when you've been human most of your life...

Nevertheless, his connection to the shadows in the rat still existed even though it wasn't as clear and easy to use as before. He could even vaguely feel ways he could direct them as he had done with those that had invaded Soluble. Ways he could influence the outcome of whatever transformation it was going through. Not only that, but he could feel that something was trying to use the shadows in the same way. Something intelligent yet primitive. Old yet young. Animalistic yet wise. Infinite yet limited. The rat's subconscious.

For now, out of respect for the rat and the necessity to test the basic options first, James let its subconscious direct its evolution. He was no rat and had no idea how one might want to change, to evolve, so best let the concerned party decide for themself. He made the shadows more usable, allowing the subconscious to manipulate them. Still, James paid close attention to which choices were selected, trying to understand what they could do or at least to memorize them for any future transformation.

The process was... Beautiful, in an odd way. It was like witnessing a strand of DNA with his bare eyes, and watching it mutate and adapt, going through eons of evolution in a few seconds.

And suddenly it was over.

Where there once was an old, withering rat with a missing paw was now something... More.

A creature half again as big as the other rats, bearing black fur with purple highlights. Its eyes, which James would have expected to be glowing red or something of the sort, were instead a deep ocean blue, and they were currently scrutinizing the rat's new self, taking in everything that had changed.

Size, the color of fur and eyes... Those were only surface things, for the transformation went much deeper. Stronger bones, stronger teeth, stronger claws, stronger muscles, stronger organs, stronger flesh, stronger cells... All of which had turned different shades of purple, twisting what had once been a perfectly regular specimen into something truly alien.

The intelligence behind the rat's eye had once been oddly somewhat human, like a primate, but now it was undeniably as sapient as a person would be. The way it looked at itself, at its surroundings... James felt like he had awakened something that had laid in wait since the dawn of time. As if he had opened a mental door that had been left ajar for an eternity.

There was another addition to the rat. Or rather, a reparation, a replacement for something missing.

Where once there was a stump where a paw had been torn off, there was now a fearsome clawed hand composed of shadows, constantly slightly shifting as if its components were not used to being solid material. The shadow limb was a much more impressive sight than the rat's other paws, despite their impressive black claws on dark purple flesh.

The old rat looked at its - no, his, James could perceive the rat was a male now - replacement limb in wonder and admiration.

"Well, I don't know about you but I would call that a success."

The rat surprised James by actually answering, his voice being one of an old man.

"You... Are more than I thought."

"I did not expect you to be able to talk fluently right away."

Like, seriously, I'm not surprised he can talk, he was already intelligent before and it's clear he's even more now, but even the ratlings still have difficulties with verbs and stuff despite living with and constantly being exposed to human culture. That the old rat in the sewers has a perfect understanding of language is awfully convenient.

"You are not the first intelligent creature I've seen. I've had time to learn, even if my body never could act on this knowledge."

"Right... Out of sheer curiosity, and for the sake of better understanding my ability, how affected would you say your mind is by this change?"

"Not as much as I'd feared. I have seen what change can do, and I am thankful you let me stay the same, if somewhat more... Civilized than before."

If he had eyes, James would have narrowed them.

"You know of others with the Transformation Aspect?"

"I do not know them, but I have seen their work. Beasts lost to madness and instincts, pulsions and rage... Again, you are already a better benefactor than I thought you'd be."

"By the way, why do you want your pack to follow me? I can guess some of the benefits, but isn't hanging around a mysterious creature who fights monsters dangerous?"

The rat's eyes widened.

"The pack!"

The rat turned around and looked at the rest of the rats. They were looking at him in a mixture of hope, fear, and doubt.

"I assure you, everyone, I am still me."

"Squeak."

"Yes, it is a strange change."

"Squeak?"

"No, that doesn't mean I will let you lead the pack."

"Squeak!"

"Yes, my scent is slightly affected but I am still the old one."

"Squeak squeak?"

"It was a winter night, you just gave birth and a sewer cat had followed your mate to our nest. We all worked together to make an improvised guillotine, which failed and only ended up cutting the cat's tail off. Your mate's sacrifice allowed the rest of us to flee."

The rat that had squeaked last looked relieved and nodded as she squeaked once more.

"Squeak."

The old rat looked touched by what she had said, and the rest of the pack took this as confirmation that the new black rat before them was still the old one they had followed all these years.

"Thank you."

James looked at the rat's interactions and couldn't deny he felt slightly out of place.

"I am very sorry to interrupt, but could we..."

"Oh, pardon me, I just needed to make sure the pack knew what was going on and to ease their worries."

"I see, I see... But, as for my question?"

"Ah, yes. You may be right in saying that strong beings attract other strong ones, but it is still safer to live in the shadow of one than on your own in these tunnels. Small critters like us are the perfect target for predators down here, and we have no way to fight back."

"What about that cat guillotine?"

"A failure. Some of the younglings come up with innovative ideas, but rats aren't creators, they're vermin. We're not meant to build and use tools as humans do. We never succeed."

"So you are familiar with humans?"

"Familiar? Oh, I was raised by them. Me and countless lived in what they called a lab, and..."

"Let me guess, science experiments? Mazes, weird food, electricity..."

"Yes. One night some of us that had grown intelligent enough escaped by working together."

"You went down in the sewers, had a bunch of children who weren't quite as smart as you but still better than regular rats, and slowly those that had come from the lab died one by one until you were the only one left. Am I correct?"

"You... Yes. The other lab rats all died early on, either in the escape or not long after when we first adapted to the sewers. I am the only one who lived free for more than a year."

"Well, that explains some things..."

The ratlings are probably the descendants of one of those lab rats, maybe even his, but there's something else that brought that inner intelligence out and made them... Them.

"As for now, I have some plans. You and your pack are free to settle anywhere you'd like nearby, just not directly in our lair. Your job will be to patrol, hunt and scavenge materials in our territory while we take care of the bigger threats."

"I... I accept, master...?"

"Call me Silhouette. It's what the people up there are using."

At least those I can spy on.

"Well, master Silhouette, I accept this mission but we are mere rats, not great warriors like you and your kitts."

"Kitts?"

"Young rats, master. Older than pups but not adults yet."

"They weren't born great warriors."

Now that I think about it they were actually pretty good hunters even without my intervention, except for Goliath.

"Their current strength is the result of training, discipline, and some equipment."

"I do not doubt you, master, but we have none of those and no one to provide them to us."

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"I have none, master. I am the old one at best, but rats identify each other through scents, not sounds."

"Why do you all squeak so much then?"

"To garner attention."

"Means of communication between rodents aside, I will need to call you something. Do you have any preference?"

"None, master."

Great. I have no idea. I could call him something based on the whole shadow thing but if I infuse the rest of the group it will get confusing. A name, a name... What about... Eh, why not.

"Your name shall be... Polisson."

"It is a great honor, master."

"Well then Polisson, your mission is to first find a suitable location for your pack. Once it is done come inform me, I will personally come to improve it so that your pack will be safe. In the meantime, you will have to try out your new body by hunting and protecting your pack. After your home will be secured I will ask which of your fellow rats are willing to transform, creating an elite force able to do most of the heavy lifting, the real dangerous tasks."

"I understand, master."

"With a nest, I will be able to create with the help of my ratlings an area where you will be able to train, as well as provide you with some equipment. Nothing as fancy and personalized as the ratlings', but still good enough to make sure you will have the means necessary to guard our territory."

"Thank you, master."

"Now off you go. Do not disappoint me."

"Yes, master. EVERYONE! We're leaving. We're going to find ourselves a new home!"

The rats cheered as they listened to their enhanced leader. Although many were unsure about their alliance with the shadow, they all knew this would be a great day for them.

Before they had even noticed James had left, pondering about the results of his experiment. He had not expected the transformation of a willing living thing to be so impressive, but here he was, now the proud master of a mutant rat with a shadow hand.

At least he wasn't surprised by the cost of such a transformation and had learned a lot. He already knew that the more complex an item was the harder it was to infuse, but now he had discovered the importance of will. The fact the old rat had been willing to transform had let James' shadows economies a lot of energy and efforts. This infusion had been easier to do than that of his phone.

Speaking of his phone, James took it out of himself and began to search the Internet about mutants, the Transformation Aspect, and labs in Zalcien. He wanted to know what he was getting himself into, and he had to make sure nothing would come back to bite at him.

Still, thinking about his phone's infusion, although he felt like Polisson's had cost less he should have been exhausted, or at least very tired, yet it felt like he was only slightly out of breath. He couldn't be growing stronger this fast now, could he?