49 Pests (1/2)
”We're almost at the bridge to Mactan island.” Ricardo said as they were walking through the same streets they passed by when they retreated. Besides the houses that were destroyed, even the main roads didn't have as many abandoned cars as one would expect during an catastrophe like this. It didn't fit how an apocalypse would usually look like, thematically. Of course, that was based on television shows. In other parts of the world however, that was indeed the case. It was only because the Philippines was attacked at such a weird hour, much like other countries with similar time zones.
Just as they were getting close, Luna and Sura suddenly stopped, holding up a finger to his lips, signaling for the others to be quiet.
”Do you hear that?” He was looking towards Sura, of course. He didn't expect the others to hear something he could only faintly hear.
”Chirping? No, squeaking. Stay here, I'll scout the area.” Not giving Luna any time to reply, Sura took off.
”Lord Luna, what's going on?” Astrid asked.
”We may have a rat problem in our hands.” Luna had a serious expression on his face. He wasn't afraid of ETZs or EHZs, he wasn't even that as afraid of facing off against other mutant beasts. The rats however, while a few of them were negligible, but a group of rats, a whole mischief of rats was a another problem.
This was also why Luna wanted to conquer the whole of Negros island. How expansion worked in this new world, was that it removed the need for a sewage system. Even the simple <Roanoke Houses> were equipped with disposal systems that made sewage systems obsolete. Or any other type of disposal for that matter.
It removed any preexisting sewers underground, the walls extended underground as well, to where the part you see above ground was only considered the tip of the iceberg. The more you expanded, the farther the underground pests got pushed away automatically.
The rats and roaches took notice of this when the structures were being built, and fled instinctively. When Luna noticed this, he expanded even faster after taking over Bacolod City. After swiftly taking over the whole island, the rats and the roaches scrambled to flee.
They had grown in size and power, but they were still weak enough that the numerous Mages made short work of shepherding them away from the territories. Some of them battled it out with the mutant beasts in Mt. Kanlaon and were eventually devoured, some of them became sustenance for the marine life lying in wait, while a huge majority of them fled past the bridges and settled in the sewers of the yet to be conquered and developed lands.
”Luna.” Sura communicated back as soon as she got a visual.
”Sura, what's going on over there?”
”You're not gonna believe this. It looks like the rats are having some type of... tournament?”
”A tournament?” Even with his heightened sense of hearing, Luna was still unsure if heard it right.
”Lord Luna.” Astrid interjected. As a caretaker of a species as sensitive as the Tarsiers, she was an experienced Biologist in all branches, while Ricardo, Alfred, and Jean were more specialized as Zoologists. ”The rats must be determining an Alpha male.”
”An alpha?”
”Yes. When rats encounter each other for the first time, they have to determine their pecking orders and figure out who is alpha. I usually wouldn't exactly call it as organized as a 'tournament' but if Lady Sura actually says it is, then it has to be. We can only attribute this to their evolution.”
”So you're telling me all of the surviving rats are about to get more organized? How come you didn't encounter them before?”
”Unfortunately, yes. As for your second question, I honestly have no clue.” Astrid regretfully answered.
”Lord Luna, I have a guess as to why they're all above ground, and near the Mactan bridge at that.” Jean who was usually the shy, quiet type, finally spoke up.