Dr Eric Lansing

Tungsten

• Basic Info

  • Name: Tungsten
  • Species: Dumbo Rat w/ exposure to excess radiation
  • Gender: Male
  • Alignment: Chaotic Good
  • Height: 8 inches tall, sitting on hind legs
  • Length: 14 inches, snout to tail
  • Weight: 1-2 lbs
  • Fur Coat: White with an odd yellow-ish glow
  • Eyes: Beady black, but spark with intelligence
  • Intelligence: Understands basic commands, maybe more
  • Special Abilities: Glowing; Calming (if held)
  • Dislikes: Being flung across the room (cough-Mitchell-cough); being caged
  • Likes: Science! "Helping" with experiments; Treats (carrots); Deep lab coat pockets; Riding on shoulders; Most people (who don't fling him around)

• Tungsten's Origin

  Tungsten started life like any ordinary Dumbo rat. He had pale white fur, black beady eyes, a long thick cord-like pink tail...he even had great owners who loved and spoiled him! At no point did he ever glow.
  
  And then his owners went on vacation, leaving Tungsten in the capable hands of a science laboratory. Tungsten's cage had been clearly labeled and marked as "Not for Experimental Purposes". But of course, that only works if the animal stays inside the cage. Tungsten chewed his way out and escaped into the confines of the lab, where he found all sorts of interesting things. Eating, shredding, hiding, Tungsten slowly explored every nook and cranny...except for one.
  
  The Radiation Lab. It was hard to squeeze into; the crack under the door was impossible to fit beneath--even for a young rat like him. But he was no hamster and finally after several hours of futile effort, curled up into the pocket of a warm lab coat for a nap.
  
  When he awakened, he was being jostled about and he panicked, scrambling out of the pocket and onto the floor of the radiation lab where he elicited shrieks from the intern--whose coat he had slept in. But success! He was finally inside the lab and he could explore once again. He evaded several attempts at capture before the experimenting had to continue--rat or no rat.
  
  Three days later, when the radiation testing was done, Tungsten was found weak and dehydrated and very, very hungry. Dr. Eric Lansing (then but a measly lab technician) found him and fed him and nursed him back to care--just in time for his owner to return to pick him up.
  
  Except that after two days and one very sleepless night Tungsten's owner returned in a panic, saying that he glowed. Eric adopted Tungsten then and there, and both human and doctor have formed a quick friendship. Tungsten quickly learned which coat was Eric's and began to sleep in the pocket or climb onto Eric's shoulder while the man was working.

• Personality

  Tungsten has an insatiable curiosity that get him into trouble. He'll explore any nook and crevice, chew anything that looks tasty, and of course, has a love for being admired and petted.
  
  If offered a treat, he'll sniff it before eating it. And then he'll chitter for more.
  
  If angry, he often chatters first, puffs out his fur a little, and his eyes gleam warningly. If truly upset, he will bite--usually the earlobe since he's more often than not on the shoulders of someone.
  
  He is very talkative, often chittering a mile a minute when he's comfortable. He's observant and loves to watch everything. Filling a beaker with water? Excellent. Performing some sort of chemical test? Even better! Leaving the room for lunch? Not without him!
  
  He scampers across the floor and does have a cage--though he rarely uses it. Past attempts at keeping him locked away have failed at best, or downright endangered the safety of everyone involved.
  
  Tungsten only glows yellow-white; emitting enough radiation particles that he lights up the immediate vicinity of himself--which means you can find Tungsten easily in a darkened room. He does not make for a good flashlight however, nor does he care to be used as one; however he's very effective at making cockroaches run for cover.
  
  Last but not least; Tungsten enjoys meeting new people. He'll often scurry off to meet or smell a new "friend", leaving Eric to play "damage control" when Eric isn't busy blowing up his lab.