Part of a trade with Shyanne; his end can be seen here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5674205Enjoy!
==Four in the Morning==
Shaun awoke to an orange sky alight in the afternoon sun. This would not normally be a problem had his last memory not been of a windowless supply room in the basement of Collegial University. Considering that at least two floors separated him from being outside, Shaun was clearly missing a few steps. He considered the possibility that his water bottle had been spiked as part of Dr. Kershaw’s pranks and began to think of how the feat might have been accomplished when his thoughts were interrupted by a white fuzzy object interjecting itself into his field of view. Once his eyes adjusted, Shaun realized that the object was the head of a rabbit. A rather large rabbit. That was staring at him.
“Hullo!” The rabbit chittered happily. “I was wondering when you’d wake up! You all right?”
An ordinary person, upon being asked if they were all right by a woodland creature, would consider themselves the victim of temporary insanity or drug overdose. Shaun, however, was not an ordinary person. He was a trained scientist, and as a trained scientist he could trust his intellect when it told him that such vivid rabbit imagery would not be possible without prolonged mental illness and that any drugs capable of inducing such visions would also leave him with a pounding headache. Once Shaun finished deciding that the talking animal was not a figment of his mind, he proceeded to administer proper scientific testing. Scientific test number one: poke it.
“H-hey! That tickles!” The rabbit giggled as Shaun prodded its belly. The fur was quite soft, the skin was rather warm, and the body possessed appropriate levels of squishiness for an organic creature.
“You are... real then?” Shaun asked rhetorically as he ceased his poking. As he pulled himself off the grass and stood up, he realized that the rabbit was both large and surprisingly human-shaped. Roughly four feet in height, it held proportions that made it much more anthropomorphic than the other rabbits Shaun had seen over the course of his life.
“Of course I’m real!” Snickered the rabbit. “And before you ask, everyone else here is real too.”
“Everyone...else?”
The rabbit gestured behind Shaun. The scientist turned and saw what, at first glance, was an ordinary playground. After a few moments, he registered that the playground equipment looked to be designed in a manner that suggested either a drunken architect, or local children with very odd disabilities. Then Shaun noticed that those children he saw playing, and the parents watching nearby, were far hairier than regular biology would allow. Plus, there were quite a large number of tails swishing about. The park appeared to be filled solely with animal-people. In all, Shaun counted eleven separate species that were present—twelve if the one wolf family enjoying a picnic had naturally curly fur or were just the subjects of an unwise fashion trend.
Shaun turned back to the rabbit, which was looking at him expectantly.
“It appears,” Shaun began, “that either Dr. Kershaw has gotten much more elaborate, or that something extremely odd has happened to me.”
The rabbit rocked back and forth on his feetpaws. “So which is it?”
“Likely the latter,” Shaun mustered as much of an authoritative air as he could. “Dr. Kershaw doesn’t have the attention span for something like this.”
“Excellent!” The rabbit proclaimed and he bounced happily. “I have to say, you’ve gotten it much faster than the others—most think we’re hallucinations or robots or—“ here the rabbit switched to a heavy Southern accent “’Gosh-darned communists trying to screw with me!’ Most of you have to finish before accepting we’re real.”
Shaun blinked. “Err... perhaps you should start at the beginning.”
“Oh, of course! But first, names! I’m Benden Harrow.”
“Shaun Shyler.”
The scientist extended a hand. As he and Benden shook, Shaun thought he saw a brown stain on his hand. Before he could examine it better, Benden had begun to walk away, calling out, “Excellent! Now let’s find somewhere in the shade to sit and I’ll give you the story.”
Shaun followed. As he and Benden drew closer to the playground, Shaun tried to get a look at the other animal-people. A few of the children had noticed him, but few stopped to stare as it made them easy prey in whatever game they were playing. Shaun wagered it was tag or some variant of it. More of the parents had noticed him, and several leaned in to each other and muttered. Some sets of ears swivelled in his direction, but most were focused on watching the kids.
Benden sat down on his haunches in a patch of shaded grass. Shaun joined him, leaning against the tree as he did so.
“You said I could have the whole story?”
Benden nodded. “That I did. This,” he gestured around him, “is our world. We call it Gaia. It has a sun and a moon and by all accounts is just as geographically varied as your Earth. One thing we do not have, though, is humans. However, every now and then, one of you just shows up. No real explanation for it—just *pop* and then you’re here. The locations seem random and there doesn’t appear any real rhyme or reason for it; a few years back there was a news report about a human who appeared in the mayor’s bathtub if you can believe it! Anyway, it isn’t very common and I think the official statistic is at about five humans every two years.”
Shaun nodded, pushing back his sleeve and absently scratching at his hand as he took in this information. “Right. So there are other humans here, then?”
“Umm...” Benden twisted one of his ears nervously. “Not exactly. See, I’m not really sure why it happens...but every human who’s come here doesn’t actually stay that way...”
“Eh?”
“Maybe you should just look down.”
Shaun obliged and found himself scratching a hand that most definitely did not have brown fur when he had sat down. But it had fur now, and his nails had become more claw-like as well. The fur travelled up his arm until it turned bright orange a little ways past the wrist. Looking down his shirt, Shaun saw that the fur extended all the way to his chest, where it became white around his belly. His torso looked strange too, but that part didn’t seem as important to the question now pressing on Shaun’s mind.
“I’m...I’m turning into...”
“One of us.” Benden finished with a shrug. “It happens to every human who’s come here. Once it starts it doesn’t take more than half an hour to finish. By the colour of your fur, I’m guessing you’re becoming a fox.”
“There’s no way to stop it?”
“None that anyone has found; and there isn’t a way back to your Earth either, in case you were wondering. Every human who’s come here stays here.”
“I’m...not sure how I feel about that.” Shaun said as he pulled off his shoes and socks. His feet were covered in brown fur like his hands, but they had become much more paw-like in shape. “At least it doesn’t hurt.” He mused as he felt behind him to find a budding tail. Some of the nearby parents had begun to look in their direction again, but Shaun found that less concerning than his changing body. “What happens to the humans who come here after they change?”
Benden stroked his chin. “Oh, different things. Some get taken in by some generous citizens, others have some useful talent that gets them a quick job, and some just freak out and hurt someone so they get arrested. If you like, you can stay with me and my wife until you sort yourself out here. I’m sure she won’t mind.”
Shaun smiled. “That is very kind of you, I would be grateful to do so.”
“It’s no problem, really.” Benden said as he got up and began to lead Shaun away from the playground. “Dory and I always wanted kids but it hasn’t really worked out. As a result, we tend to let the odd person stay over more than most folks. Gotta try and fill the need, you know?”
Shaun nodded, unsure of what a proper response would be. He found it surprisingly easy to walk on his new legs, and the grass felt very cool and refreshing against his paws.
“I have to say,” Benden chittered, “you’re taking all this much better than I imagined. I’d always figured that if I met a fresh human I’d have to chase him halfway across town as he fled in terror!”
Shaun scratched the back of his neck, noting that the fur had already made it that far. “I find that understanding a situation is better than immediately reacting to it. Panic doesn’t work well for a scientist.”
“Oh, you’re a scientist?”
“Well, I was, I suppose. I specialized in temporal diffusion theory.”
“Sounds complicated.”
“It was simpler than a lot of the mainstream stuff, actually. It’s based around the idea that time sort of ‘split’ due to the force of the Big Bang—the explosion we think created the universe—and that the resonance between our universe and the other timelines is responsible for various phenomena.’
Benden whistled—an impressive sound, coming from a rabbit. “And you were an expert, huh? Must have been a bigshot.”
“Not really.” Shaun admitted. His ears—now peaked, furry, and at the top of his head, bent in mild embarrassment. “Most other scientists didn’t take it seriously. I spent my academic career being the tail-end of a great many jokes. That reminds me—” Shaun looked behind himself and found the once-stubby tail had grown out to what he imagined was a proper bushy length. He wagged it experimentally.
“Heh, you might finish before we even get to my house.” Benden chuckled as he led the increasingly foxier Shaun down a sidewalk. “You’ve even got a nice muzzle coming in!”
Shaun rubbed his extending face, careful to avoid poking his blackening nose with a claw. The fur had not yet made it to his face, which meant that he must have looked very odd indeed.
Despite Benden’s prediction, Shaun did not in fact finish changing before reaching the rabbit’s home. Although his muzzle had finished coming out and he had lost about a foot in height, Shaun’s face was still missing fur and his torso continued to feel odd under his now-baggy shirt.
“Welp, here’s my home!” Benden proclaimed proudly upon reaching a house at the corner of the street. It looked like any other home from Earth, Shaun thought, albeit with a lower roof. Benden knocked on the door and rocked back and forth on his feet as he waited. Shaun had assumed that Benden’s wife would be a fellow rabbit. He was therefore somewhat surprised to find a dowdy-looking kangaroo-woman answer the door.
“Hullo, Dory!” Benden chimed. “Guess who I met today?”
As if to answer the question, Shaun’s lower body suddenly thrust backwards, tearing his clothes in the process. It was as if an extra pair of legs had forcibly unfolded from his body, making Shaun some form of fox-based centaur. There was probably a more appropriate word for what he now was, but he didn’t know what it could be.
Dory mused for a moment. “I’m going to say... a human who was suddenly transported to Gaia and that has just finished turning into a foxtaur?”
Benden made a binging noise. “Yuppers! I said he could stay with us until he gets settled, that ok?”
“No, not at all, I’m happy to help.” Dory stepped aside and let her husband in. Shaun followed hesitantly, unsure of how well he could walk on four digitigrade legs. As it turned out, he could do so surprisingly easily.
“I have to say, a ‘taur isn’t the most common change for a human.” Dory said conversationally as she led Shaun into a living room. “Never heard of one becoming anything other than a regular ‘anthro’, as past humans have put it.”
“Umm... yea... if you say so...” Shaun replied awkwardly. He had some difficulty figuring out the proper way to sit with his new body, but eventually managed to attain a comfortable position on the carpet. “Only thing is, I’m not sure I’m done changing.”
Benden and Dory both looked at him with interest.
“Well, it’s just that my shirt feels looser than when I came in...”
Dory’s ears twitched. “Say that again, please.”
“Eh? Oh, well, it’s just that my shirt feels looser than when I came in.”
The kangaroo glanced at her husband. “Your voice is getting higher, too. I think you’re right.”
“Well, I’ve already become a...foxtaur, you said? Well, I’ve already become one of those, so I guess there isn’t much else I could change into.” Shaun joked. He attempted a gesture for emphasis but became caught in what was now his embarrassingly-oversized jacket and shirt. In the struggle to get free, he managed to fall over and become entangled in the clothes. Oddly, it seemed that the clothes became looser as the seconds ticked on. Dory and Benden came off their chairs to help Shaun untangle. When the kangaroo and rabbit managed to extricate their new guest, the result was surprisingly.
“Oh my.” Said Dory.
“Welp, I guess you were right about further changes.” Chimed Benden.
Shaun was still an orange foxtaur, but his size had been noticeably reduced over the past minute. Now roughly half the height of those around him, Shaun saw his reflection in a polished cabinet next to the couch. Even with a coat of fur, Shaun could tell that his body had lost much of the build that came from age. His face was rounder, and his proportions overall were less refined.
“I’m a kid?” Shaun asked out-loud. His higher-pitched voice, complete with a fox-like, yipping accent, answered the question.
“A kit, if you want to get technical.” Benden corrected. “Or possibly a cub. I’m not exactly an expert on fox terminology.”
“Whatever the term, you’re certainly cute!” chirped Dory.
Shaun felt his ears warm at the compliment. He ran a hand idly through his fur as he contemplated his new body. A kid foxtaur...it seemed so silly, but there it was, staring back from the cabinet reflection. Shaun yawned as he considered how strangely normal it felt to be this way.
“Heh, tired are you?” Benden chuckled. “Can’t say I blame you—been a big day hasn’t it? Maybe you should get some sleep and we can worry about what’s next in the morning.”
Shaun glanced at the clock. “But it’s only eight!”
“But nothing.” Dory tutted. “You’re a child now, remember? That means you have a child’s needs, and one of those happens to be an early bedtime.”
“Yes ma’am...” Shaun yielded. The thought of having to go to bed early was more frustrating than he had expected. There was a great deal more that could be done today, he grumbled to himself as Dory led him to a guest room on the ground floor. Despite his extra legs, it was simple enough to climb onto the bed, and just as simple to find a good way to lie down. As Dory tucked him in, Shaun was already drifting off and soon fell asleep.
His dreams were, to put it succinctly, odd. Memories of other scientists from Earth were interspersed with images of the playground Shaun had seen upon first arriving in this new world. Office doors blurred away into slides, and chalkboards grew swing sets as the images advanced. Beakers turned into balls, and lab benches rearranged themselves into forts. Visions of games continued to emerge and flow through the night, broken only by the eventual rays of morning sun.
Shaun rubbed his sleepy eyes upon waking. With a large yawn, he stretched both arms and all four legs before sliding off the bed and inspecting himself in the closet mirror. Shaun was still the foxtaur child he had gone to bed as, which was not very surprising all things considered. Struck by a sudden thought, Shaun opened his mouth wide and tried to get a look inside his muzzle. After confirming the existence of teeth, another idea came to him. Checking that no one was watching, Shaun stuck his tongue out at the mirror and pushed at the skin around his eyes.
“Bllllaaaaarg!” he intoned while making a silly face at the mirror. “I am the foxtaur monster! Blllaaaaarg!”
Shaun could only hold the face for a few more seconds before he burst out laughing. Such a childish game—but so very fun! Shaun giggled to himself as he stomped the floor with a front paw in the manner of a bull preparing to charge while he flexed his arms exaggeratingly. He wondered if his extra set of legs would be an asset while playing tag. These thoughts came as naturally to him as the movements of his body. While Shaun could feel that his forty-one years of accumulated knowledge was readily accessible, it was taking a backseat to thoughts of fun and games. He was a child now, he told himself, and so it was natural to have a child’s priorities. University degrees in advanced physics and chemistry were all well and good, but Shaun had a feeling that unless they could help him hit a baseball better, they weren’t going to come in handy in the immediate future. Being a kid again felt very refreshing.
Grinning to himself, Shaun made his way to the kitchen where he found Benden and Dory sitting at the table eating eggs and toast.
“Ah, you’re up then!” Benden exclaimed upon seeing his guest. “We thought you were still asleep.”
“I was, but then I woke up.” Shaun chimed with a yip. He took a seat opposite his hosts; thankful for the natural ease which he could manoeuvre his ‘taur body into the chair. “I don’t know if it was the good sleep, or just the fact that I’ve had some time, but I think I’m getting comfortable with being this way.” He added, motioning to his body.
Dory smiled and Benden’s ear twitched in what Shaun assumed was a happy expression. “That’s good, actually. Dory and I were discussing your situation actually.”
“Oh?” Shaun asked, distracted by the piece of toast Dory had just placed in front of him.
“Well, it’s just that although there are some systems in place to help arrived humans, none of them are set up for your rather unique change. Most of the humans that come here don’t get their age altered. I think there might have been one a decade back that gained a few years, but none who’ve regressed. This means that as far as the officials are concerned, you’re just another eight-year old foxtaur.”
The ominous news had to compete with the deliciously buttered toast for Shaun’s attention. When the news finally won, he said, “So what’ll happen to me?”
Dory tilted her head. “Well, there are a few options we can look in to, but, ah, there was one in particular we were hoping you’d consider.” She paused while Shaun finished his toast before continuing. “I think that my husband explained to you how we’ve always wanted a child.”
It was Shaun’s turn to tilt his head as he looked from Dory to Benden. “You... want to adopt me? As your own kid?”
“Only if you’re ok with it!” Benden interjected. “Otherwise we can help you research alternatives. I’m sure there’s some loophole or another we can use to get you into the normal programs for human arrivals.”
Shaun rubbed the back of his head, feeling along his peaked ears as he thought it over. “Well... you two have been nothing but kind to me since we’d met. And you /were/ right yesterday, when you sent me to bed. I haven’t been a kid for so long I’m not sure I can do this on my own.” He grinned, “Plus...aheh.... the chance to have a second—albeit furry—childhood does seem fun. So yea, I’m fine with that. I’ll be your kid.”
Dory clasped her hands together. “Oh how wonderful! Thank you!”
“Fantastic!” Benden gushed. “I can get the papers filled out this afternoon! Soon, you’ll be little Shaun Harrow! Fancy that!”
“Shaun...Harrow...” Shaun sounded it out. “Ah, seems like I should say goodbye to Shyler, then.”
“Or mix it in!” Benden encouraged. “A name is important, you know. Lets you remember where you came from. How about Shaunler? Shaunly? Shaunshy? Shyaun?”
“How about...Shyanne?”
“That works too! I mean, it’s not a straight-up mix but it certainly sounds nice.”
“This is so exciting!” Dory smiled as she got up. “We should have a proper celebratory breakfast. Who’s in the mood for pancakes? And then afterwards we can show you around the neighbourhood. There’s a lovely fruit bat boy who lives down the street—Cyrus, his name is—who I’m sure would love a playmate.” She raised a brow. “What’s so funny?”
The foxtaur was grinning even wider now. “Huh? Oh, I was just thinking about how odd this must look—a kangaroo, a rabbit, and a foxtaur. It sounds like the build-up to a bad joke.”
“Maybe on Earth.” Dory replied as she leaned in and kissed her new son on the forehead. “But here, we call it a happy family.”
Shyanne agreed. As the smell of fresh batter filled his nose, he thought that if his new mom’s pancakes were half as good as her toast, then things could only be looking up.
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